What is spaced repetition and why it works
Spaced repetition is a study technique that schedules your reviews at growing intervals, always just before you're about to forget. Instead of rereading the same material several times in a row, you review each piece of information right when it's about to slip from memory, which strengthens long-term retention with less study time.
The forgetting curve
In the late 19th century, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus described how memory decays over time without reinforcement: fast in the first hours, slower afterward. Every time you review information just before forgetting it, the forgetting curve flattens, and the interval until the next needed review grows.
Why growing intervals beat rereading
Rereading a text repeatedly creates a sense of familiarity that's easy to mistake for real memorization. Spaced repetition forces a retrieval effort: you have to recall the answer, not just recognize it. That effort, known as the retrieval effect, is what consolidates information into long-term memory.
How MetraCards automates it
You create the card, answer it, and rate how well you recalled it: easily, with difficulty, or not at all. MetraCards adjusts the next review interval on its own based on that rating, with nothing for you to calculate. The deck screen always shows just what's due today, so studying stays focused on what actually needs attention.
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