Hi everyone! I'm completely new to this, and I kind of need some help establishing a system with which to study. After reading some of your suggestions to each other, these are my impressions as far as the studying process:

1. Make vivid mnemonics for your target number of kanji
2. Become comfortable in the short-term with your mnemonics
3. Later that day - and twice a day for 2-3 more days - review using the key word
4. After the 2-3 days enter them in for spaced repetition

My three major questions are:

-Do these steps make sense?
-What spaced repetition program should I use?
-How should I review before using a spaced repetition program?

I understand these questions can't really be answered objectively, but something to start with would be much appreciated!

Thanks so much!

P.S. - I run Windows XP and don't have a handheld.

markbir21 Wrote:...
3. Later that day - and twice a day for 2-3 more days - review using the key word
4. After the 2-3 days enter them in for spaced repetition

Why wait? You would be spacing repetition before putting it into a spaced repetition system. Let this website (or any other software) do the hard work, and just enter the stuff as you come across it.

As for a program to use, the two obvious ones that get thrown around here are Mnemosyne and SuperMemo. Old versions of SuperMemo are free and Mnemosyne is completely free. Both have good and bad points so see which one floats your boat.

Repetition program is there to arrange your repetition schedule. Its purpose is to automate the process so that you don't need to use _any_ manual routine at all. So throw everything in it and then review as something pops out. The only external thing required for Heisig's approach is that you learn by mnemonic scenes, not rote visual memory.

OK, great! I'll decide on a program (Supermemo looked cool) and I'll be well on my way.

Thanks a lot for the help. It's a little strange, but I'm not used to such helpful people from a forum (I'm used to programming communities - don't always like newbies). But I digress.

[kana]doumoarigatou[/kana]!

Hi, another newbie here with a related question. I'm confused as to the benefits of using the review system here in addition to a program like Supermemo. Aren't they doing the same thing?

Yes, essentially they would do the same thing. Some people may use this site only, or may only decide to get stories from here and instead do the reviewing on their own computer. It makes sense if you don't always have an internet connection handy.

Both methods are valid, though I don't believe anyone actually does both at the same time, that would be cruel self punishment...

aircawn Wrote:I don't believe anyone actually does both at the same time

I wonder if anyone does...

As far as reviewing from Heisig's keywords is concerned, this site is the bomb!

But for all other review, grammar; compound readings; example sentences and the like, I have been using Mnemosyne. Although recently I've gone over to Twinkle as championed by laxxy.

Well I'm not one for cruel self punishment I might just do my Heisig stuff here and review other things with some software I can use at work where I can't use the internet. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

I do both a flashcard program AND this site at the same time. I use the iFlash on OS X to drill through kanji that missed review, and new kanji. This helps solidify the recall path in my mind, and then every morning before I've studied anything kanji-wise I do the reviews on this site to keep tabs on my progress through the book. The outside flashcard program is for moment-to-moment drilling. If you did that on this site it would ruin your card boxes and you'd lose the long-term memory pattern design.

However, this might not be the best option for most people. I only do this because I study so many new kanji a day. I'm working my way through the book at a pace of 50-75 new kanji per day, and I study for very long periods of time.

markbir21 Wrote:1. Make vivid mnemonics for your target number of kanji
2. Become comfortable in the short-term with your mnemonics
3. Later that day - and twice a day for 2-3 more days - review using the key word
4. After the 2-3 days enter them in for spaced repetition

This is exactly what I would do (assuming you are actually writing and not just visualizing kanji). I'd make paper flashcards while doing step 1, and use them in 2 & 3. It doesn't take extra time if you consider it part of cementing your mnemonic. Supermemo flashcards are already "made", all you have to do is import them, so you aren't duplicating your effort.

If you can successfully skip step 3 and go directly to supermemo, as the other posters suggested, go for it. That will save you a lot of review time. I personally cannot. And I've found out that there are lots of others like me who need several days of full review before going to supermemo. Twice a day is key, at least for the first day or 2.

If you skip step 3 and wind up getting really long, frustrating supermemo sessions, then you probably need to add the step back in. If your sessions stay short and sweet, everything is cool.

Good luck!

Thanks again for your replies. Leosmith, I'll keep an eye on my retension to determine exactly how I'll proceed.

[kana]jane[/kana]!

Hi folks.

Just been reading through all the advice and stories of your experience. I am new, both here and to the whole Heisig world. I didnt want to start new threads saying hello so after reading the advice here I thought I would say thanks and hello at once.

I am about to begin. I am already trying to learn Kanji and have heard of this before. I actually feel scared and I dont know why. I live in Japan , I see kanji everywhere , so why does this scare me....

Anyways. Shall begin. Wish me luck......