How to analyze progress in Anki

[hallow kernel]

I'm 40 days deep into my board exam review using Anki with FSRS, and I feel like I'm just running on autopilot. I know I'm consistent, but I have no idea about my progress

For anyone who has successfully used Anki for a major exam, how do you actually interpret the statistics provided in the anki settings to confirm you're on track? I wanna learn how to use statistics and graphs to further optimize my review sessions.

[Extra Context: I am studying for the Mechanical Engineering board exam. My Anki deck is heavily focused on technical problem-solving flow and equation heavy cards. While many advise against using Anki for direct math, this method works for me by ensuring fast, reliable recall of the step-by-step logic required for solving complex, multi-variable problems.]

[cerulean robin]

||For anyone who has successfully used Anki for a major exam||
||Caveat: I have not. ||

I wanna learn how to use statistics and graphs to further optimize my review sessions.

One of the great things about Anki is you don't really need to do that. Anki and FSRS take care of making your studying as efficient as possible. If you aren't seeing a problem, you should leave them to it.

The only thing you'll want to do that is specific to working toward an exam deadline is make sure you introduce your cards fast enough.

Other than that, just follow the general advice --

1. Read Getting Started, so you know what Anki can do -- and Studying, so you know how to use it. Skim the rest of the manual if you have time, so you will know where to find things when you want them later on.
2. Enable FSRS.
3. Set one short (5m-20m) learning step and relearning step.
4. Optimize your FSRS parameters (and then come back monthly to re-optimize).
5. Study all of your due cards every day -- no backlogs, no long re/learning steps to carry cards over to the next day.
6. Don't introduce New cards at a faster pace that you can keep up with the reviews on. Which is good advice, even if you are working towards an exam deadline. [Expect that your daily workload will be 8-10x your daily New card limit.]

To keep an eye on your "progress" -- watch Stats > Retention to see that it stays close to your Desired Retention [DR].

[hallow kernel]

what does tell me exactly

i have my desired rention at 80%

[final salmon]

why is it so low

out of curiosity

for me who has used anki for exams and tests

you can also use this, to see which cards are difficult

or this

[hallow kernel]

thats nice

tnx

[hallow kernel]

im solving engineering problems and if i dont get it even a single mistake i repeat the whole question

[final salmon]

i see

[hallow kernel]

i believe that is somewhat bad from what ive read from the anki subreddits but just what works from me altho it really consumes my time so much 🙁

my cards basically look like this

i get one simple step wrong even a unit wrong i go again until i do it perfectly

lmk if you have any tips to optimize my workflow further. Thanks!

[final salmon]

i mean

anki is not usually for things like these

so i cant give some good advice

[pallid ledge]

I think for math, it’s much more productive to do practice questions outside of Anki, and use Anki to memorize formulas, intuitions, correct mistakes you’ve made

[hallow kernel]

I partially with this, but my current situation require solving full problems and is essential for my performance in engineering subjects like power plant engineering. It helps me internalize the entire problem flow, which is often intuitive and context-dependent in exams. The major drawback, however, is the significant time commitment, and I need to drastically cut down my review time.

I've been researching Anki settings, specifically aiming to shift my reviews from calculating accurate answers to verifying the correct problem-solving process/flow. I would grade a card 'Correct' simply for outlining the steps, not for completing the math.

I'm unsure how to implement this effectively within Anki without disrupting my FSRS intervals, as I'm still new to FSRS, and I'm concerned this change in grading logic might skew the scheduling algorithm.

Found some resource online regarding learning steps but this is an old video and am scared it would fuck up my FSRS settings and shit
https://youtu.be/4WHbaEQZ6pU?t=462 [TIME STAMP 7:42]

hoping to get some advice whos currently in the same field or similar ty

[cerulean robin]

Retention graph: Looking at this, I suspect you haven't studied very many Mature cards yet. Looking at your Young results -- you're obviously struggling with retention quite a bit. The only tells you how you're doing, not what to do about it.

As for the suggestion [from @final salmon ] that you use Card Difficulty (D) or Card Retrievability (R) graphs to track progress -- no, not really. D isn't a measure of progress or your performance at all, and a graph of current R will mostly only tell you whether you're studying your cards when they are due or not.

[final salmon]

D is to see which cards are difficult so before an exam you can study them right before

[hallow kernel]

Thanks guys

Card Difficulty (D) or Card Retrievability (R) stat really good in tracking

I adjusted my workflow a bit and it helped me cut some time

basically even if i computed an answer wrong in a mathematical problem but i get the process correctly i press easy

more like process over getting the correct exact values for a given question

[final salmon]

why dont you use good or again

easy shouldnt be used unless, it truly is easy

can you use the thing that sees answer buttons

[hallow kernel]

i was told by doing that in FSRS somewhat results in hard misuse if im not mistaken

[final salmon]

?

Again = wrong
Hard = took time to recall correctly
Good = knew it
Easy = can remember without anki

the only button that is for wrong is Again

hard misuse is when you use Hard when its wrong

[hallow kernel]

i see

[cerulean robin]

I think that mistakes what D is actually used for. Using card properties like lapses and interval is generally more effective to target those cards.

[hallow kernel]

yea just revised my high lapse cards like 6-8 lapses

ty

really helped

[hallow kernel]

@lofty nacelle whats your thought on this i specifically need your perspective since u are a believer that anki can do maths.

Does adjusting learning steps fk up fsrs algorithm?

[cerulean robin]

How to analyze progress in Anki

[lofty nacelle]

This guy is using a very old version of Anki that significantly predates FSRS. You should definitely not use his recommended learning steps, for two reasons:
(1) Learning steps are basically arbitrary, either pick what works for you based on vibes or use the FSRS Helper's recommendations.
(2) With FSRS you don't want to use learning steps that you won't finish before the day is over. This guy is recommending nonsense learning steps of 30 minutes, 1 day and 7 days, which would prevent FSRS from taking over until you've been studying the card for at least a week.

If you want someone to tell you what learning steps to do, here's some arbitrary ones: 15m 6h. 15 minutes lets you see the card one more time at the end of your learning session. 6 hours lets you see it one more time before you go to bed. Then FSRS takes it over.