Generic document on the Memrise Learning Algorithm?

I’ve been trying to puzzle together how the Memrise algorithm really works but there’s a scattering of HOWTO documents but no overall top level document that really explains how Memrise patterns operate. I would think this is one of the first documents a beginner would like to read or understand.

For example, if you try to learn new words with a higher frequency per day, will it constantly add words or just stop at a certain threshold and repeat the new words for the day – or the week? What it the curve for repeated learning, how far could a word/sentence move? What makes a word be prompted more frequently, more wrong answers within the same day, or hour, or week, or accumulated amount of wrong words across the lifetime of the word learned. Things like that. I suspect many would like to know this too, otherwise they might use a wrong paradigm or pattern when using Memrise.

1 Like

I’m interested in this as well, since other platforms, like Anki, allow more customized adjustment to this algorithm. I always got the impression that the memrise algorithm was a sort of proprietary information that wouldn’t just be handed out. When I first started here in 2012, I remember them advertising the science behind it a bit more, and it kind of being the brainchild of someone very involved with memory and a memory contest winner.

I could be wrong, maybe its available information, or maybe someone who writes mod scripts for the site somehow has some insight into that. I would also be interested in seeing the difference between the app and the website, as the lack of punishment for wrong answers and a larger scale of gamification on the app worried me enough to almost exclusively learn on the website.

1 Like

I also don’t use the app that much as I feel it too easy, and I’m afraid I might not memorize things as good as in the web version. I use all typing script most of the time for the same reason.

I believe both Memrise and Anki (as well as Duolingo) use a variation of the SM2 Algorithm.

Edit: This schedule applies to the website. It probably applies to the app, but I don’t know because I quit using the app two years ago.

From this post: Why do some courses never come up for review?

2 Likes

Thanks, very helpful.

My only question mark is then when learning new words during let’s say a 24 hour period. Will it add more and more words along the way of stop at a certain threshold?