SRS known as Spaced-Repetition Software is being used to make the process of remembering much more straightforward than it used to be. It uses an algorithm that makes sure you see newer flashcards more frequently, and older information less often.

It exploits the spacing effect to make the learning process many times more efficient. Think paper flashcards on the most illegal steroids available.

SRS merely keeps what you have already understood in your mind long enough for it to become a long term memory. It is a tool for reviewing, not a tool for learning. You must learn the information first, then use SRS to review it. Reviewing without learning is just rote learning, which is bad. You should use this technique:

If you can meet these basic requirements, then you understand the information well enough to review it. If not, then perhaps you should correct or deepen your understanding first before reviewing it.

Traverse.link and most other SRS promises a retention rate of 90-95% with a daily use. The algorithm isn't smart enough yet to know if you have missed days or not, so if you miss too many days, you will start to get things wrong.

You will also end up with an intimidating build-up of cards if you do not stay on top of things. Don't be intimidated by this no-zero days requirement. If you find yourself overwhelmed with how many reviews are due each day, simply add fewer new cards each day, and the burden will ease naturally.

Remember, you will answer incorrectly 5-10% of the time, but getting 90-95% correct answers is still fantastic. Not only that, you only got the card wrong this time. After some tweaks, you will likely remember it next time which will be very soon.

Once you are an intermediate or advanced learner, you can stop reviewing sentences or words individually and start focusing on real content. Reading and listening is the best form of spaced repetition because you naturally see more common words more often.

As long as you read and listen a lot to reasonably modern content around your level, you will always pick up useful words and phrases. An exception to this would be if you had to learn a lot of specialist vocabulary quickly.

Flashcards are such an efficient way of reviewing information, it's easy to get carried away and add way too many new cards at first. The best approach is to start with a small number of new cards each day and try it for a few days.

Once you feel like you can take on more, increase the amount by small increments week by week until you think you have reached your limit. Remember that flashcards are not your only learning activity. Make sure to leave enough time and energy for other things.

As well as the above steps, there are some things you should try to include in your flashcards to make them more useful and engaging.

Images are essential for word cards and can also add even more context to sentence cards. You could also include different colors, fonts, and GIFs to make the review process clearer and more entertaining.

You are learning a language, it is ideal to hear the native pronunciation of everything you review. Every single one of our flashcards contains both male and female native audio for this reason.

If you are making flashcards and don't have access to a recording studio, you can use the add-on.

Don't go crazy with this one, but making little notes in a field on the back of your cards can be very useful. You can use notes to record your living link to words, alternative definitions or pronunciations, or why you chose an image that seems irrelevant at first glance.