Hello there,
I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I've literally devoured the articles on Tom and Michal's homepage, especially those on how to create items for SuperMemo. I have to agree with you that sentence items are probably the best to use for most words and just in some cases resorting to definition-word items can be helpful too (when there's no ambiguity in the definition). So it’s easy to guess that most of my items are sentence items. But since I'm really into example sentences and I often used to write down more than one for a word back in my notebook days (in particular when there were more frequently-used collocations or other prepositions that go with the word) I've sort of run into difficulties.
My notebook had three columns: one for the word, one for example sentences and the last for the definition - so no real problem there. But with just a 'Question' and an 'Answer' field, I don't know where to put the additional example sentences. So far I've been putting them in the question field. I'll give you a few examples:
1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: She was resentful at having been left out of the team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: resentful (of / at / about sth)
= feeling bitter or angry about sth that you think is unfair
She was resentful of anybody's attempts to interfere in her work.
a resentful look
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Mr Sutherland may have the clout needed to push the two trading giants into a deal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: clout
= power and influence
::political / financial clout::
The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Cartoons of the Prophet stoked violent protests in Beirut.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: to stoke sth (up)
If you stoke a fire you add coal or wood to it to keep it burning.
He stoked up the fire in the hearth.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: the perennial conservative call for the elimination of the estate tax
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: perennial [pəˈreniəl]
= continuing for a very long time; happening again and again
the perennial problem of water shortage
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As for point 1, I use the additional example sentences to remember that 'resentful' can also be used with other prepositions than 'at', e.g. 'of'. The second sentence, or rather fragment, 'a resentful look' is used to provide an example without prepositions.
Concerning point 2, the '::' is supposed to indicate that the words in between the semicolons are in bold and consequently common collocations. The sentence 'The queen etc. etc." is probably redundant.
Number 3: Here - as everyone can see - I use the sentence to give an example of the original meaning of 'to stoke' and not just its figurative use like in the question box.
The fourth example item shows another redundant use of the additional example sentence, as it doesn't
- give other prepositions/articles, etc. that could be used
- provide common collocations
- explain a (slightly) different meaning
Still I think it might favour a better retention rate, as I see the word which I try to remember in use more often - though I may just as well be plain wrong with that assumption.
I'm still not sure whether I should change this item system or not. Theoretically it would still be possible. I've started using SuperMemo only ten days ago and I just have roughly 200 items, of which probably even 20% are definition-word items I don't intend to change.
Do you think I should dismiss the additional sentences altogether? Or should I just give the redundant ones the boot and create extra items for those which have a right to exist (i.e. example 1, 2 and 3)? Please tell me what you think? I'd appreciate any helpful piece of advice.
PS: I apologize for the long post. I promise I will keep my posts shorter in the future. ;)
Cheers,
Alex
I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I've literally devoured the articles on Tom and Michal's homepage, especially those on how to create items for SuperMemo. I have to agree with you that sentence items are probably the best to use for most words and just in some cases resorting to definition-word items can be helpful too (when there's no ambiguity in the definition). So it’s easy to guess that most of my items are sentence items. But since I'm really into example sentences and I often used to write down more than one for a word back in my notebook days (in particular when there were more frequently-used collocations or other prepositions that go with the word) I've sort of run into difficulties.
My notebook had three columns: one for the word, one for example sentences and the last for the definition - so no real problem there. But with just a 'Question' and an 'Answer' field, I don't know where to put the additional example sentences. So far I've been putting them in the question field. I'll give you a few examples:
1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: She was resentful at having been left out of the team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: resentful (of / at / about sth)
= feeling bitter or angry about sth that you think is unfair
She was resentful of anybody's attempts to interfere in her work.
a resentful look
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Mr Sutherland may have the clout needed to push the two trading giants into a deal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: clout
= power and influence
::political / financial clout::
The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Cartoons of the Prophet stoked violent protests in Beirut.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: to stoke sth (up)
If you stoke a fire you add coal or wood to it to keep it burning.
He stoked up the fire in the hearth.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: the perennial conservative call for the elimination of the estate tax
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A: perennial [pəˈreniəl]
= continuing for a very long time; happening again and again
the perennial problem of water shortage
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As for point 1, I use the additional example sentences to remember that 'resentful' can also be used with other prepositions than 'at', e.g. 'of'. The second sentence, or rather fragment, 'a resentful look' is used to provide an example without prepositions.
Concerning point 2, the '::' is supposed to indicate that the words in between the semicolons are in bold and consequently common collocations. The sentence 'The queen etc. etc." is probably redundant.
Number 3: Here - as everyone can see - I use the sentence to give an example of the original meaning of 'to stoke' and not just its figurative use like in the question box.
The fourth example item shows another redundant use of the additional example sentence, as it doesn't
- give other prepositions/articles, etc. that could be used
- provide common collocations
- explain a (slightly) different meaning
Still I think it might favour a better retention rate, as I see the word which I try to remember in use more often - though I may just as well be plain wrong with that assumption.
I'm still not sure whether I should change this item system or not. Theoretically it would still be possible. I've started using SuperMemo only ten days ago and I just have roughly 200 items, of which probably even 20% are definition-word items I don't intend to change.
Do you think I should dismiss the additional sentences altogether? Or should I just give the redundant ones the boot and create extra items for those which have a right to exist (i.e. example 1, 2 and 3)? Please tell me what you think? I'd appreciate any helpful piece of advice.
PS: I apologize for the long post. I promise I will keep my posts shorter in the future. ;)
Cheers,
Alex