Hey, I use a deck for each topic in each subject. For example, today I made cards for Simon Commission and Boycott movement. Instead of typing long answers, I click a photo of the relevant page. I make Questions from mains pov, and use the subject name as a tag. I just started using Anki, so I don’t know how it’ll work out eventually
While there is no one way to use Anki, these are some of the stuff that I can tell you can go be improved/ done differently.
One deck for each topic for each subject isn't too helpful. This is something I am writing by my own experience and through my experience interacting with Anki community on Reddit too. In the beginning, I had one deck for each subject. That too was too much. The more random the sequence of cards we get to recall, the better. Right now, I have one deck for GS- Pre, one deck for GS-Mains (only stuff that goes into it are stuff to learn from final consolidated notes for each topic), One for PSIR, except IR & one for IR. One more stuff for Dumping when I don't want to categorize the information at the moment. Also, I have read that Anki may start acting weirdly with too many decks and may affect the scheduling of card recall.
Now, every card has to be given appropriate tags so that you can edit/view cards you need. So, a simon commision card should be given tags like MIH, GS1, Freedom-Struggle.
Also, flashcards are better when each card carries minimum information possible. This is called as, as you can guess, minimum information principle. That quickens reviews and that is also a better way to study because flashcards are for remembering the factual stuff. Now, the paragraphs that you are copy pasting can be pasted in the extra 'remarks' tab that is given to you. This can be helpful to refer stuff without actually going to source material. So, suppose today, I read some op-ed in the hindu. And it says, x report says that there are y number of people suffering from something. You make a reversible basic card ( which will make two cards):
Side 1: X report on something ???
Side 2: Y number of people suffer from something (Source???)
Or
Side 1: Data on something
Side 2: X Reports says Y......
Here, you will be asked to revise both the sides by presenting you the other side. In the tab remark, you paste the paragraph from the op-ed so that you get the context if you are lost.
Alternatively, you can use cloze deletions too.
About two decades ago, a guy called Piotr Wozniak formulated what are called the Supermemo rules for Knowledge Formulation. Do go through them once in a while to constantly remind yourself that you may be making your job more difficult by breaking those rules. I have made thousands of cards only to delete them after a point because they became so unwieldy. And it will take so much time to review them too after a point.
https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules_of_knowledge_formulation
My top advice would be to fastidiously follow minimum information rule, tag everything nicely, learn what kind of information is best for which kind of cards (like there is an addon called overlapping cloze that can be used for mugging up lists, quotes). Less the decks, the better it is. Make cards on desktop/laptop, review on mobile (enable touch gestures).
Also, if someone has taken the leap to make the best use of Anki & are a little lost, I advice you to go through the 4 hour skillshare course on Anki by Ali Abdaal. You make skip most of it, but you will find something that can make your life easier. It is available on torrents for free. If you don't find it, DM me maybe.
That said, rules are meant to be broken, everyone is different, no size fits all. What I just wrote is conventional wisdom.
I have played around Anki for 3-4 years, while there are benefits, it isn't for all. So if there is someone who is not able to wrap your head around it, pls be chill (Pen and paper works the best imo too. take half the side of your paper for questions and then answers on other side).
One of the recent apps for those who want to type less and be efficient is the "Roam research".
It creates your tags on the go andhas backward and forward linkages in real timewhile you type it out. like create a #history and this piece of information will be shown in both present page and that #page too. Majestic beast in my opinion.
There is a free version with limited stuff but that should be enough for people like us. Anyways, this is just another useful addition to the huge pile of resources we have at our disposal, so no need for FOMO. ATB
Unpopular opinion but csat was better than last year. Last year it had multiple concepts ( calenders and permutations) in one question. Also the passages were on difficult end along with only one question per passage in most. ( Not saying that this year its easy, it wasn't).
This year I was surprised to see passages with 3 related questions and they were on easier side ( compared to last year), which generally doesn't happen.
I am of the opinion that eliminations are increasing due to csat and this would remain in practice in future too as margin for the same in paper 1 is less where most of the serious candidates have a good grip on static part.
Guys, did you mark Biorock technology, Miyawaki method, Gucchi, Nitrogen Fixing Plants, Climate Action Tracker, EP100 questions? If yes, had you read them somewhere? These sort of questions are now regular, yet not found in Newspapers, conventional Current sources.
To suggest one single material here wouldnt be appropriate. Apart from usual Ca stuff, you can check out 1) WEF Top 10 future technologies ( they used to release till last year, didn't check this year).
2) Read more about environment, sustainability, agri articles. This would help in csat as well, coz if you would have observed most of the passages focus on climate change and future agri and land use stuff.
Can also linger around UN pages but that would really be an overkill. ( Some Chandak guy had shared a good way to explore UN pages, will share the link if i get it, but again overkill hai, focus on static more).
@DM@PICERAS@hope22@Jiraiya@sator@masteroptimist Thanks a ton Guys. Considering that Environment, Science-Tech, Geography (Mapping) questions would have completely obliterated me in this year's Pre, how would you suggest approaching these subjects?
I could navigate Polity & Economy Questions, some of IR (with elimination mostly), and would've scored only around 50 if I gave this year's Pre.
That's a really broad question Man but good that you're trying to improve. Everyone has a different approach. I find myself comfortable with envi, s&t, geography.
Usual sources you already would know. Can suggest a good value addition for geography. Never tried gc Leong but you can. Can also try out Amit sengupta videos on YouTube. End to end hai wo (except from temperature inversion concept from ncert).
For approach: relied heavily on pyqs. ( It won't help with CA bouncers but it helps with static).
