sethg
Member
From: m
Registered: 2008-11-07
Posts: 505
I have a Principles of Accounting 1 course this semester and I'm finding it to be a lot of work. I've yet to take the time to use an SRS (I use Anki) for any of my classes, aside from Japanese.
So, has anyone ever tackled Accounting with an SRS? Or does anyone just have any ideas about how one might study such a subject with an SRS?
The only realistic way of using an SRS for any mid- to high-level course is to take notes on your computer and then use some method of importing those notes into Anki.
Problems: (1) Your notes need to be in a specific, SRSable format (2) You need to devise some way of marking up what you want to be cloze deleted for when you import it, that you can do as you make notes, or you're going to have to go through each and every card adding it (3) You need a program/script to import them (4) You need to consider how to approach multi-tiered information (i.e. how different facts and topics interconnect) since your SRS will randomise and split up connected information.
Obviously, you could make question/answer pairs based on your notes manually, but believe me, it takes a horrifically long time to do so after a class. I tried it for my Physics degree; I didn't get far. It was better at that point to just learn lecture material the "traditional" way. If you can overcome the problems listed above, do please let me know - I'd really like to use my SRS for study, but I'm just not sure if it's feasible.
Last edited by donjorge22 (2010 January 28, 12:56 pm)
georgative
Member
From: Santa Barbara
Registered: 2009-05-26
Posts: 42
I think if you studied something like Organic Chemistry, where you need to memorize zillions of amino acids and amines ethers and whatever SRS would work. But it's definitely not applicable to all classes. I've never taken accounting, so I can't help you with that specifically.
Basically, if you come across a list that you need to memorize, put it into Anki.
Zarxrax
Member
From: North Carolina
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 949
*DEFINITELY* SRS it!
I got my accounting degree 1 year ago, and I have forgotten almost everything that I learned. If I want to get my CPA certification now, I basically have to start over from scratch and relearn everything. Yea, that's not fun.
There's definitely a lot of stuff you will be able to SRS, and maybe some stuff that you wont be able to. For a lot of it, you will probably have to do some work to convert the info into a format that will lend itself well to the SRS, but I think it is definitely worth it.
You will probably have lots of homework problems that take you a long time to work. You obviously can't just input these problems into your SRS. You have to break it down into pieces, and look at the theory behind how and why you are solving these problems, and put THAT info into the SRS.
Oh, and if you SRS anything that could potentially change or become outdated, make sure to tag that fact so you can easily find it later. You don't want to keep studying outdated stuff a few years down the road.
Last edited by Zarxrax (2010 January 28, 1:51 pm)
elmaestrokgb wrote:
Why would you have to specially format or automate anything? You just use it as you would normally use flashcards, only smarter. I'm sure you'll develop all kinds of different models and methods as you move along. To really use the power of the SRS, you would want to create cards after every class, or just make it part of your normal homework routine, so by the time you get to your finals, you don't have to cram. Wish I would have had an SRS when I was in school.
It takes too long to do so otherwise. If you've got 20 hours worth of classes a week, on top of assignments and other coursework, it's not sustainable to spend ages adding cards to Anki, let alone find time to review them. The whole process could easily spend an hour or two each day, a significant portion of which would just be typing stuff in.
It needs a special format so that questions make sense - you can't write in normal prose, instead you need to make sure that each card will make sense in its own right, with only one fact to learn per card.
Last edited by donjorge22 (2010 January 28, 2:43 pm)
donjorge22 wrote:
elmaestrokgb wrote:
Why would you have to specially format or automate anything? You just use it as you would normally use flashcards, only smarter. I'm sure you'll develop all kinds of different models and methods as you move along. To really use the power of the SRS, you would want to create cards after every class, or just make it part of your normal homework routine, so by the time you get to your finals, you don't have to cram. Wish I would have had an SRS when I was in school.
It takes too long to do so otherwise. If you've got 20 hours worth of classes a week, on top of assignments and other coursework, it's not sustainable to spend ages adding cards to Anki, let alone find time to review them. The whole process could easily spend an hour or two each day, a significant portion of which would just be typing stuff in.
It really doesn't take much more effort to SRS this stuff than it does with other methods of studying, but the long-term effects are a million times better. Sounds like you just need to work on streamlining your methods.
If it gets too involved, I'd probably focus more on adding references to the main materials, metadata and suchlike, rather than trying to make the cards standalone. I've done this with several subjects. But then, not everyone finds remembering the original context as easy as I or thermal do, from what I've seen: http://forum.koohii.com/viewtopic.php?pid=71032
Last edited by nest0r (2010 January 28, 2:49 pm)
I'm a current business student. I think some things an SRS would be useful for, but accounting doesn't strike me as one of them. I can't think of any facts you need to remember, which would prove beneficial as opposed to learning them. I may be wrong, but if you try to understand the concepts about why something is rather than just memorizing it, you'll be alot better of. I can't really think of a card that would be useful.
If you're stuggling to remember definitions for example, like different finanical ratios, I think you'd be far better of trying to understand the concept behind it rather than just memorizing it. For example, if you're getting confused between return on equity and return on assets, I don't think creating two Anki cards and memorizing the formulas is a good idea. Just stop and think about what the differences are in the terminologies are, and think through it. Return on assets... ok this has to be your returns judged against your assets, so no liabilities are involved. Return on equity has to involve equity, so liabilities have to come into the equation somewhere... etc. If you SRS it, you won't understand the differences between the two, you will just be able to pass a test.
That was just my first thought, although maybe you can find a way to make it work. If you do, please share! What cards would you use and so on.
