How to use AI to turn your study notes into a practice quiz

Step by step

1. 01

   Step 1: Gather your notes and say what the test is

   Copy your notes for one topic into one place. Note your level (for example, first year of college), the topic and the test date. Leave out names and anything private. Short, clear notes work better than a whole textbook.

   Tip: ChatGPT's help page says that if it misses something in a file or image, paste the relevant text or name the page or section to focus on.

2. 02

   Step 2: Open ChatGPT's Study mode, or Gemini

   In ChatGPT on the web, type @study in the message box, or select + and type study, then select Study from the suggestions. On a phone, select + and then Study. Study is not available in Temporary Chats, GPTs or Projects, so use a regular chat. In Gemini, go to gemini.google.com and click Add files if you want to upload your notes instead of pasting them.

3. 03

   Step 3: Paste your notes and this prompt

   Change the words in [brackets], paste your notes under the prompt and send it. In Gemini, type in the text box at the bottom and click Submit. Gemini's help page suggests telling it what to create first, then the material you want to study.

   Prompt to copy

   Create a quiz from my notes below. I am [in my first year of college] studying [introductory biology] for a test on [Friday]. Ask me one question at a time and wait for my answer. After each answer, tell me if I was right, explain anything I missed in one or two lines and then ask the next question. Use [10] questions, mix easy and hard, and ask only about what is in my notes. At the end, list the 3 topics I should review.
   
   My notes:
   [paste your notes here]

   

4. 04

   Step 4: Answer from memory, then check

   Answer each question before you look at your notes. Gemini's help page says you can click Hint for a clue, Next for the next question and Back for the previous one. When you finish, wait a moment: it shares your strengths and focus areas. Both help pages say the AI can make mistakes, so check a wrong answer against your notes.

   

5. 05

   Step 5: Go again on the weak spots

   Ask for a new round on only the topics you got wrong. In Gemini, click More questions when you finish a quiz. You can also ask for flashcards or a short study guide from the same notes.

   Prompt to copy

   Quiz me again, one question at a time, only on the topics I got wrong or skipped. Use different questions this time. Then make 8 flashcards from my notes as a list: question, then answer.