Never Forget a Word Again: The Science of Spaced Repetition (SRS)
Imagine if you could press a "Save" button on your brain every time you learned a new word. While we aren't cyborgs yet, Spaced Repetition Systems (SRS) are the closest thing we have to that technology. If you are still reviewing vocabulary by reading a list over and over, you are wasting valuable study time.
The Forgetting Curve
In 1885, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered the "Forgetting Curve." He found that we forget information exponentially. Within 20 minutes, you forget 40% of what you learned. Within a day, 70% is gone.
However, he also discovered a hack: Reviewing immediately stops the forgetting process. More importantly, each time you review, the memory decay slows down.
- First review: 1 day after learning
- Second review: 3 days after
- Third review: 1 week after
- Fourth review: 1 month after
By spacing out your reviews at increasingly longer intervals, you move information into permanent long-term memory with the minimum amount of effort.
Why Traditional Flashcards Fail
Paper flashcards have a flaw: you review easy words ("cat", "hello") just as often as hard words ("existentialism", "bureaucracy"). This is inefficient. You waste time on what you already know and don't spend enough time on what you're struggling with.
Enter Algorithmic SRS
Digital tools like Anki (and Loglingo's built-in archive system) solve this. They use algorithms to handle the scheduling for you.
When you see a word, you grade yourself:
- Hard/Fail: "Show me this again in 1 minute."
- Good: "Show me this tomorrow."
- Easy: "Show me this in 4 days."
The software manages thousands of cards, ensuring you only review a word right before you are about to forget it. This is the most efficient moment for memory consolidation.
How to Implement SRS effectively
SRS is powerful, but it's not magic. You need to use it correctly:
1. Consistency is King: SRS relies on daily algorithms. If you skip a week, your "reviews due" will pile up into an intimidating mountain (Review Hell). Do it every single day, even if just for 5 minutes.
2. Context is Queen: Never put isolated words on a card. Don't just write "run". Write "He runs a business." Context provides meaning and usage clues.
3. Don't Overload: Adding 50 new words a day sounds ambitious, but remember: 50 new words today equals hundreds of reviews next week. Stick to 5-10 new words a day to keep it sustainable.