Cadence

Cadence editorial

The learning journal.

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Showing all 117 articles.

Practical guide

How to use map scale

Turn map measurements into ground distances. Check a 1:25,000 example, compare scale bars and learn what changes when a map is resized. Free worksheet.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

How to compare unit prices

Compare different pack sizes using the same amount. Work through a price-per-100-g example, check a multipack and try a free unit-price worksheet.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

How to apply what you read

Turn one idea from a book or summary into a small, checkable action. Try a worked example, a new practice case and a free reading-to-practice worksheet.

, 7 min read

Course buying guide

Is DataCamp worth it for your next learning goal?

Compare DataCamp free access and a subscription, check the billing commitment, and use an original task to judge whether guided practice fits your goal.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

Why does my food taste bland?

Bland food is missing something your tongue or nose can detect, or your sense of smell is dulled. Run a nose check and a three-spoon test to find which.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How does recycling work?

Follow one bin through a sorting facility: screens, optical sorters, magnets and eddy currents. Learn why a plastic number is not a yes, then check three items.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

What does a 40% chance of rain mean?

Separate rain probability from duration and amount. Read a point forecast, check why hourly percentages cannot be added, and try a free exercise with answers.

, 6 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best tutor apps for adults

Compare tutor apps for adults by what they teach, how they check you and whether they plan and review for you: Cadence, ChatGPT, Gemini, Khanmigo and more.

, 8 min read

Practical guide

How to ask for feedback you can use

Ask about one observed task, turn a vague reply into a next step, and check what changes. Original request examples, practice case and free feedback worksheet.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

How to count rhythm without losing the beat

Count quarter notes, eighth notes, holds and rests in 4/4. Try three original rhythm exercises with checked answers and download a free counting worksheet.

, 7 min read

Course buying guide

Is FutureLearn worth it? Choose what you need.

Choose between FutureLearn free access, a course purchase and Unlimited. Check certificate eligibility, subscription exclusions and a worked example before paying.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to read a poem when you do not know where to start

Read a poem by noticing its words, speaker and turns. Try an original four-line poem, compare two readings and download a free reading worksheet.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

Check an image before you trust its caption

Check an image's source, earlier uses and creation history. Try three worked examples and a free worksheet before trusting an AI image or its caption.

, 8 min read

Course buying guide

Is edX worth it? Decide what you need to pay for.

Compare edX free audit and paid verified access, check certificate and course deadlines, and use a practical decision exercise before paying.

, 6 min read

Speaking practice

Catch the filler words. Practice the message that matters.

See how Cadence checks filler words, pace and pauses, then personalizes practice criteria and feedback for interviews, wedding speeches and presentations.

, 6 min read

Adult learning guide

Is Khan Academy good for adults? Start with your gap.

Decide whether Khan Academy fits your adult learning goal, choose a starting point, and try a checked percentage exercise before committing to a course.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to learn from podcasts and check what you remember

Turn a podcast into useful notes with a free template, a worked claim check and recall questions. Keep the speaker's words separate from evidence and your next step.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

How to read a scientific paper without losing the question

Read a scientific paper by checking its question, comparison, measurements and limits. Try a fictional study and download a free reading worksheet.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

Base rate fallacy: count both ways a flag can happen

Understand base rate neglect with a spam-filter example, a changed-prevalence comparison and a practice problem with answers. Download the count worksheet.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

Survivorship bias: ask who disappeared from the example

Spot survivorship bias with a fictional book club, an applicant example and an answer check. Download a worksheet for finding the missing cases.

, 6 min read

Buying guide

Is Udemy Worth It? One Course or Personal Plan?

Choose between a Udemy course purchase and Personal Plan with an access check, a total-cost example and a realistic study schedule.

, 6 min read

Buying guide

Is Coursera Plus Worth It? Check Your Course Plan

Coursera Plus can suit a sustained learning plan. Check course inclusion, time to finish and the actual charge before paying for a larger catalog.

, 7 min read

Buying guide

Is Skillshare Worth It? Start With One Project

Skillshare is easier to judge when you choose something to make. Compare classes, project feedback, certificates and the full annual charge before subscribing.

, 7 min read

Buying guide

Is MasterClass Worth It? Membership vs Certificates

MasterClass can suit expert-led exploration. Separate its streaming membership from Certificates, then decide how you will turn an interesting lesson into practice.

, 7 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is the Elevate app worth it?

Elevate has a free version separate from its trial. Compare access, check renewal terms, and use a practical task to decide whether Premium fits your goal.

, 6 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is the Uptime app worth it?

Uptime offers one selected free Hack daily. See when Premium is worth considering, what its listed prices do not tell you, and how to check the fit.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to use spaced repetition when you have a date to remember for

Spaced repetition means reviewing at growing gaps. See a worked three-week schedule, a paper method that adjusts to your answers, and what research supports.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to think better, one real decision at a time

Think better by writing your first answer down, arguing against it and checking one fact. A worked job-offer example, and what brain games do not do.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to improve your memory for the things you actually need

Improve your memory by recalling instead of rereading, spacing reviews and sleeping well. Worked examples for names and reading, and what supplements do not do.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to save money without relying on willpower every week

Save money by deciding the amount once, automating it on payday and planning for yearly bills. A worked monthly budget and what the research shows.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to speak confidently when you feel nervous

Speak more confidently: prepare one clear point, rehearse it out loud and call the nerves excitement. Worked examples for meetings and short talks.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to sleep better with a few habits you can keep

Sleep better with a fixed wake time, a caffeine cut-off and a wind-down routine. A worked evening plan, a two-week sleep log, and when to talk to a doctor.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to journal in a way that actually helps

Start journaling with one of three short formats: writing through something hard, noting what went well, or a weekly review. With the evidence.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to be happier, according to the studies that followed people for decades

Be happier by putting more of your week into people and small acts for others. A worked one-week audit and what long-term studies do and do not show.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to make friends as an adult when everyone seems busy

Make friends as an adult by seeing the same people every week, adding one-to-one time and following up. A worked plan with the research behind it.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to focus when everything is pulling at your attention

Focus better by protecting one block of time for one task and parking interruptions. A worked 90-minute block and what the research does and does not show.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to stop procrastinating on the task you keep avoiding

Stop procrastinating by naming the feeling, shrinking the first step and planning exactly when you start. A worked example and the research behind it.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to manage your time with a plan that fits a real week

Manage your time by planning from how long tasks really take, leaving a buffer and choosing what waits. A worked weekly plan and what research shows.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to read more books when you never seem to have time

Read more by tying reading to a daily routine, keeping a book within reach and setting a small target. A worked plan and the numbers behind it.

, 6 min read

Reviewed roundup

Apps like Kinnu, and when Kinnu is still the right choice

Compare apps like Kinnu, including Imprint, Anki, Nibble, Brilliant and Cadence, with what each costs, what Kinnu's own purchases cover, and when to stay.

, 7 min read

A beginner learning path

How to learn critical thinking, one claim at a time

Learn critical thinking with a four-step beginner plan, an original worked exercise, explained answers and course starting points for evidence, bias and data.

, 8 min read

Worked examples

How to spot misleading graphs before you trust the headline

Spot misleading graphs with five checks, an original same-data chart comparison, count-versus-rate examples and three practice questions with explained answers.

, 7 min read

Practice guide

Five active listening exercises you can try at work

Practice active listening with five short exercises, a worked conversation and checks for understanding. Learn to follow up without rushing to give advice.

, 7 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best apps for running better meetings

The best apps for running meetings that end in a decision, compared by the problem you have this week, including when the honest answer is to cancel the meeting.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best apps for learning AI skills at work

The best apps for building AI skills for your own job, compared by what you actually need: judging output, prompting, coding with AI, or a credential.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best apps for data skills at work

The best apps for reading data confidently without becoming an analyst, compared by whether you need spreadsheets, statistics, SQL, or a credential.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best apps for job interview preparation

Best interview prep app: Yoodli for spoken rehearsal, a course for answer structure, Cadence for a goal-built plan, and where Google's Interview Warmup went.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best apps for focus and deep work

The best apps for focus at work, compared by whether your real problem is your calendar, your priorities, your phone, or a habit that will not stick.

, 8 min read

Practical guide

How to learn with AI and check what you understood

Use AI as a study partner with a worked 20-minute session, a reusable prompt, source checks and a final question you answer without the assistant.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to turn notes into practice questions you can trust

Make flashcards and quizzes from notes or a PDF with a reusable prompt, a worked example, an answer-key check and a method for fixing weak questions.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to build a self-study plan you can adjust

Build a realistic self-study plan with a four-week example, a weekly template, practice tasks and a rule for adjusting the plan after missed sessions.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

Why do we have seasons? Start with a tilted Earth

Understand why Earth has seasons with a simple light-and-paper demonstration, an explanation of opposite hemispheres, and questions to check your understanding.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

Why does the Moon seem to change shape?

Learn what causes the Moon's phases, how they differ from an eclipse, and how to start a simple observation notebook without a telescope or special equipment.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to read a historical photograph without guessing

Read an old photograph carefully: separate visible details from interpretation, check the catalog record, and build a historical question you can investigate.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to read an old map and ask better questions

Learn to read an old map by checking its date, purpose, legend and omissions, then compare it with another map without mistaking every difference for change.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

Correlation and causation: what would prove the claim?

Tell correlation from causation using a worked learning-club example, three alternative explanations, and a practical checklist for reading everyday claims.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

Percent versus percentage points: do the comparison

A percentage point is the plain difference between two percentages: 20% to 30% is up 10 points, but up 50%. Worked examples and three quick checks.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

How to look at a painting without knowing art history

Try a simple way to look closely at a painting, separate details from interpretation, and use the museum label to deepen your reading rather than replace it.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to keep an idea notebook you actually return to

Build an idea notebook that goes beyond saved quotes: capture a specific observation, add a question, and turn one entry into a small creative experiment.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to check an AI answer before you rely on it

Check an AI answer by separating claims, opening original sources, checking dates and recalculating numbers, with a worked example and a reusable review method.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to check a suspicious message before you click

Learn how to check a suspicious email or text using a separate trusted route, recognize pressure tactics, and practice with a fictional delivery-message example.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to use retrieval practice after reading an article

Use retrieval practice after reading: close the page, explain the idea from memory, check your answer, and try a new example with this short worked exercise.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to delegate a task without taking it back

Delegate a task with a clear outcome, decision boundaries, resources and a useful check-in. Includes a worked handover and a way to handle problems without micromanaging.

, 5 min read

Practical guide

How to test a learning app before paying for it

Evaluate a learning app with one real goal, a complete lesson, an answer check and a return visit. Includes a simple comparison record and subscription checks.

, 5 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is Deepstash free, and is the free tier enough?

Is Deepstash free? Compare reading access with saving limits, what Pro adds, listed prices, and a simple check to see whether free is enough.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to get good at AI at work when nobody trained you

Build AI skills using a low-risk practice task, a worked prompt and an answer check. Compare accuracy and total review time while protecting workplace information.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to practice for a job interview

How to practice for a job interview: build ten answers from the job description, rehearse each one aloud from memory, and score it against a written standard.

, 9 min read

From the Cadence team

What do you want to learn? Start with one clear goal.

Turn an interest into a learning goal with a worked example, a reusable sentence and a check for whether your next lesson fits. No popularity ranking required.

, 6 min read

New manager guide

Your first one-on-one as a new manager

Run your first one-on-one as a new manager with a 30-minute agenda, opening script, questions, and a free template you can use without signing up.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

The most affordable learning apps in 2026

Compare ten affordable learning options by free access, optional subscriptions, one-time purchases, and the subject you want to learn.

, 8 min read

Practical guide

How to influence without authority at work

Influencing without authority: find the real decision owner, understand their interests, bring useful evidence, and ask for a small next step.

, 9 min read

Practical guide

How to prioritize work when everything feels urgent

A practical way to prioritize competing work: compare consequences, account for dependencies, make uncertainty visible, and negotiate what will move or stop.

, 9 min read

Practical guide

How to prepare for a work presentation that leads to a decision

Prepare a work presentation that leads somewhere: define the audience decision, write one clear point, choose evidence, rehearse aloud, and plan the Q&A.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

The 10 best language learning apps in 2026, matched to how you learn

Compare 10 of the best language learning apps for structured courses, speaking, audio lessons, native content, language exchange, and free access.

, 14 min read

From the Cadence team

Use an AI chatbot for an answer. Use Cadence for a path.

Compare a quick chatbot answer, one focused preparation session, and a short multi-day Cadence path. See when chat wins and when continuity matters.

, 9 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is Deepstash worth it?

Is Deepstash worth it? What the free feed and Pro include, the monthly and yearly prices Apple lists, and when an ordered course suits you better.

, 8 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is LinkedIn Learning worth it?

Is LinkedIn Learning worth it? Premium, employer and library access, course quality, certificates, and when another learning format fits better.

, 9 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is Yoodli worth paying for?

Is Yoodli worth it? Yes, if you will rehearse a real talk or interview more than once. Five free roleplays, then Pro at US$8 a month yearly or US$11 monthly.

, 9 min read

Clear speaking

How to organize your thoughts before speaking at work

A practical method to organize your thoughts before speaking, stop rambling in meetings, answer unexpected questions, and make your point clearly at work.

, 11 min read

Communication skills

The 10 most important communication skills for work

The 10 most important communication skills for work, with concrete examples, a sensible order for learning them, and a way to choose what to practice first.

, 10 min read

Communication tips

10 communication tips you can use at work today

Ten practical communication tips for clearer emails, meetings, feedback, and difficult conversations, with examples you can use in real work today.

, 9 min read

Communication frameworks

5 communication frameworks that make work clearer

Five useful communication frameworks for emails, feedback, updates, and proposals, with workplace examples, limits, and a quick way to choose the right one.

, 10 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best daily learning apps for 2026, compared by what you want to learn

Compare the best daily learning apps for 2026, including Headway, Brilliant, Duolingo, Kinnu, and Cadence, by subject, free access, and pricing.

, 10 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best communication skills apps for work

Compare six communication skills apps for work, including tools for difficult conversations, writing, workplace English, speaking feedback, and daily learning.

, 11 min read

From the Cadence team

We are building a learn-anything app. We are starting with career skills.

Why Cadence is building a course for any curiosity while starting with career skills such as communication, leadership, judgment, and self-management.

, 6 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best microlearning apps, sorted by what they teach

Compare the best microlearning apps for adults by what they teach: custom courses, general knowledge, STEM, book summaries, visual lessons, and audio.

, 10 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best public speaking apps, sorted by how you need to practice

Compare the best public speaking apps for delivery feedback, private rehearsal, realistic presentation rooms, instructor-led courses, and daily learning.

, 10 min read

Side-by-side guide

Brilliant vs Khan Academy: choose by how you need to learn

Compare Brilliant and Khan Academy by teaching style, free access, test preparation, choosing for a child or an adult, and when using both makes sense.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

Blinkist alternatives, sorted by why you are leaving

The best Blinkist alternatives, sorted by why you are leaving: price, format, depth, or wanting to build a skill instead of collecting book summaries.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

Headway alternatives, compared by what you want next

The best Headway alternatives, compared by what you actually want: a bigger catalog, a lower price, more depth, or something that teaches a skill.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

Imprint alternatives, and which of them are free

Compare Imprint alternatives by their free access: Kinnu, Anki, Blinkist, Chunks, Brilliant and Cadence, with limits and paid upgrades explained.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

Course generator apps and study alternatives

Compare apps that generate a course by syllabus, source handling, practice and free limits. Distinguish generated courses from guided chat and catalog alternatives.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best apps for new managers

The best apps for new managers, compared by the problem you have this week: your first one-to-ones, feedback you keep postponing, or a team you inherited.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

Apps to practice difficult conversations at work

Which apps let you rehearse a hard conversation out loud and which only explain it, with what each one is bad at and where a colleague still beats all of them.

, 8 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is Imprint worth it?

Is Imprint worth it? Yes, if you want illustrated lessons on psychology and popular nonfiction. US$15.99 monthly or yearly from US$74.99, checked September 2026.

, 7 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is the Nibble app worth it?

Is Nibble worth it? Worth sampling if its ten-minute lessons cover topics you are curious about. Free to install, then paid access, so check the renewal amount.

, 7 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is Brilliant worth it?

Is Brilliant worth it? What the interactive courses include, who the problem-first method suits, and when a free alternative teaches the same thing.

, 8 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is BeFreed worth it?

Is BeFreed free? A limited free tier, then US$12.99 monthly or US$89.99 yearly, checked September 2026. What Premium includes, who it suits, and its limits.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

19 best apps for learning skills as an adult, compared by subject

Compare 19 of the best apps for learning skills as an adult: languages, math, coding, exams, instruments and work skills, plus when each is the wrong pick.

, 18 min read

Reviewed roundup

9 free learning apps for adults, no subscription required

Compare 9 free learning apps for adults you can use without a subscription or payment trial, including Cadence, Khan Academy, Duolingo, edX, and Anki.

, 10 min read

Reviewed roundup

The best apps for learning skills you actually use at work

The best apps for learning workplace skills, from software and certificates to the harder ones like giving feedback, running meetings, and managing up.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

Apps like Duolingo for other subjects

Compare apps like Duolingo for other subjects, including math, science, memory, work skills, university courses, book ideas, and chess.

, 8 min read

Reviewed roundup

Learning app costs in 2026

Compare free access and dated US-dollar web prices for learning apps, including full annual charges and a worked monthly-versus-annual cost calculation.

, 9 min read

Reviewed roundup

Apps to replace doomscrolling, honestly compared

Apps that replace doomscrolling with learning: Duolingo, Brilliant, Cadence, TED, Headway, Anki and Khan Academy, with where each session ends.

, 8 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is Blinkist worth it?

Is Blinkist worth it? Our review covers what the subscription actually includes, who gets value from book summaries, and when a different app is the better buy.

, 7 min read

Reviewed evaluation

Is Headway worth it?

Is the Headway app worth it? Our review covers what the subscription includes, who it suits, and where a different app or the book itself is the better choice.

, 7 min read

Practical guide

How to give feedback that actually changes something

A practical method for giving feedback at work: what to say, the sentence patterns that fail, and how to tell whether the message actually landed.

, 8 min read

Practical guide

How to have a difficult conversation at work

How to prepare for and hold a hard conversation at work: the opening sentence, what to do when it goes badly, and the mistakes that make things worse.

, 8 min read

Practical guide

Your first 90 days as a new manager

What to do in your first 90 days managing people: what to change early, what to leave alone, and common mistakes to avoid.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to manage up without being political

How to manage up at work: getting decisions out of a busy manager, disagreeing safely, and handling the common types of difficult boss.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to run a meeting that ends in a decision

How to run effective meetings: the agenda that works, how to handle the person who derails it, and which meetings to cancel outright.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to negotiate a job offer and assess the answer

Prepare a job-offer negotiation with written details, relevant benchmarks, a clear request and a worked example. Understand the limits and assess the full package.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to get promoted from individual contributor to senior

What actually gets you promoted from individual contributor to senior: the scope shift, the evidence to collect, and why doing your job well is not enough.

, 6 min read

Practical guide

How to actually learn something new every day

Try a ten-minute daily learning routine and a seven-day worked example, with recall questions, answer checks, and a simple way to see your progress.

, 8 min read

Practical guide

What to do instead of scrolling

What to do instead of scrolling, matched to the moment you reach for your phone, with finite options for queues, commutes, task breaks, and bedtime.

, 6 min read

Sourced research

Microlearning statistics, with the studies behind them

Read microlearning research with its limits: spacing, recall tests and forgetting, plus a worked example of percentages and what the findings do not prove.

, 6 min read

Sourced research

How long should a lesson actually be?

Choose lesson length from the task, available time and a useful answer check. See a worked ten-minute example and the limits of spacing research.

, 6 min read

Your next question

Turn a problem or curiosity into a course made for you.

Cadence asks what matters, builds the path, and keeps the next short lesson ready.

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