Index card template: free printable study cards
This index card template is a printable sheet of five fold-over cards: a front on the left, a fold line in the middle and a back on the right. Print it, write a term or a speech cue on the front and the details on the back, then cut and fold. For real 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 cards, copy the same layout by hand.
Prints on one A4 or Letter page without the website around it. Pick "Save as PDF" in the print dialog to get a PDF.
Cut out, fold in the middle.
Example: history index cards on the Cold War
Cut out, fold in the middle.
StudyPDF makes a deck like this from your lecture file, and every card cites its source. Make flashcards from my materials
How to use it
- 1
Print the blank sheet on A4 or Letter paper. Card stock or thick paper gives you cards that last a whole term.
- 2
Write one item per card on the front: a term, a date, a formula or one point of your speech. A few words are enough.
- 3
Write the answer or the details on the back. Keep it to two or three lines, in your own words.
- 4
Cut along the dashed lines and fold each card on the middle line. A dab of glue keeps the halves together.
- 5
For a speech, number the cards in the top corner, so you can put them back in order if you drop them.
- 6
Study front first, say the answer out loud, then flip. Sort the cards into a know pile and a not-yet pile, and go through the second pile again the next day.
This index card template is a printable sheet of five fold-over cards: a front on the left, a fold line in the middle and a back on the right. Print it, write a term or a speech cue on the front and the details on the back, then cut and fold. For real 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 cards, copy the same layout by hand.
Index cards come in three common US sizes: 3 x 5 inches for one fact or one speech point, 4 x 6 for a term with a short explanation, and 5 x 8 for longer notes. In Europe the usual sizes are A7 (74 x 105 mm) and A6 (105 x 148 mm). The cards on this sheet are smaller than a 3 x 5 card, so a whole set fits in a pencil case.
For study cards, put one term, date or question on the front and the answer on the back. For speech note cards, write one point per card in large letters, number each card in the corner and keep to keywords, so you look up at the room more than you read. The filled example below is a set of history study cards.
Want to print straight onto blank index cards? In Word, open Layout, then Size, then More Paper Sizes, and enter 5 x 3 inches or 6 x 4. Type one card per page and feed the cards one at a time. Avery's perforated 3 x 5 sheets (5388) hold three cards per Letter page.
Or let StudyPDF fill it
Rather not write every card by hand? Upload your lecture slides, notes or textbook pages, press New material and pick Flashcards. StudyPDF writes the cards from your own material, each one citing its source page. Rate every card Again, Hard, Good or Easy as you study. Export the deck as a PDF fold-over print sheet, or to Anki on Pro and up. A free account is enough.
Questions and answers
How many 3x5 index cards fit on a sheet of paper?
Four fit on a US Letter or A4 sheet in a neat 2 by 2 grid if you cut them yourself. Ready-made perforated card sheets such as Avery 5388 hold three per page.
What size are index cards?
The common US sizes are 3 x 5, 4 x 6 and 5 x 8 inches. In Europe you more often find A7 (74 x 105 mm), A6 (105 x 148 mm) and A5. For study cards and speech notes, 3 x 5 or A7 is enough for one point per card.
How do I print index cards in Word?
Go to Layout, then Size, then More Paper Sizes, and enter a custom size such as 5 x 3 inches. Type one card per page, check your printer's manual feed setting and print a test on plain paper first.
How do you use index cards for a speech?
One main point per card, a few keywords in large letters and a number in the corner. Write quotes and statistics out in full so you get them right. Practise with the cards until you only need to glance at them.
