
        THE PAPER-BASED VARIANT OF THE SUPER-MEMO METHOD

              (C) Copyright 1991 SuperMemo World
              All rights reserved

If you wish to apply the SuperMemo method to your learning process,
but do not have access to a computer, you can use the paper-based 
variant of the method. Although not as effective as the
software application, it should still ensure a great increase in the
effectiveness of your work.

Follow the steps of the algorithm presented below:

1. Split the memorized knowledge into the smallest possible pieces named
   "items".
   All items should be composed of a question and answer and be as
   simple as possible. 

Examples:

     To learn Esperanto vocabulary, your items could look like this:

       Question: to learn
       Answer: lerni

       Question: a school
       Answer: lernejo

       Question: related to learning
       Answer: lerna

     To learn biology, your items could look like this:

       Question: What is the increase in the risk of lung cancer in a
           20-cigarette-per-day smoker?
       Answer: 30 times

2. Write your items in an exercise book grouping them in pages.
   One page of the book should contain 10-40 items.

3. Try to answer the questions on a certain page. (Repetition process) 
   All questions not answered correctly should be marked and asked again
   in the second round of the repetition.
   A repetition should consist of as many rounds as necessary to answer
   all questions correctly.

4. Repetitions of pages should be done in strictly specified intervals.
   These intervals are described by the function:
        I(1)=4
        I(n)=I(n-1)*1.7
   where:
        I(n) - interval after the n-th repetition expressed in days.
   (if you don't understand mathematics then look further)
   Fractional intervals should be rounded to the nearest integer.

   The above formula does not specify when the first repetition should
   take place. You can memorize the first page (first repetition) whenever
   you want. But after the first memorization, you must repeat the page
   in the intervals determined by the formula or the knowledge will be
   forgotten.

   The formula indicates that the following intervals should have the
   following lengths: 4, 7, 12, 20 days, then 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 16 months,
   then 2, 4, 6, 11, 18 years, etc.

   So, if you memorize a page on Jan 1, 1990 (the first repetition),
   the second repetition should follow in 4 days (on Jan 5).
   The third repetition should follow the second by one week (Jan 12).
   The subsequent repetitions should be in: 12 days (Jan 24), 20 days
   (Feb 13) 1 month (March 13), 2 months (May 13), 3 months (Aug 13),
   through 1990...,  Jan 13, 1991, Oct 13, 1991, Feb 13, 1992, etc.

5. If you cannot repeat a page on an assigned day, choose the soonest
   date available.

6. If you forget some of the items (i.e., you give a wrong answer in the
   first round of the repetition) and the repetition number is greater
   than four (i.e., you repeated the page at least four times before),
   then put the forgotten items on newly created pages, which will be
   later memorized in a standard way and subject to the routine process
   of repetitions.

   Do not cross out forgotten items from the original pages. Keep
   them both on the old and on the new page.

   Items forgotten twice should have three copies in your exercise book,
   those forgotten thrice should have four copies, etc.

7. Keep in mind the following advice:
     - do not repeat pages between the scheduled repetitions,
     - try to simplify items which are forgotten more than twice,
     - avoid changing the repetition dates,
     - items that are similar or suggesting the same correct answer
       should be separated, i.e., put on different pages.

Do not delay! Start using the SuperMemo method today! Good luck!

To order SuperMemo software and/or publications contact:

       SUPER-MEMO WORLD
       P.O. Box 1
       Poznan 48
       POLAND
       Tel: (48) 61 764073, 764066, 203157
       Fax: (48) 61 764073, 793435
