SRS Reccommendations

[Fedgrub]

Hey guys,

Which SRS system do you find to be the most accurate and useful? So far I have found a few and I just don't know which one to start with really haha.

Thanks

[Shaydwyrm]

The best SRS that I have tried for Japanese is Anki. It's highly customizable, has automatic kana conversion, and is web/keitai accessible. I pretty much do all of my studying using it these days.

[Javizy]

I use Anki as well. The synchronisation feature allows you to upload your decks to an online account and update the changes each time you close the program, so you can continue using them from another computer online, or, as mentioned, on your mobile phone. It's all free except for Internet charges of course, although if your mobile phone can cache applications, then you can avoid even those.

[markystar]

i use anki too!

in fact, i'm going to head up to the family restaurant and use it right now.
awwww yeah!

[Fedgrub]

Seems like Anki is the way to go, thanks guys!

[Elfunko]

Ankis got some shortcomings, like the limited ability to review (once a day unless you lie and say you didnt know the word). But then theres just another reason to study some *new* sh1t.

[Fedgrub]

Ankis got some shortcomings, like the limited ability to review (once a day unless you lie and say you didnt know the word). But then theres just another reason to study some *new* sh1t.

Thanks for the heads up man, I assume anything would have its shortcomings. I may be back sometime soon with some questions of how to load the cards, because I had trouble with another one I was looking at with that. Hopefully Anki is easier or has some clearer instructions haha.

[Shaydwyrm]

Ankis got some shortcomings, like the limited ability to review (once a day unless you lie and say you didnt know the word). But then theres just another reason to study some *new* sh1t.

Certainly Anki has some shortcomings (they get smaller with every update!), but the "limited ability to review", rather than being a shortcoming, is really the strength of an SRS. It intentionally limits the amount of review you do for each item so that your learning efficiency improves, and in theory, you move things into long term memory faster.

That said, if you have to memorize something for an exam tomorrow, you will get better mileage out of drilling with a conventional flashcard program. Spaced repetition is designed for long-term retention.

[chat_noir]

Actually, you can change the settings on Anki so that a card can appear every half day, or every few hours.
Go to edit, properties, schedualing, then change the 'hard' to something like 0.5 (for half a day). Or 0.16 for one hour.

[WalterWills]

Does anyone know a good site to download packs for Anki?

I want a pack based on the Kanji and stories of the Heisig method.

[Javizy]

Does anyone know a good site to download packs for Anki?

I want a pack based on the Kanji and stories of the Heisig method.

One of the sample decks is named Heisig, and has all 2045 kanji in the order of the book. It's pointless having the stories included since you need to make up your own ones for it to be effective. You should be able to add your own ones to the cards, but I haven't tried since I usually remember them anyway.

I'd recommend getting started ASAP, it's taken me over two months to get up to frame 1450. Some days I've had to go through 100 review cards before I can progress with the new ones! I was up to frame 1980 before I started with Anki... really wish I had known about it from the start...

[Fedgrub]

I'm having trouble finding cards for hiragana and katakana. I found some mnesonme (or whatever its called - I cant remember the name right now) cards but they are not a .mem file so Anki can't import it. Is there a link someone has to finding some good cards for strengthening hiragana and katakana? I am at the stage where I just need to concrete it.

[WalterWills]

Javizy:

Thanks for the advice. I don't seem to have any Heisig sample decks with my download though, just JLPT 2, 3, & 4 vocab and some Russian ones.

Fedgrub:

Why not make your own set? It shouldn't take too long, especially if you ignore those characters with dashes/circles next to them because you can infer their meaning.

Otherwise, these sites are useful:
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/proje ... agana.html
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sheaa/proje ... akana.html

It's simply a game where you have to drag and drop the characters into the correct places. It should help to reinforce your memory if you play it regularly.

My Katakana is still bad, I guess because it's not read or written as often as Hiragana.

[Shaydwyrm]

Fedgrub: The Anki Wiki has a selection of premade decks, including hiragana and katakana review decks.

WalterWills: In the Anki program folder there should be a Samples folder containing a deck called RTK1+3. If you didn't get it for some reason, feel free to PM me and I can email it to you.

[WalterWills]

Yeah it is there, thanks anyway Shaydwyrm.

When I checked earlier I overlooked the "RTK" file.