Maybe I'm missing something, but ... After getting to about 500 words with one basic textbook, I added in a second basic textbook and Skritter started asking me basic words again, like 我 and 星期, saying they're from the second textbook, so I'm not talking about the occasional repeats of basic words that I would expect from the first textbook. It doesn't give me over-generous scores on the count of number of known words/characters, so the database must know that they're the same word ... so I don't know why it asks me them again, and more importantly I don't know how to stop it doing so. Anybody know?

I'm equally afraid of adding new textbooks, last time it took me quite a while to get rid of the word "中国" which apparently hadn't been part of my HSK lists. Maybe I should develop a habit of using the command "too simple" that Skritter provides.

A great feature to consider would be the option to include merely those words that include new characters.


(Anyway, given the new numbers that are given on http://www.skritter.com/practice, 3000+ items coming next week, I don't add anything new right now.)

I'm not sure, are you saying that the same basic words are coming up again frequently or new basic words being added? If it's the former, then it's a bug. One thing might explain it though, is have you turned on new parts to study since you first joined? Because if, say, you were only adding writing and tones at the beginning, and now you're adding readings and definitions as well, then the latter two will be added for the words that they haven't been added for yet.

If it's just that the words are basic enough that you have no trouble learning them, or you learned them elsewhere, you can use the grading system to speed them along. Under the settings box, turn on "Use grading buttons" and when something comes up you know too well, click 4 (normal correct is 3). They'll show up a lot less frequently. But it's good to get these words into the system.

If you mark them as right the first time, that will put them about a week ahead, so that also helps to move them along quickly.

Including an option to just add words with new characters seems a little too specific. We like to keep things simple and the number of options down.

It's the same basic words coming up again frequently, I think it must be a bug. It's not a question of turning on different parts to study as I haven't done that.

I agree, I wouldn't want it to just add words with new characters. What I hope it can stop doing, which I'm pretty sure it is doing, is setting me back to zero on some (but apparently not all, which makes me think it is indeed a bug) simple words like 你 that appear in both textbooks as simple characters.

I might use your suggested work-arounds till it's fixed (if I'm right that it's a bug), thanks for those.

Hmmm, I thought this was happening to me until I worked out it was simply bringing up all of the characters that were in "reading" mode as I didn't do "reading" that with the first "textbook/list".

"Reading" mode is when you type the pinyin of the character. I am having to go through and type out the pinyin for all 1000 or so words I have already studied (:

I think it's the parts thing, costeni. I'm looking at your list coming up and there are definitely words where you've added all the parts except reading.

Take Chapter 12 for example.

http://www.skritter.com/vocab/listsect?collapsed=true&list=agVza3JpdHIZCxINVm9jYWJMaXN0SW5mbyIGbGlzdDE2DA&style=simp&sect=11

The following words have every part added except reading:

支 了 再 找钱 斤 东西 怎么 苹果

They show you know the other parts very well, but reading hasn't been added (you can tell which part has been added by which letters are bold, P is for pinyin).

Adding the reading may be causing some stuff to come up early, a little. For example, 星期. You added that from the second list on the 16th (today), and when you added it you also practiced the definition and the tone. Those were scheduled for the 19th, but they were old enough to be studied.

And then with 我, you studied the reading and tone (because tone always gets studied with reading in active reading practice) but definition was not studied because it wasn't ready enough.

So looking at those closely, they seem to be doing what they should.

This is what I went through when you guys added reading practice in the first place; I had to go through all sorts of supposedly-well-known words and suffer the humiliation of finding out I didn't actually know how to pronounce them. That was well worth the effort, however, as it really solidified the memories.

I actually find that knowing the reading gives me an extra way to remember the characters. (I practice with the pinyin hidden.) If I see the definition and then can think of the reading, this can stimulate me to remember the writing. Memory is a funny thing.

James

Thanks everyone, I'll go with the system then, and I'll make sure that I have reading turned on for everything.