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How to maximize an Anki deck ?

 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies Post Reply
24 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3  Next >>
grunts67
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Senior Member
CanadaRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5293 days ago

215 posts - 252 votes 
Speaks: French*, English
Studies: Spanish, Russian

 
 Message 1 of 24
17 July 2010 at 3:54am | IP Logged 
Hello,

It's been a month since I am using an Anki deck and I have still trouble with some fo the principle. First, I must stated that my problems don't lie on the software itself but on the way I enter the information and I study the deck.

I have difficulties remembering a lot of those words (10 new words per days is added). So I am wondering if it's my use of anki where lie the problem.

So I would like to know how whould you create and expanded a deck who it's only purpose is to help me expend my English vocabulary ?

Here is my current technique:

For the moment, I enter a word and it's function on the front, ie: Apple (n.). In the rear, I mark differents synonyms in FRENCH (my native), ie: Pomme. (I use the basic template)

For noun it's pretty simple, for words with more than one meaning, it's a little tougher. Now I use:
1 - Definition 1
2 - Definition 2

It's sufficent ?

To find new words, I read book and I enter any words I don't know. I also read list of words and find and mark any word I don't know.


I am also studying actively Russian (about 1 to2 hours a day) can it interfere, since I am a beginner in that language on my abilities to retain my English vocabulary ?

Thanks you

Edited by grunts67 on 17 July 2010 at 4:31am

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feanarosurion
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5272 days ago

217 posts - 316 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Finnish, Norwegian

 
 Message 2 of 24
17 July 2010 at 7:11am | IP Logged 
First off, I do the reverse of these cards as well. Then you can see the word in French, and then you have to recall the English word. That's probably the main thing that's keeping you from holding the words in your memory. If you drill in both directions, you'll really get a grasp of the words and recall will be much easier. As for the way you use it, you could potentially play with the models but for English, you're probably fine with basic. Hopefully this works for you. Oh, and Russian shouldn't hurt your English vocab. If anything, it'll give you a different angle on the word and you'll remember better.
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Javi
Senior Member
Spain
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419 posts - 548 votes 
Speaks: Spanish*

 
 Message 3 of 24
17 July 2010 at 1:51pm | IP Logged 
I think you should try out different card models until you figure out which ones work
for you, but if you want my personal opinion, I don't like your approach in the least.
First of all, if you're learning English, why spend time rating how well can you think
in French and come out with French words? I think it's inevitable to sometimes wonder
about the translation of a new word, but that's at most the first time you see it.
Doing so every time is excessive in my view. Thus, if you are learning English, put
the English word you want to learn in the answer field.

I can't see the point in learning definitions either, especially more than one for a
single card. After all, I don't suppose you go around reciting definitions are you?
It's all about learning the exact usage of a word in a particular context (inflections,
prepositions, etc.), as well as getting the gist of the meaning, but being aware that
the great detailed picture of the word will only emerge over time, as you become
familiar with all the ways in which natives use it.
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grunts67
Diglot
Senior Member
CanadaRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5293 days ago

215 posts - 252 votes 
Speaks: French*, English
Studies: Spanish, Russian

 
 Message 4 of 24
18 July 2010 at 2:35am | IP Logged 
@feanarosurion - Doing the drill in both direction seems like a solid advice. I will try to modify my vards or setup to be able to try this.

@Javi - It I think I didn't made myself clear in my previous post, I don't write down a definition but a synonym of the word. Nevertheless, I think you nail a big problem of my deck: the answer fild. To tell you the truth, in the beginning I did wrote the answer a definition in English but I didn't like it. I suppose it because it was a definition and not a synonym. Thus, I think I will redo my card deck in English only and see the difference in the result.

Thank you both for your advice, I really appreciate.
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Bao
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Germany
tinyurl.com/pe4kqe5
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 Message 5 of 24
18 July 2010 at 6:18am | IP Logged 
Write a definition in English. Add an example sentence. And make sure to actually read said example sentence.
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feanarosurion
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5272 days ago

217 posts - 316 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Finnish, Norwegian

 
 Message 6 of 24
18 July 2010 at 9:50am | IP Logged 
Oh, yeah, I have to second what Bao is saying as well. Example sentences are extremely important. Not only do you see the word in action, but you will also see how other words work. There are a few ways of doing this. For me personally, I add a single example sentence to each card, then I have a button that allows me to show the example sentence if I can't remember the word. I can give you the code if you like. It's really quite easy to implement. I also put all the example sentences I find into a separate deck that I can drill independently, because understanding whole sentences is a bit more intensive than recalling single words, so I like to have the two separated out a bit. However, my advice to you is to find a system that works for you. Example sentences are important, but make sure you can figure out a system that works for your style of learning.
1 person has voted this message useful



grunts67
Diglot
Senior Member
CanadaRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5293 days ago

215 posts - 252 votes 
Speaks: French*, English
Studies: Spanish, Russian

 
 Message 7 of 24
19 July 2010 at 4:16am | IP Logged 
feanarosurion wrote:
Oh, yeah, I have to second what Bao is saying as well. Example sentences are extremely important. Not only do you see the word in action, but you will also see how other words work. There are a few ways of doing this. For me personally, I add a single example sentence to each card, then I have a button that allows me to show the example sentence if I can't remember the word. I can give you the code if you like. It's really quite easy to implement. I also put all the example sentences I find into a separate deck that I can drill independently, because understanding whole sentences is a bit more intensive than recalling single words, so I like to have the two separated out a bit. However, my advice to you is to find a system that works for you. Example sentences are important, but make sure you can figure out a system that works for your style of learning.


I will defintivly like to see that code line. Being able to hide the sentence seem to me like a nice feature.
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feanarosurion
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5272 days ago

217 posts - 316 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Finnish, Norwegian

 
 Message 8 of 24
19 July 2010 at 4:51am | IP Logged 
OK, here's the code:
<a href="#" onclick="document.getElementById('hint').style.display='bloc k';return false;">Show Hint</a>
<div id="hint" style="display: none">%(Hint)s</div>

You'll probably have to take out a space or two. Or a line break. If it's not working you can find the original here.

The code basically adds a link to the question that reveals a field from the current fact when you click it. All you have to do is add it to the question portion of card templates you want it to appear in. Now, the you change "Show Hint" to whatever you want the link to say. Show Hint is probably pretty good for that, but maybe you'll want to change it to your target language or something. Whatever works for you. Then you either add a "Hint" field to the card models you'll use this for, or you change the "Hint" fields to whatever you want the field name to be. Basically it just shows whatever field you specify. For example, here's the way I modified it from my Finnish deck:

<a id="hintlink" href="#"
onclick="document.getElementById('hint').style.display='bloc k';document.getElementById('hintlink').style.display='none'; returnfalse;">Näe Esimerkki</a><div id="hint" style="display: none">%(Esimerkki)s</div>

I just changed "Show Hint" to the Finnish for show hint, and the "Hint" to Finnish for example. That's all you need to do for this to work. Just change it to the name of the field you want to show up. Hopefully this makes sense to you haha.


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