It doesn't work without repetition

Even though the title has already announced the "bad news": learning requires repetition. Because as soon as we offer or add a new information to our memory, we start to forget. Therefore, we can only retain something in our memory if we regularly remind ourselves of this information, recall it, and retrieve it. The forgetting curve by Ebbinghaus illustrates what happens without and with repetition:

The first red curve, shows how we forget after we have taken in information. The green curves, show how the forgetting curve is flattened by repetition (in the example at day 1, 2, 3, and 4).

Research on forgetting and learning in this context also shows that we can let the intervals between repetitions (intervals) become longer over time. The method (and the corresponding learning model) is called distributed repetition, also known as spaced repetition in English. In principle, learning material is acquired with increasingly longer repetition intervals. Many people are familiar with this as card-based learning (learning cards or flash cards).

The cards with information that is remembered well move further and further back in the box. The cards that are not remembered move to the front - so that they are repeated more frequently (i.e. at shorter intervals).

Apps that are based on the card index box system (e.g. the Leitner system in the picture) do this sorting into boxes automatically. If you are learning with paper cards, it doesn't have to be a whole box (or 5 boxes), but it makes sense not to just go through the one “stack” over and over again. (You could, for example, simply put the cards that are already well remembered at the end of a day to one side for the next few days). In the short video „Effektiv Wiederholen“ (german) you will also see how the method works. There are also suggestions for intervals, but also ideas for making repetitions more varied.

Now, not all learning material is suitable for flashcards (whether digital or analog) and it can also become boring (for the brain) to learn using one and the same method. It is therefore important to always include repetition loops in the learning plan, regardless of the learning method. This can be done in the calendar or as part of a learning plan for an exam: e.g. not just “Week 1: Topic A&B, Week 2: Topic C&D...” but also “Week 2: C&D + repetition A&B”.

Another form is a table where you note the repetitions and how they went. Whether numbers, smileys, color codes - keep track of whether the material is already well-remembered, so you can see where you need more repetition and what is already solidified. Some people also find it helpful to simply enter the date of the repetition unit (and mark it with a color). It can be a note, a calendar entry, or even a spreadsheet - let your creativity run wild.

Image sources Forgetting curve: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ForgettingCurve; Leitner system alternative: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leitner_system_alternative.svg