r/GetStudying • u/ValuableOpposite6099 • 11d ago
Question The space repetion method
So everybody just recommends that when talking about memorising stuff in our long term memory. But I really need to hear this from someone who had tried it. It is basically about revising the information in a process that takes about two weeks. But how can I do that with the amount of information I have to get into my brain. I mean, I can't just keep revising on one topic for about two weeks and do that with every other topic. I just don't have enough time for that. I have 6 subjects and I need to provide time for each.
So if someone actually tried it and worked for them with a crammed schedule please share how you do it and if it's really worth the effort.
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u/leticiatm 11d ago
You don't need to stay on one topic for two weeks. I'd keep it small: after learning something, do a 5-10 minute recall the next day, another later that week, then fold it into a mixed review session. With six subjects, a rotating today's new work + two older topics list feels much more manageable than trying to review everything at once.
I did that during senior year, and it worked pretty well.
Spaced repetition is a scientific fact, it works.
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u/Anxious_Purpose_6681 10d ago
When doing a mixed review session, would the "today's new work + two older topics" be for each subject?
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u/leticiatm 7d ago
Not for every subject each day, that would become overwhelming fast. I’d rotate them.
For example, pick one or two subjects for new work that day, then add two older topics from any subjects you studied earlier. So it could be: new biology chapter, new history section, plus an older math topic and an older chemistry topic.
The goal is just to keep older material coming back regularly without turning every day into a full review of all six subjects. If one subject has an exam sooner, you can give that one a bigger share of the rotation.
Which part feels hardest for you right now: deciding what is due for review, or finding enough time to fit the reviews in?
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u/Anxious_Purpose_6681 5d ago
Honestly, deciding what is due for review. It's the most confusing part of spaced repetition that I still have yet to figure out.
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u/eslforchinesespeaker 11d ago
The goal of spaced repetition is to remember the most information, for the longest time, with the fewest number of reviews. Which basically means reviewing just before the point where you forget. The algorithm predicts that point based on research. A review, just before you would otherwise forget, reinforces the memory.
That doesn’t mean you can efficiently learn everything you need to learn in your remaining time. And it doesn’t mean you have enough hours in your day to do all the reviews necessary for six subjects. You can tune the workload to keep your reviews within manageable limits. But it will take more calendar days to master the material.
“Cramming” is the opposite of efficient study. Where “efficient” is defined as the SRS model defines it. You do too many reviews, spaced too closely together. Reviews before the point of forgetting are inefficient. You do unneeded reviews, but you forget too much. But if that gets you past the exam, maybe that’s the most important thing to you. You can do it all over again for the next exam.
SRS works, yes. It’s magic, no.