Hello. Im a new user of the spaced repetition technique. What I want to learn is vocabulary that I want to embed in my brain permanently not simply for passing a test. How long should I keep practicing spaced repetition? After a month of spaced repetition can I expect to have instilled those new vocab words in my mind or do I need to keep using the method?
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If you use the Anki flashcard app, it has a built-in SR scheduler that will handle all the timing for you and will adapt to the ease at which you rate your ability to answer.
I think the typical timing extends to multi-month gaps between reviews.
How well the info sticks depends on a lot of different factors, with review frequency being just one. Things like vividness, emotional connection and passion about the material, multisensory engagement with the imagery if using mnemonic techniques, familiarity with your memory palace if using that approach, all contribute to how memorable your content will be. Its really impossible to tell someone that "after X repetitions, over a period of Y time, Z will be locked into your long term memory.
Some things may just “click” for you and be incredibly easy to remember for a very long time. Others will require regular maintenance. Its usually about how active and invested in the learning process you are and how important you consider the information.
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Definitely use a software to manage the reviewing if you have a lot of subjects. (In anki you can adjust the pacing if you feel you see cards too often / not often enough).
The idea of having to do the planification myself is a nightmare. I probably would spend so much time trying to establish a system and second guessing, that I wouldn’t get much done.
As for the intervals, for my oldest anki cards, the intervals are in years. So I guess if I knew the card and click on “Correct: 10,2 years” I can consider it made it into long term memory… and if I didn’t “review naturally” by actually using the information during that time period, then it wasn’t really essential information after all.