A collection in SuperMemo is a set of elements. Each element makes up a page of information visible on a single screen. Elements in SuperMemo can be of two types: topics and items.
Topics are used to introduce the student to a given subject, while items are used to rehearse the same subject in order to retain it in memory.
For example, a topic may contain the following text:
To rehearse the knowledge of the facts presented in the above text, the following question-answer items might have been used:
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Topics and items are processed in a different way in the learning process:
- topics are presented only once before introducing individual items (after the first repetitions, topics are dismissed and removed from the learning process)
- items enter standard SuperMemo repetitions and are repeated as many times as it takes to ensure they are constantly retained in memory
Optimally, items should be children or descendants of the topic from which they were derived. This way, during repetitions, the student can always refer to the parent topic by clicking the parent button on the navigation toolbar (up-arrow button). Parent of a given items can also be seen by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Up.
The following table summarizes the differences between topics and items:
Properties |
Topics |
Items |
Length |
May be longer, contain lengthy texts and rich graphics |
Must be as short and simple as possible |
Repetitions |
Presented only once in the learning process (and dismissed). No repetitions are made |
Repeated as many times as it takes to keep them in memory |
Purpose |
Used as an introduction to knowledge |
Used for rehearsing knowledge |
Creating |
Check Topic on the element pop-up menu to make an element a topic |
Uncheck Topic on the element pop-up menu to make an element an item |
Repetition cycle |
Topics are just presented as they are (even if some components are checked as Answer) |
First question components are presented. Answer components are presented only after choosing Show answer |
Processing |
They are intended for passive review or reading |
They are intended for active recall of information from memory |
Information contents |
Contain information that is rehearsed by many items |
Contain a selected piece of information that makes only a part of a topic |
Nature |
Synthetic |
Stimulus-response (most often: question and answer) |
Location in knowledge tree |
Best located as parents of items that concern the same subject |
Best placed as children of the parent topic |
If you choose Add new or press Ctrl+A, you will add a new item to your collection. Add new adds the items as a descendant of the current contents category. To change the item into a topic, choose Topic on the element's pop-up menu. When you open the menu again, Topic should be checked. This shows that the current element is interpreted as a topic.
Use the following steps to easily build a healthy structure of knowledge in your collection:
- Click Contents in the element window to open the contents window
- Find a place where you want to add your topic
- Add an element with Add, Insert or Sibling at the bottom of the contents window
- Choose Add to add the first item
- Choose Sibling to add remaining items
- Click your topic and choose View to open it in the element window
- Check Topic on the element pop-up menu
- Edit the contents of the topic
- Click Contents
- Click the first item and choose View to open it in the element window
- Edit the contents of the item (you can use templates to speed this work up)
- Go to Step 9 and repeat Steps 9-11 until you are done