How to Make Organic Chemistry Flash Cards

Study for your next organic chemistry test by making your own flash cards.

When you're prepping for a big organic chemistry test, give yourself a boost by carrying around portable flash cards. Flash cards are mini-tests you can give yourself anywhere--standing in line at the cafeteria, shopping for comic books, waiting for your brother's Little League game to start or in between commercials when watching TV. You can make flash cards with notes from your organic chemistry text book or lectures, using a desktop publishing program and a few quick clicks of your mouse.

Things You'll Need

• Desktop publishing program
• (Optional) Organic chemistry images

Instructions

1. Open your desktop publishing program and click "File," then "New," then "Page Setup." Scroll through the "Publication type" options until you find one sized to match your preferred flash card size, such as the index card size of 3 inches by 5 inches. Set the page to "Portrait," so it is tall, not wide.

2. (Optional) Click the "Insert" menu at the top of the screen, then choose "Picture" and "From File." Browse to a location on your computer where you have an image stored for the flash card, such as the breakdown of a carbon molecule diagram, and double-click it for it to appear on the card. Shrink it down into size for the front of the card.

3. (Optional) Click the "Insert" menu and choose "Picture," then "Clip Art." Type a word or phrase, such as carbon or carbon atoms, into the "Search for" box and click "Go." Scroll through the results, then double-click an item, and it appears on the card.

4. Click the "Text" tool, which looks like an index card with an "A" on it, on the very left side of the screen. Draw a box on the card with your cursor, then type in the first flash card test question. Highlight the text, then choose a font, color and size from the text toolbar at the top of the page. Make the size large, almost filling up the front of the card, so you don't have to hold it up to your face to read it.

5. Save the card by clicking "File," then "Save As" and naming it "Card1Front." Once saved, delete any images on the front of the card. Highlight the text you typed and then type directly over it with the answer to the flash card question. Increase font size as preferred. Save the back by naming the file "Card1Back." Add additional cards as required.

Tips & Warnings

• Your home computer may have the Microsoft Publisher desktop publishing program, which is included with some installations of Microsoft Office. Another program, Adobe InDesign, is available as part of the Adobe Creative Suite. You can also make cards in word processing programs such as Microsoft Word; they're just not as layout and design friendly as desktop publishing programs, which allow for precise placement of your text and graphics.

References

• ACS: Organic Chemistry for Life