Cognitive Science: An Introduction/Study Questions

At the end of every page there are a list of study questions and answers. They are written in a particular format so that they can be easily imported into a spaced-repetition learning system.

Spaced-Repetition Learning Systems

Spaced-repetition learning systems (SRS) These are, basically, flash card programs. What makes these programs special is that they decide what cards are to be reviewed every day. It does this based on psychological studies of forgetting. Ideally, one uses the SRS program every day. The program gives you the cards you need to review that day, based on the notion that the best time to review a card is just before you are likely to forget it.

You see the question, try to answer it in your head, and then look at the answer. You indicate to the SRS program if you got the question correct or not, and that feeds information into the algorithm to choose when to show you the card again. If you know a fact very well, it might not ask you for a year or more.

Available SRS Systems

See a complete list at List of flashcard software.

The author recommends using a program called Anki. When available, Anki "decks" of cards will be linked from pages in this book.

How To Make Good SRS Flash Cards

There are several websites on how to make good cards. The author recommends this one [1].