In his prompt-writing guide, Andy Matuschak discusses focused, precise questions and warns about answering from surface cues. This is an original Deckumi practice guide. The passages, exercises and product suggestions below are ours; the complete essay is linked in the references.
Decide what you want to recall
Before opening an editor, finish this sentence: “When I see this question, I want to recall…” If your answer contains a definition, a cause, a procedure and an exception, draft a separate question for each. A failed review can then point to a particular gap.
Aim for a clear retrieval task. A mechanism may require a complete sentence, and a synthesis question may intentionally connect several concepts. Answer length alone is a poor editing rule.
Turn a vague topic into an answerable question
Practice passage: this course defines a cache hit as obtaining the required content directly from the cache without reading it from the original data source. The following cards use only that passage.
Card front | Core answer |
|---|---|
In this course, what is a cache hit? | Obtaining the required content directly from the cache. |
Under this definition, does a cache hit require a read from the original data source? | No. |
“Describe caching” leaves the scope open: capacity, eviction and consistency could all be reasonable topics. The revised cards have identifiable targets. The second is a simple check of this definition; later material can support questions that ask for an explanation.
Separate the scoring target from supporting notes
Hide the answer, say your response, then reveal it. If you cannot decide whether your response meets the question, inspect the missing conditions and the boundaries of the expected answer.
Put the core answer first. Use card notes for terminology, a page reference or a personal example. Supporting explanations need not all become mandatory parts of this particular answer.
Make one editing pass in Deckumi
After document generation finishes, inspect a few cards individually. If one question asks for several independent things, edit it and add another card manually where useful. Preserve the conditions in the source. Moving a card between groups does not rewrite its question.
During review, attempt recall, reveal the answer, then choose one of the four ratings based on your response. If the question itself is ambiguous, revise it rather than relying on ratings to solve the wording problem.
What visual hierarchy can contribute
Deckumi separates the question, answer reveal and rating actions. Our design advice is to give the question priority, leave room for readable text and keep elaboration in notes. Rounded surfaces, icons and color help identify the interface; checking accuracy still requires consulting the material.
Start with three cards
- Choose a card you frequently miss and name its core retrieval target.
- Add the course, version or situation needed to determine the answer.
- Answer it yourself and check that the back supports a clear judgment before saving.
Deckumi wrote these exercises and product suggestions. They do not imply an endorsement by the original author. Follow the reference for the full discussion of question types and review experience.