Feature requet: Reverse order of cards shown in queue

Skritter Apps
1

Skritter uses an SRS system which is great for keeping reviews low and bringing them up when needed. However, it current shows the newest or the words you’re struggling with the most first, and the oldest and least problematic words last. I assume that this is because if you’re low on time and can only do a few words, then the ones you’re struggling with are of a higher priority.

However, I like to clear my queue everyday and get that number down to zero. Now when I wake up and open skritter to see 500-100+ reviews, it can feel like a bit of a grind. Then on top of that, my brain hasn’t warmed up yet and it’s throwing me straight into the tough ones, where I really need to think and the parts don’t come naturally to me, which usually leads me to failing that card. Onto the next one, the same, the next, the same. At this point, I’m feeling pretty frustrated and close the app.

A workaround I have for this is skipping those ones straight away, which is an automatic failure until I get to the ones that I can deal with, with less frustrations. Once, I’be breezed through the backend, I’ve warmed up, I’m feeling good and I can deal with those annoying one, breakdown the components, look at the etymology and understand the character. However, that character has still failed for that day regardless.

Now if the list was in reverse, I could get warmed up and breeze through the easy ones, and then it would get progressively harder and harder. When I’ve reached the final few, I can take my time, think about it, knoiung that I only have a few left in the queue to go. Sure, I might still get them wrong, but at least it won’t feel frustrating. On top of that, I might get them right, which enforces the memory and pushes it further down the SRS queue leaving less cards to deal with the day after.

The reason I’m posting is that Skritter prioritises it’s updates on the wants and needs of it’s users. Perhaps I’m alone with wanting this feature, but if not, please feel free to shout out here too :slight_smile:

2 Likes
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I see it differently, I like the idea of practicing more times the words/characters I find more difficult, so the easy ones are more like breaks. I also study around 300 words a day and like to bring them down to like 17 because after that Skritter adds words I just don’t need to study at that moment.

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Use the Skritter: Write Chinese or Skritter: Write Japanese apps on iOS and Android if you can. We don’t add items in the review queue anymore, and getting to zero is finally possible :slight_smile:

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I personally feel comfortable with how it is handled in the browser version, because it repeats the difficult ones the same day. I don’t care about getting to zero, I care more about studying the words when it is needed, when I get to 17 I just go and learn new ones!

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Got it! Just wanted to offer that info in case you didn’t know.

The way the mobile app works is, anything you get marked wrong is also due the same day for review (until you get it correct). You don’t get as many reps though. The Continuous mode does add things back into the study queue automatically as you go.

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I use mobile only for writing and learning new characters/words

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@jameswonglife I don’t mind getting the newest (most difficult) words in due card first, but I have changed my study habits given Skritter’s new features.

Although I add new words to my due cards daily, I now complete my reviews of previously learned words first.

When I’ve gone through the reviews for the day, only then do I turn to learn mode for study of new words. But first from the list I go straight to Pleco for each new word, study what I can there, including example sentences, and update/upgrade the definitions from Pleco, then finally I practice and add the words.

Then I shut off learn mode and I’m done for the day.

I used to do this in reverse order. Now, like you, I find it’s better to delay brand new learning until I’ve completed my reviews of previously studied/added words, making sure none of my due cards are words I’ve added the same day.

That makes a good distinction between memory work and study/learn work.

I’m surprised, because you’d think using one’s freshest brain should go to the most difficult, but I’m finding my new system more efficient and less stressful.

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What bothers me about this order is that if I set my Goal to, say, 20 cards a day, it seems that, since newest words are first, it will never get to the oldest words. So I think I would like the oldest words first, and then I’ll eventually get to everything even if I never actually clear my queue.

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@Calion I guess 20 cards a day might be a little low - that’s only a few minutes a day on memory work. I suggest at least 15-20 minutes a day on memory work (Skritter). Otherwise you are right, you’ll never get to reviewing older vocab.