In 1885, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered a depressing fact about the human brain: within 24 hours of learning something new, you forget about 70% of it. This phenomenon is known as the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve.
Hacking the Forgetting Curve
Fortunately, Ebbinghaus also discovered the cure. If you review information right at the exact moment you are about to forget it, you flatten the curve. This technique is called Spaced Repetition.
Instead of cramming a word 20 times in one day, it is infinitely more effective to review it once today, once in three days, once in a week, and once in a month. This signals to your brain that the information is crucial for survival, transferring it into your permanent long-term memory.
Automated Spaced Repetition with Colt App
You don't need to build a complex spreadsheet to track your reviews. Colt App features a built-in smart algorithm that tracks your performance on every single word. It calculates the optimal review interval for you. Words you struggle with appear more often, while words you master are pushed further into the future.
Conclusion
By leveraging spaced repetition, you can dramatically cut down your study time while retaining significantly more vocabulary. Work with your brain, not against it.