Cloze vs basic (Q/A) cards in Anki: which to use
Cloze cards hide part of a sentence: "Aquaporins were discovered by {{c1::Peter Agre}}." Basic cards ask a question: "Who discovered aquaporins? → Peter Agre".
Use cloze when
- the fact lives naturally in a sentence (definitions, dates, numbers, names);
- you are converting lots of notes quickly;
- the wording itself matters (terms, formulas like MR = MC).
Use basic Q/A when
- you want to practise recall from a cue that isn't in the sentence ("What does the Na+/K+ pump use per cycle?");
- the answer is a short concept that should be recalled from many directions.
Common mistakes
- Several deletions in one cloze card (c1, c2, c3 on the same note creates separate cards, but one card with three blanks is not atomic).
- Blanking a generic word ("the {{c1::membrane}}") instead of the informative term.
- Q/A answers that are full sentences.
Notes2Deck makes cloze cards by default and Q/A on request. Generate both from the same notes and compare. See also atomic cards.
FAQ
Are cloze cards better than basic cards?
Neither is always better. Cloze is faster for sentence-shaped facts; basic Q/A is better for recall from a cue.