Hi,

I started the core 2000 series and then I saw that they had it in 10 parts so I started doing it in parts. I then got to thinking, is it better to do it with all 2000 of them not broken up? If you finish part 1 do they never have you review those words in the later parts again or is it like an SRS where you will review them at longer and longer intervals. I just started so I don't even have any of the words 100% done so I'm not sure what to expect with this.

Thanks

I didn't use smart fm to study the core 2000 so I can't say much about that. However, I'll suggest that you use the core 2k6k deck that nukemarine made for anki. He has the words sorted in a manner that introduces the least new concepts per sentence. It's supposed to make learning new words easier (it's called i+1 or something)

I did them in parts using the smart.fm site. It works like an SRS, when they reach 100% they will show up for review again, with longer and longer intervals.

OK, thanks. I added that deck and took a quick look. However, it seems to me that maybe I should do the deck after I learn the vocab. Did you already know most of the words or did you learn them by just using the deck? When you do these are you supposed to write down the kanji for the word? For example in this sentence:
かね -- これ は かなり かね が かかった

would you write out the kanji for かね？
金
And then write the translation down?

Thanks again

Twinsen Wrote:I did them in parts using the smart.fm site. It works like an SRS, when they reach 100% they will show up for review again, with longer and longer intervals.

When you go on to the next part do they still review the old ones?

I learned the words simply from the deck. There seems to be a consensus here that it may be more efficient to learn the words before using them in an SRS, but I have been getting good results just from the deck alone (and native material of course.)

I just write the kanji down for the word. It's really a matter of preference though. Nukemarine suggests writing the whole sentence out the first time you see it, then just the word on subsequent reps. Given the structure of the deck, the sentences should become easier as you progress. I think writing out the whole sentence takes too long, but I'm sure it would help solidify older words.

You have to study the decks separately on Smart.FM, but I thought they were going to make a way to study old stuff while studying new stuff. I dunno, maybe they never did that. Haven't been there since they screwed up the API.

Hanear21 has it right. Follow his advice.

Yes, the old ones will still show up for review, even after adding next parts.

In the first steps I knew most of the vocabs on beforehand. In step 3 and 4 the difficulty suddenly increases a lot though. But even then, most of the vocabs I learned just using the site, but for some of the words that gave me extra problems I also used pen and paper, making short wordlists and studying them separately to make them stick better.

I was almost done with RTK when starting the core 2000, so most of the kanjis were already familiar, so didn't feel a need to writing them down.

I just totally blew right through the first 2 steps but step 3 is like a real smack in the face! At least 2-3 new words per sentence. This is really throwing me off my pace. Does it continue like this? Step 3 just seems so much harder..wow.
J

First of all, writing everything out will only hold you back because it slows you down incredibly, and if you're not living in Japan it's a useless skill to have for a beginner. Secondly, you shouldn't be learning the sentences but the highlighted words, a lot of words you come across will be the highlighted word on later cards anyway at which point you should learn them. I only use the sentences to get a feel for the proper context of a word or to check of a verb is transitive or intransitive. Besides, the core sentences are way too simplistic and you'll grow out of them within a week, so if you want to do sentences combined with vocab I'd suggest using a different deck than the core ones.

I don't write them out. (actually a make a list on paper of all new vocab for the day and review it once or twice a day.)
I usually just read the sentence...If i cant read it I fail the card. When the sentence is played if I cant understand it I fail the card. Thats been pretty easy until they starting hitting me with 3 new words per card. If you are correct in saying just work on the highlighted word I imagine that it would be much easier to do.
Maybe its time to rethink my approach.

aargh57 Wrote:OK, thanks. I added that deck and took a quick look. However, it seems to me that maybe I should do the deck after I learn the vocab. Did you already know most of the words or did you learn them by just using the deck? When you do these are you supposed to write down the kanji for the word? For example in this sentence:
かね -- これ は かなり かね が かかった

would you write out the kanji for かね？
金
And then write the translation down?

Thanks again

Honestly, I treat it Nukemarine's deck as a vocab deck, I focus on the vocab word and write the kanji (with my fingers) and just worry about the meaning for just that word. I use the sentence to help me get the correct context. Otherwise I don't worry about it too much. I also add the vocab word audio to play right before the sentence audio.

Superfreek Wrote:I just totally blew right through the first 2 steps but step 3 is like a real smack in the face!

Agree completely. I think that's where the confusion sets in for most people: "OK, steps 1 and 2 have been going well, on to the next...whoa, did I miss a step?"

When I started the third deck from Smart.fm, my progress slowed right down. I've now reverted to using the Core2k deck instead, with the Smart.fm sentence decks as an "if I have time to do more" option. However, I took the Core2k data from the online spreadsheet and then played with it some, since the "i+1" sorting that Nukemarine talked about didn't seem to be in effect when I tried using the shared Anki deck. I'm still not sure I've got it working correctly, but for now I'm just plowing ahead regardless. Progress is slightly better, and I'm getting to the point where new words are a bit easier because I know one of the 2-3 kanji in that new word.

That said, can anyone confirm the exact Core2k deck(s) we should be using, and whether or not they need tweaking before use? "i+1" learning makes a lot of sense to me, but the Core2k decks didn't seem to have it - words just showed up randomly, with no common kanji to connect them. For what it's worth, I think that's why this question keeps coming up so often - people grab the shared decks as advised, but then they don't end up working as described, leaving us wondering if we got something wrong (and if there's a better way!).

Superfreek Wrote:I just totally blew right through the first 2 steps but step 3 is like a real smack in the face! At least 2-3 new words per sentence. This is really throwing me off my pace. Does it continue like this? Step 3 just seems so much harder..wow.
J

For what it's worth they completely reordered the core series on the actual smart.fm/iKnow site a few months ago, largely due to this very reason. In fact some of the harder core 2000 words/sentences got moved out of the 2k entirely and put into the core 3-6k (and some of the old core 6k are now in the core 2000 - such as 勘違い).

I don't think any anki decks use the new official ordering, but the good news is you'll find it gets easier again after steps 3/4.

Thanks for the help. The most disappointing thing to me was how fast I was progressing. I really was "in the zone". Now I feel like I'm starting over again. I can see why they deiced to reorder the system. Honestly I would not mind paying for the new core setup but I want to use anki. I find the web slow for my style of studying. Does anyone use their system?

mlorenz Wrote:That said, can anyone confirm the exact Core2k deck(s) we should be using, and whether or not they need tweaking before use? "i+1" learning makes a lot of sense to me, but the Core2k decks didn't seem to have it - words just showed up randomly, with no common kanji to connect them.

Seems like the "MMM" plugin right? "i+1" sorts them after frequency or what exactly? I'd find learning more effective (and kanji compounds and their detailed writing would stick better in my mind at least) when I could sort them after radicals, f.e. 明後日、最後、後部、前後、…
Possible?

Great to see people feel the same way I did a few months back. I personally gave up on learning from the Core in a linear fashion. I combined Core2k + 6k into one deck, suspended all new cards and went on to other resources. Right now, I'm mining vocab from KO2001 and unsuspending new words I learned in the Core deck (if they have it) via the search function. I kinda treat Core as something nice I have on the side with audio that helps reinforce new vocab I learn .

Superfreek Wrote:Thanks for the help. The most disappointing thing to me was how fast I was progressing. I really was "in the zone". Now I feel like I'm starting over again. I can see why they deiced to reorder the system. Honestly I would not mind paying for the new core setup but I want to use anki. I find the web slow for my style of studying. Does anyone use their system?

I use a combination of iKnow and Anki. I used to learn Core words from a spreadsheet, but I was having retention problems. Using iKnow helped to reinforce words as I learned them for the first time, and now leeching isn't a problem. Though I don't review old items with iKnow; once I learn each word I unsuspend it in the Anki deck I maintain and do all of my reviews from there.