Anki/SRS settings

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

addy

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2013
Messages
406
Reaction score
92
To all the Anki users out there:

I have tests every 2 weeks--what Anki settings do you use for such a short learning period? Just do cram mode each day?

Members don't see this ad.
 
To all the Anki users out there:

I have tests every 2 weeks--what Anki settings do you use for such a short learning period? Just do cram mode each day?

Lower the number of days thats required for review, you don't need to review every card every day unless there's very few, just lower the days.
 
To all the Anki users out there:

I have tests every 2 weeks--what Anki settings do you use for such a short learning period? Just do cram mode each day?

The purpose of Anki is to efficiently enhance long-term retention. Regular Anki use does not cater to performance on an exam in two weeks. For such purposes, it would be sufficiently to cram it all the few days before the exam.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
As others have said, just use cram mode. Use tags to help you sort cards so if you wanted to, say, only study anatomy,you could pull out all your anatomy cards.

I think when initially learning cards, the steps are like 5 min, 10 min, etc? Or something like that. You can make up your own steps. I did 40min, 40min, 3hrs because if I didn't, it'd take forever to get through cards because I'd keep reviewing old ones.
 
As others have said, just use cram mode. Use tags to help you sort cards so if you wanted to, say, only study anatomy,you could pull out all your anatomy cards.

I think when initially learning cards, the steps are like 5 min, 10 min, etc? Or something like that. You can make up your own steps. I did 40min, 40min, 3hrs because if I didn't, it'd take forever to get through cards because I'd keep reviewing old ones.

I changed my learning steps from "1 10" to "10 2880", as in the first review of new cards comes 2 days after you first see it. I also increased the graduating interval to 3 days (as in after that 2 day review, the next step is 3 days) and easy interval to 6 days (as in after that 2 day review, the next review if you select easy is 6 days). I also increased my review easy bonus to 150% and my review interval modifier to 150%. This has dramatically reduced the number of reviews I have to do. Yet after using these settings for three months, my % correct has only gone down a few points (but still above 90%, which should be your target). I also changed the lapses new interval to 5%, but this hasn't made a huge different since lapses are still infrequent!

The change that makes the biggest difference is changing the interval of the first review (i.e. the learning step). This is critical when using Anki cards for something like most of medicine, which is absorbed via context-rich materials first (e.g. textbooks, lectures), rather than some rote memorization task (random vocab terms). That means most of your initial learning is already done and the use of Anki is in the reviewing. You can then skip past the steep part of the learning curve, straight into the review phase. The usage notes of SuperMemo even say that the typical interval of first review should be between 2-5 days, depending on the student and material. You can read more on this FAQ page: http://www.supermemo.com/archive/help98/fi.htm

I might even push the intervals longer than what I have now (e.g. first interval 4 days, easy interval 8 days).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I changed my learning steps from "1 10" to "10 2880", as in the first review of new cards comes 2 days after you first see it. I also increased the graduating interval to 3 days (as in after that 2 day review, the next step is 3 days) and easy interval to 6 days (as in after that 2 day review, the next review if you select easy is 6 days). I also increased my review easy bonus to 150% and my review interval modifier to 150%. This has dramatically reduced the number of reviews I have to do. Yet after using these settings for three months, my % correct has only gone down a few points (but still above 90%, which should be your target). I also changed the lapses new interval to 5%, but this hasn't made a huge different since lapses are still infrequent!

The change that makes the biggest difference is changing the interval of the first review (i.e. the learning step). This is critical when using Anki cards for something like most of medicine, which is absorbed via context-rich materials first (e.g. textbooks, lectures), rather than some rote memorization task (random vocab terms). That means most of your initial learning is already done and the use of Anki is in the reviewing. You can then skip past the steep part of the learning curve, straight into the review phase. The usage notes of SuperMemo even say that the typical interval of first review should be between 2-5 days, depending on the student and material. You can read more on this FAQ page: http://www.supermemo.com/archive/help98/fi.htm

I might even push the intervals longer than what I have now (e.g. first interval 4 days, easy interval 8 days).


What anki settings/intervals (all that jazz) should I do if I have an exam every 1.5-2 weeks and avg about 70-100 cards a day and my sole source of notes/reviewing will be all from anki? I decided I'd rather convert most of my lecture notes into anki and hash it out every day and just focus on doing practice questions with the time I have left and reading texts only if I need clarification. I found that it allows me to skip the frantic/cram/review phase a few days before my test, which I hate. However, I also worry that my settings are either making me do too much a day since I tend to have a larger volume of cards but then I also don't want to make the intervals too spaced apart to where I won't retain them.
 
What anki settings/intervals (all that jazz) should I do if I have an exam every 1.5-2 weeks and avg about 70-100 cards a day and my sole source of notes/reviewing will be all from anki? I decided I'd rather convert most of my lecture notes into anki and hash it out every day and just focus on doing practice questions with the time I have left and reading texts only if I need clarification. I found that it allows me to skip the frantic/cram/review phase a few days before my test, which I hate. However, I also worry that my settings are either making me do too much a day since I tend to have a larger volume of cards but then I also don't want to make the intervals too spaced apart to where I won't retain them.
You make about 100 cards a day? I don't understand how people can study this way. For me, I 2x every lecture and take decent notes on the powerpoint (40 mins) then go back and make 8-12 flashcards per lecture hour (20 more mins). Then I go over my cards again for 2 hours every night and by the time the weekend rolls I don't need to study much. Anything over 250 cards for 2 weeks of class is unmanageable to me.
 
You make about 100 cards a day? I don't understand how people can study this way. For me, I 2x every lecture and take decent notes on the powerpoint (40 mins) then go back and make 8-12 flashcards per lecture hour (20 more mins). Then I go over my cards again for 2 hours every night and by the time the weekend rolls I don't need to study much. Anything over 250 cards for 2 weeks of class is unmanageable to me.

It seems like a lot but I make them very concise to where I can get through them by dedicating 2-3 hrs a day just for anki.
 
I also make 100 or so cards per day. I make them while watching the lecture at 2x, and I take no other notes. When I had exams every week or two, I'd make the cards, do them immediately after making them, and supplement with daily cram decks if I felt I needed more reviews.
 
I also make 100 or so cards per day. I make them while watching the lecture at 2x, and I take no other notes. When I had exams every week or two, I'd make the cards, do them immediately after making them, and supplement with daily cram decks if I felt I needed more reviews.

Did you find that it helped with exams?
 
To all the Anki users out there:

I have tests every 2 weeks--what Anki settings do you use for such a short learning period? Just do cram mode each day?


Does anyone know how to adjust the review interval in anki card? Some of my cards has 1 min, 15 days, and 3.5 months... but, I like to have the interval to be 10 min, 1 day, and 10 days.... How do I change the setting in ipad? Easy instruction will be very appreciated since I am very new in using anki in ipad....
 
Top