What is Spaced repetition?
Spaced repetition is a learning technique that schedules review of new information at increasing intervals — minutes, hours, days, weeks — to fight the forgetting curve.
The forgetting-curve work associated with Hermann Ebbinghaus describes how recall can decline after learning. Spaced review deliberately returns to material over time, while the useful interval and outcome vary by person, material, and practice schedule.
Modern spaced-review tools can adjust a card's schedule based on the learner's responses. Exact scheduling behavior differs by product and may change, so review the current tool documentation instead of assuming one universal interval sequence.
Spaced repetition is commonly used for discrete factual knowledge such as vocabulary, definitions, quotations, theorem statements, and key dates. It is not a substitute for the deep reading and synthesis that build understanding, and results vary by learner and material.
Summio Companion prepares recall questions, review cards, and practice sessions from saved summaries and available summary context.
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Does spaced repetition really work?
Research supports a spacing effect for many learning tasks, but the size of the benefit varies by person, material, retrieval method, and schedule.
How long do spaced repetition reviews take per day?
There is no universal daily duration. It depends on deck size, new-card rate, scheduling settings, and recall performance; start small and choose a workload you can sustain.
Is spaced repetition only for vocabulary?
No. The technique can support many kinds of discrete factual content, including terminology, dates, shortcuts, and formulas. Skills that require integrated practice, such as writing, coding, or music, need more than card review alone.