How to use these flashcards to prepare for the ServSafe Exam
- Say your answers out loud, even if you’re studying by yourself – Everyone can benefit from SAYING the answer, not just THINKING the answer. It’s how your brain works (you’ll have to trust me on this one).
- After you SAY the answer, EXPLAIN the answer as if you are tutoring a particularly slow friend. Recognizing the correct answer is easy. Explaining the answer MEANS YOU KNOW IT.
- No last minute studying! Flashcards are not an effective method for last-minute cramming! Start at least 3-5 days before your ServSafe exam is scheduled.
- Use spaced repetition Spaced repetition is one of the most effective ways of using flashcards. This is when you review your cards at specific, increasing intervals: for example on Day 1, Day 2, Day 4, Day 8 and so on. Spaced repetition works because it activates your long-term memory, while cramming the night before or (god help you) the day of the exam uses short-term memory (which is notoriously ineffective).
- Study flash cards in both directions. When you’re studying your flash cards, make sure you review them from both sides. By doing this, you’re going to build strong neural pathways that will determine if you remember the answer when test time comes. With quizlet, you can flip the direction the cards appear by clicking the button with two arrows to switch whether you see side “A” first or side “b” first.
If you’ve never studied flashcards by explaining the answer aloud, it will probably seem a bit awkward and if someone was watching you do it, they’d probably think you’re a bit on the crazy side. BUT, trust me, you’ll learn the flashcards a lot quicker and you’ll understand the material better for those ServSafe questions that trip you up than if you just look at the front, shrug your shoulders, glance at the back and move on.