Lots of questions about memorization.
September 30, 2010 9:27 PM Subscribe
What's the best (free) spaced repetition program right now? What additional memorization techniques do you recommend?
I want to start memorizing poems, and then branch out from there to other things once I get a good rhythm of memorization and retention down.
The only two free programs I know about are Anki and Mnemosyne. Does one of them have a leg up on the other? Or are there other options I don't know about?
Any tips on how to use spaced repetition to memorize poetry? I'm thinking now that the prompt should be the entire poem minus the last line, with lines being subtracted from the prompt as I memorize more. Is there a better method?
Shakespeare's sonnets are obvious choices. And "The Raven" for sure. What are less obvious, but amazing, choices? What are some great two, three, and four-line poems that would be good to memorize?
I've ordered Your Memory. While looking at books, I also saw this review for The Memory Book where the guy states:
"More technically, memorization tricks are not limited to the association and visualization techniques that the authors continually emphasize. How about categorization and patterning? A good mind does categorization and patterning automatically, but they can and should be taught as well."
From what I understand, the two books cover the same techniques, so presumably this flaw would exist in Your Memory as well.
Is this actually a flaw? Are there writings that address strengthening those techniques?
Any other recommendations for things to memorize would be welcome as well.
I want to start memorizing poems, and then branch out from there to other things once I get a good rhythm of memorization and retention down.
The only two free programs I know about are Anki and Mnemosyne. Does one of them have a leg up on the other? Or are there other options I don't know about?
Any tips on how to use spaced repetition to memorize poetry? I'm thinking now that the prompt should be the entire poem minus the last line, with lines being subtracted from the prompt as I memorize more. Is there a better method?
Shakespeare's sonnets are obvious choices. And "The Raven" for sure. What are less obvious, but amazing, choices? What are some great two, three, and four-line poems that would be good to memorize?
I've ordered Your Memory. While looking at books, I also saw this review for The Memory Book where the guy states:
"More technically, memorization tricks are not limited to the association and visualization techniques that the authors continually emphasize. How about categorization and patterning? A good mind does categorization and patterning automatically, but they can and should be taught as well."
From what I understand, the two books cover the same techniques, so presumably this flaw would exist in Your Memory as well.
Is this actually a flaw? Are there writings that address strengthening those techniques?
Any other recommendations for things to memorize would be welcome as well.
Eh, if you're going to memorize poetry, perhaps adding a musical track to it, will help.
What do most actors do when learning lines? I think it's just doing it again and again and again.
That's a bit different than a flash card/spaced repetition system, where you need that information in a random access kind of way, in the future. Unless... you need line 24 of the Raven on command?
I have to say, when using a spaced-rep system, like Anki, my overall long-term memory gets better. I just find myself willing, I guess, to identify new things as being valuable things to store, to be able to retrieve later.
posted by alex_skazat at 9:34 PM on September 30, 2010
What do most actors do when learning lines? I think it's just doing it again and again and again.
That's a bit different than a flash card/spaced repetition system, where you need that information in a random access kind of way, in the future. Unless... you need line 24 of the Raven on command?
I have to say, when using a spaced-rep system, like Anki, my overall long-term memory gets better. I just find myself willing, I guess, to identify new things as being valuable things to store, to be able to retrieve later.
posted by alex_skazat at 9:34 PM on September 30, 2010
You can probably get some good tips from this article about the Wozniak Technique.
posted by holterbarbour at 9:40 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by holterbarbour at 9:40 PM on September 30, 2010
Is this actually a flaw?
I'm confused about what flaw you're referring to?
I like Anki myself, but I agree with alex_skazat that it might be difficult to do with poetry. I would probably follow your suggested method of removing a line at a time. You could also try some sort of cloze method, where you remove every 5th or so word...then gradually remove more and more words until you can recite the entire thing.
posted by kro at 9:44 PM on September 30, 2010
I'm confused about what flaw you're referring to?
I like Anki myself, but I agree with alex_skazat that it might be difficult to do with poetry. I would probably follow your suggested method of removing a line at a time. You could also try some sort of cloze method, where you remove every 5th or so word...then gradually remove more and more words until you can recite the entire thing.
posted by kro at 9:44 PM on September 30, 2010
Response by poster: I'm confused about what flaw you're referring to?
I'm referring to the criticism of the book which is highlighted in bold just above the sentence you quoted. The techniques in the book do not include, according to randomguyontheinternetwhowroteanamazon.comreview, exercises/techniques for categorization and patterning.
posted by jsturgill at 9:57 PM on September 30, 2010
I'm referring to the criticism of the book which is highlighted in bold just above the sentence you quoted. The techniques in the book do not include, according to randomguyontheinternetwhowroteanamazon.comreview, exercises/techniques for categorization and patterning.
posted by jsturgill at 9:57 PM on September 30, 2010
Response by poster: holterbarbour, I believe the Wozniak Technique is just another term for spaced repetition. The same algorithm in his software, Super Memo, is supposedly what powers Anki and Mnemosyne.
posted by jsturgill at 10:02 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by jsturgill at 10:02 PM on September 30, 2010
yeah, Anki
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:18 PM on September 30, 2010
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:18 PM on September 30, 2010
How about categorization and patterning?
It's hard to see the relevance of this criticism. Memory training of the type outlined in The Memory Book allows you to memorize almost anything you want, with only a moderate amount of effort. For me, it's like learning to write: a pain in the ass at first, what with learning all of those letters when we were in primary school, but after that, you can write nearly anything you can say.
With even just a basic level of memory training; if you can write it, you can memorise it, without too much effort.
If the reviewer wants to learn about categorization and patterning, that's great, but I can't see the need; right now, I have every poem or text that really means something to me memorised. I am neither smart nor hardworking. I'm less concerned about categorization and patterning than I am about being perceived as pompous or a bore, which kinda is a concern when your friends sometimes think you're a poetry jukebox that's been set to free play.
I do not use spaced repetition at all; I'm not convinced that it's necessary.
I haven't read the book Your Memory, but I can certainly recommend The Memory Book as a basic introduction, and Dominic O'Brien's methods for more advanced techniques. Memail me if you like.
posted by surenoproblem at 2:38 AM on October 1, 2010
It's hard to see the relevance of this criticism. Memory training of the type outlined in The Memory Book allows you to memorize almost anything you want, with only a moderate amount of effort. For me, it's like learning to write: a pain in the ass at first, what with learning all of those letters when we were in primary school, but after that, you can write nearly anything you can say.
With even just a basic level of memory training; if you can write it, you can memorise it, without too much effort.
If the reviewer wants to learn about categorization and patterning, that's great, but I can't see the need; right now, I have every poem or text that really means something to me memorised. I am neither smart nor hardworking. I'm less concerned about categorization and patterning than I am about being perceived as pompous or a bore, which kinda is a concern when your friends sometimes think you're a poetry jukebox that's been set to free play.
I do not use spaced repetition at all; I'm not convinced that it's necessary.
I haven't read the book Your Memory, but I can certainly recommend The Memory Book as a basic introduction, and Dominic O'Brien's methods for more advanced techniques. Memail me if you like.
posted by surenoproblem at 2:38 AM on October 1, 2010
Yeah, Dominic O'Brien's books are good, but I would recommend against Learn to Remember, as it's a little too broad-stroke for me.
posted by djgh at 4:47 AM on October 1, 2010
posted by djgh at 4:47 AM on October 1, 2010
I don't remember how I learned poetry for school when I was in grade school (one poem a month). As an adult, I've used the "one line at a time, word-perfect before moving on to the next line" system. I later saw the same tip in a book for actors (maybe this one). IIRC, the author says that his father used that system. You have to really know the line -- no "almost" -- before moving on to the next.
posted by bentley at 7:13 AM on October 1, 2010
posted by bentley at 7:13 AM on October 1, 2010
I use Mnemosyne and like it a lot; I haven't used Anki.
There is a small discussion on memorizing poetry using an SRS here.
posted by dfan at 8:33 AM on October 1, 2010
There is a small discussion on memorizing poetry using an SRS here.
posted by dfan at 8:33 AM on October 1, 2010
The spaced repetition article I read suggested learning poetry by putting each line as the answer, with the lines before and after as the clues. (or shorter fragments - chopping a sentence into pieces). So you'd get a set where you're prompted for each piece within its context, like:
Twinkle, twinkle little star __________, up above the world so high (how I wonder what you are)
how I wonder what you are _______, like a diamond in the sky (up above the world so high)
Which you could break down the ___ parts more as needed.
posted by lorimt at 9:01 PM on October 1, 2010
Twinkle, twinkle little star __________, up above the world so high (how I wonder what you are)
how I wonder what you are _______, like a diamond in the sky (up above the world so high)
Which you could break down the ___ parts more as needed.
posted by lorimt at 9:01 PM on October 1, 2010
Any other recommendations for things to memorize would be welcome as well.
I used Anki to memorize countries and capitals of the world (location of countries, countries-capitals and capitals-countries). I used a standard deck (In Anki you can click a "download" button to download decks that other people made), which is really easy for this kind of thing because it is a lot of work to make a deck with so many images.
posted by davar at 12:24 AM on October 2, 2010
I used Anki to memorize countries and capitals of the world (location of countries, countries-capitals and capitals-countries). I used a standard deck (In Anki you can click a "download" button to download decks that other people made), which is really easy for this kind of thing because it is a lot of work to make a deck with so many images.
posted by davar at 12:24 AM on October 2, 2010
I've been using the free desktop Anki for a year now, and last night I shelled out the cash for the official iPhone app. It's expensive, but worth it. I figured I should have chipped in a little something to the developer anyway, so hopefully if he makes enough with the iPhone app he'll continue development.
It works just like the desktop client. It'll sync via iTunes or via Anki Online (free account to manager your decks across multiple computers).
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:26 AM on October 3, 2010
It works just like the desktop client. It'll sync via iTunes or via Anki Online (free account to manager your decks across multiple computers).
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:26 AM on October 3, 2010
The Anki app is awesome - I use it on my iPod Touch. It completely takes the hassle element out of going over your stuff - you can just fire it up whenever you have a free moment (I use mine on the metro!).
posted by djgh at 7:03 AM on November 7, 2010
posted by djgh at 7:03 AM on November 7, 2010
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No, it's Anki. It's quirky as sin, but it runs on everything from a toaster, to your phone, to a Cray Supercomputer. Totally rules.
posted by alex_skazat at 9:31 PM on September 30, 2010