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| author | eeeickythump <devnull@localhost> | 2010-08-22 09:53:08 +1200 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | eeeickythump <devnull@localhost> | 2010-08-22 09:53:08 +1200 |
| commit | 663f0a3c1e902d45f66180e94d3820e050ab52c8 (patch) | |
| tree | 8fd192ce5ed41368814bab1185fb83306a78d23c /README.html | |
| parent | 19efe535f78b1ebad5506a384f32d24cfa6389fa (diff) | |
| download | org-drill-1.0.tar.gz org-drill-1.0.zip | |
Added README with more detailed documentation.1.0
Items which are failed during session are presented again before the session ends.
Items which were failures at the last review session are presented first in the next session.
Added recognition of leech items, based on excessive number of failures.
Leeches can be skipped or warned about.
When reviewing an item, the prompt shows the number of items remaining.
When the session finishes, the minibuffer shows a brief report givisng statistics about total time spent reviewing, number of cards that
still need review, etc.
Fixed the regexp for cloze-deleted text.
Optional face for cloze text in org mode buffers.
New card type: twosided.
Diffstat (limited to 'README.html')
| -rw-r--r-- | README.html | 764 |
1 files changed, 764 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/README.html b/README.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d3291be --- /dev/null +++ b/README.html @@ -0,0 +1,764 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" +lang="en" xml:lang="en"> +<head> +<title>Org-Drill</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8"/> +<meta name="generator" content="Org-mode"/> +<meta name="generated" content="2010-08-22 09:45:05 NZST"/> +<meta name="author" content="Paul Sexton"/> +<meta name="description" content=""/> +<meta name="keywords" content=""/> +<style type="text/css"> + <!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/ + html { font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 12pt; } + .title { text-align: center; } + .todo { color: red; } + .done { color: green; } + .tag { background-color: #add8e6; font-weight:normal } + .target { } + .timestamp { color: #bebebe; } + .timestamp-kwd { color: #5f9ea0; } + p.verse { margin-left: 3% } + pre { + border: 1pt solid #AEBDCC; + background-color: #F3F5F7; + padding: 5pt; + font-family: courier, monospace; + font-size: 90%; + overflow:auto; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } + td, th { vertical-align: top; } + dt { font-weight: bold; } + div.figure { padding: 0.5em; } + div.figure p { text-align: center; } + textarea { overflow-x: auto; } + .linenr { font-size:smaller } + .code-highlighted {background-color:#ffff00;} + .org-info-js_info-navigation { border-style:none; } + #org-info-js_console-label { font-size:10px; font-weight:bold; + white-space:nowrap; } + .org-info-js_search-highlight {background-color:#ffff00; color:#000000; + font-weight:bold; } + /*]]>*/--> +</style> +<script type="text/javascript"> +<!--/*--><![CDATA[/*><!--*/ + function CodeHighlightOn(elem, id) + { + var target = document.getElementById(id); + if(null != target) { + elem.cacheClassElem = elem.className; + elem.cacheClassTarget = target.className; + target.className = "code-highlighted"; + elem.className = "code-highlighted"; + } + } + function CodeHighlightOff(elem, id) + { + var target = document.getElementById(id); + if(elem.cacheClassElem) + elem.className = elem.cacheClassElem; + if(elem.cacheClassTarget) + target.className = elem.cacheClassTarget; + } +/*]]>*///--> +</script> +</head> +<body> +<div id="content"> + +<h1 class="title">Org-Drill</h1> + + +<div id="table-of-contents"> +<h2>Table of Contents</h2> +<div id="text-table-of-contents"> +<ul> +<li><a href="#sec-1">1 Synopsis </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-2">2 Installation </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-3">3 Demonstration </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-4">4 Writing the questions </a> +<ul> +<li><a href="#sec-4_1">4.1 Simple topics </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-4_2">4.2 Cloze deletion </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-4_3">4.3 Two-sided cards </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-4_4">4.4 Multi-sided cards </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-4_5">4.5 User-defined topic types </a></li> +</ul> +</li> +<li><a href="#sec-5">5 Running the drill session </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-6">6 Leeches </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-7">7 Incremental reading </a></li> +<li><a href="#sec-8">8 Still to do </a></li> +</ul> +</div> +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-1" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-1"><span class="section-number-2">1</span> Synopsis </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-1"> + + + +<p> +Org-Drill uses the spaced repetition algorithm in <code>org-learn</code> to conduct +interactive "drill sessions", using org files as sources of facts to be +memorised. The material to be remembered is presented to the student in random +order. The student rates his or her recall of each item, and this information +is fed back to <code>org-learn</code> to schedule the item for later revision. +</p> +<p> +Each drill session can be restricted to topics in the current buffer +(default), one or several files, all agenda files, or a subtree. A single +topic can also be drilled. +</p> +<p> +Different "topic types" can be defined, which present their information to the +student in different ways. +</p> +<p> +For more on the spaced repetition algorithm, and examples of other programs +that use it, see: +</p><ul> +<li> +<a href="http://supermemo.com/index.htm">SuperMemo</a> (the SM5 algorithm is discussed <a href="http://www.supermemo.com/english/ol/sm5.htm">here</a>) +</li> +<li> +<a href="http://ichi2.net/anki/">Anki</a> +</li> +<li> +<a href="http://mnemosyne-proj.org/index.php">Mnemosyne</a> + + +</li> +</ul> +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-2" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-2"><span class="section-number-2">2</span> Installation </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-2"> + + + +<p> +Put the following in your <code>.emacs</code>. You will also need to make sure that Org's +"contrib/lisp" directory is in the emacs load-path. +</p> + + + +<pre class="src src-emacs-lisp"><span style="color: #696969;">(</span><span style="color: #8b4789;">require</span> '<span style="color: #698b22; font-weight: bold;">org-drill</span><span style="color: #696969;">)</span> +</pre> + + + +<p> +I also recommend the following, so that items are always eventually retested, +even when you remember them very well. +</p> + + + +<pre class="src src-emacs-lisp"><span style="color: #696969;">(</span>setq org-learn-always-reschedule t<span style="color: #696969;">)</span> +</pre> + + + +<p> +If you want cloze-deleted text to show up in a special font within Org mode +buffers, also add: +</p> + + + +<pre class="src src-emacs-lisp"><span style="color: #696969;">(</span>setq org-drill-use-visible-cloze-face-p t<span style="color: #696969;">)</span> +</pre> + + + + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-3" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-3"><span class="section-number-2">3</span> Demonstration </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-3"> + + + +<p> +Load the file <a href="spanish.html">spanish.org</a>. Press <code>M-x</code> and run the function <code>org-drill</code>. Follow +the prompts at the bottom of the screen. +</p> +<p> +When the drill finishes, you can look at <code>spanish.org</code> to get some idea of how +drill topics are written. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-4" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-4"><span class="section-number-2">4</span> Writing the questions </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-4"> + + + +<p> +Org-Drill uses org mode topics as 'drill items'. To be used as a drill item, +the topic must have a tag that matches <code>org-drill-question-tag</code>. This is +<code>:drill:</code> by default. Any other org topics will be ignored. +</p> +<p> +You don't need to schedule the topics initially. However <code>org-drill</code> <b>will</b> +recognise items that have been scheduled previously with +<code>org-learn</code>. Unscheduled items are considered to be 'new' and ready for +memorisation. +</p> +<p> +How should 'drill topics' be structured? Any org topic is a legal drill topic +– it will simply be shown with subheadings collapsed. After pressing a +key, any hidden subheadings will be revealed, and you will be asked to rate +your "recall" of the item. +</p> +<p> +This will be adequate for some items, but usually you will want to write items +where you have more control over what information is hidden from the user for +recall purposes. +</p> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-4_1" class="outline-3"> +<h3 id="sec-4_1"><span class="section-number-3">4.1</span> Simple topics </h3> +<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-4_1"> + + +<p> +The simplest drill topic has no special structure. When such a topic is +presented during a drill session, any subheadings are "collapsed" with their +contents hidden. So, you could include the question as text beneath the main +heading, and the answer within a subheading. For example: +</p> + + + +<pre class="example">* Item :drill: +What is the capital city of Estonia? + +** The Answer +Tallinn. +</pre> + + + +<p> +When this item is presented for review, the text beneath the main heading will +be visible, but the contents of the subheading ("The Answer") will be hidden. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-4_2" class="outline-3"> +<h3 id="sec-4_2"><span class="section-number-3">4.2</span> Cloze deletion </h3> +<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-4_2"> + + +<p> +Cloze deletion can be used in any drill topic regardless of whether it is +otherwise 'simple', or one of the specialised topic types discussed below. To +use cloze deletion, part of the body of the topic is marked as <i>cloze text</i> by +surrounding it with single square brackets, [like so]. When the topic is +presented for review, the text within square brackets will be obscured. The +text is then revealed after the user presses a key. For example: +</p> + + + +<pre class="example">* Item :drill: +The capital city of Estonia is [Tallinn]. +</pre> + + + +<p> +During review, the user will see: +</p> +<blockquote> + +<p>The capital city of Estonia is <font style="background-color: blue;" color="blue"> +XXXXXXX</font>. +</p> +</blockquote> + + +<p> +When the user presses a key, the text "Tallinn" will become visible. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-4_3" class="outline-3"> +<h3 id="sec-4_3"><span class="section-number-3">4.3</span> Two-sided cards </h3> +<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-4_3"> + + +<p> +The remaining topic types all use the topic property, <code>DRILL_CARD_TYPE</code>. This +property tells <code>org-drill</code> which function to use to present the topic during +review. If this property has the value <code>twosided</code> then the topic is treated as +a "two sided card". When a two sided card is reviewed, <i>one of the first two</i> +subheadings within the topic will be visible – all other +subheadings will be hidden. +</p> +<p> +Two-sided cards are meant to emulate the type of flipcard where either side is +useful as test material (for example, a card with a word in a foreign language +on one side, and its translation on the other). +</p> +<p> +A two sided card can have more than 2 subheadings, but all subheadings after +the first two are considered as "notes" and will always be hidden during topic +review. +</p> + + + +<pre class="example">* Noun :drill: + :PROPERTIES: + :DRILL_CARD_TYPE: twosided + :END: + +Translate this word. + +** Spanish +la mujer + +** English +the woman + +** Example sentence +¿Quién fue esa mujer? +Who was that woman? +</pre> + + + +<p> +In this example, the user will be shown the main text – "Translate this word" +– and either 'la mujer', <i>or</i> 'the woman', at random. The section 'Example +sentence' will never be shown until after the user presses a key, because it is +not one of the first two 'sides' of the topic. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-4_4" class="outline-3"> +<h3 id="sec-4_4"><span class="section-number-3">4.4</span> Multi-sided cards </h3> +<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-4_4"> + + +<p> +The <code>multisided</code> card type is similar to <code>twosided</code>, except that any +subheading has a chance of being presented during the topic review. One +subheading is always shown and all others are always hidden. +</p> + + + +<pre class="example">* Noun :drill: + :PROPERTIES: + :DRILL_CARD_TYPE: multisided + :END: + +Translate. + +** Spanish +la mesa + +** English +the table + +** Picture +[[file:table.jpg][PICTURE]] +</pre> + + + +<p> +The user will be shown the main text and either 'la mujer', <i>or</i> 'the woman', +<i>or</i> a picture of a table. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-4_5" class="outline-3"> +<h3 id="sec-4_5"><span class="section-number-3">4.5</span> User-defined topic types </h3> +<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-4_5"> + + +<p> +Finally, you can write your own elisp functions to define new kinds of +topics. Any new topic type will need to be added to +<code>org-drill-card-type-alist</code>, and cards using that topic type will need to have +it as the value of their <code>DRILL_CARD_TYPE</code> property. For an example, see the +function <code>org-drill-present-spanish-verb</code>, which defines the new topic type +<code>spanish_verb</code>, used in 'spanish.org'. +</p> +<p> +See the file <a href="spanish.html">spanish.org</a> for a full set of example material. +</p> + +</div> +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-5" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-5"><span class="section-number-2">5</span> Running the drill session </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-5"> + + + +<p> +Start a drill session with <code>M-x org-drill</code>. By default, this includes all +non-hidden topics in the current buffer. <code>org-drill</code> takes an optional +argument, SCOPE, which allows it to take drill items from other +sources. Possible values for SCOPE are: +</p> +<dl> +<dt>tree</dt><dd> +The subtree starting with the entry at the cursor. +</dd> +<dt>file</dt><dd> +The current buffer, including both hidden and non-hidden items. +</dd> +<dt>file-with-archives</dt><dd> +The current buffer, and any archives associated with it. +</dd> +<dt>agenda</dt><dd> +All agenda files. +</dd> +<dt>agenda-with-archives</dt><dd> +All agenda files with any archive files associated +with them. +</dd> +<dt>(file1 file2 …)</dt><dd> +A list of filenames. All files in the list will be +scanned. + +</dd> +</dl> + +<p>During a drill session, you will be presented with each item, then asked to +rate your recall of it by pressing a key between 0 and 5. The meaning of these +numbers is (taken from <code>org-learn</code>): +</p> +<dl> +<dt>0</dt><dd> +Completely forgot. +</dd> +<dt>1</dt><dd> +Even after seeing the answer, it still took a bit to sink in. +</dd> +<dt>2</dt><dd> +After seeing the answer, you remembered it. +</dd> +<dt>3</dt><dd> +It took you awhile, but you finally remembered. +</dd> +<dt>4</dt><dd> +After a little bit of thought you remembered. +</dd> +<dt>5</dt><dd> +You remembered the item really easily. + +</dd> +</dl> + +<p>You can press '?' at the prompt if you have trouble remembering what the +numbers 0–5 signify. At any time you can press 'q' to finish the drill early +(your progress will be saved), or 'e' to finish the drill and jump to the +current topic for editing (your progress up to that point will be saved). +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-6" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-6"><span class="section-number-2">6</span> Leeches </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-6"> + + + +<p> +From the Anki website, <a href="http://ichi2.net/anki/wiki/Leeches">http://ichi2.net/anki/wiki/Leeches</a>: +</p> +<blockquote> + +<p>Leeches are cards that you keep on forgetting. Because they require so many +reviews, they take up a lot more of your time than other cards. +</p> +</blockquote> + + +<p> +Like Anki, Org-Drill defines leeches as cards that you have "failed" many +times. The number of times an item must be failed before it is considered a +leech is set by the variable <code>org-drill-leech-failure-threshold</code> (15 by +default). When you fail to remember an item more than this many times, the item +will be given the <code>:leech:</code> tag. +</p> +<p> +Leech items can be handled in one of three ways. You can choose how Org-Drill +handles leeches by setting the variable <code>org-drill-leech-method</code> to one of the +following values: +</p><dl> +<dt>nil</dt><dd> +Leech items are tagged with the <code>leech</code> tag, but otherwise treated the +same as normal items. +</dd> +<dt>skip</dt><dd> +Leech items are not included in drill sessions. +</dd> +<dt>warn</dt><dd> +Leech items are still included in drill sessions, but a warning +message is printed when each leech item is presented. + +</dd> +</dl> + +<p>The best way to deal with a leech is either to delete it, or reformulate it so +that it is easier to remember, for example by splitting it into more than one +card. +</p> +<p> +See <a href="http://www.supermemo.com/help/leech.htm">the SuperMemo website</a> for more on leeches. +</p> + +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-7" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-7"><span class="section-number-2">7</span> Incremental reading </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-7"> + + + +<p> +An innovative feature of the program SuperMemo is so-called "incremental +reading". This refers to the ability to quickly and easily make drill items +from selected portions of text as you read an article (a web page for +example). See <a href="http://www.supermemo.com/help/read.htm">the SuperMemo website</a> for more on incremental reading. +</p> +<p> +Much of the infrastructure for incremental reading is already provided by Org +Mode, with the help of some other emacs packages. You can provide yourself with +an incremental reading facility by using 'org-capture' alongside a package that +allows you to browse web pages in emacs – e.g. w3 or <a href="http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/emacs-w3m">emacs-w3m</a>. There is a +large variety of bookmarking packages for emacs which allow you to save your +place in webpages (another important component of incremental reading). See the +<a href="http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/BookMarks">Emacs Wiki</a> for details. +</p> +<p> +An example of using Org-Drill for incremental reading is given below. First, +and most importantly, we need to define an <code>org-capture</code> template for captured +facts: +</p> + + + +<pre class="src src-emacs-lisp"><span style="color: #696969;">(</span>setq org-capture-templates + `<span style="color: #696969;">((</span><span style="color: #008b00;">"f"</span> <span style="color: #008b00;">"Fact"</span> entry + <span style="color: #696969;">(</span>file+headline <span style="color: #008b00;">"my_new_facts.org"</span> <span style="color: #008b00;">"Incoming"</span><span style="color: #696969;">)</span> + <span style="color: #696969;">(</span>concat <span style="color: #008b00;">"* Fact #%(format \"%s\" (float-time)) :"</span> + org-drill-question-tag + <span style="color: #008b00;">":%^g\n + :PROPERTIES: + :DATE_ADDED: %t + :SOURCE_URL: %a + :END:\n +%i%?\n\n"</span><span style="color: #696969;">)</span> + <span style="color: #4169e1;">:empty-lines</span> 1 + <span style="color: #4169e1;">:immediate-finish</span> nil<span style="color: #696969;">)</span> + <span style="color: #db7093;">;; </span><span style="color: #db7093;">...other capture templates... +</span> <span style="color: #696969;">))</span> +</pre> + + + +<p> +Using this template, you can select a region of text which contains a fact you +want to remember, for example while reading a web page. You then invoke the +capture template above, and the selected text will be turned into a new fact +and saved to whichever file and heading you nominate in the template. You will +be given the opportunity to edit the fact – you should make sure that the fact +makes sense independent of its context, as that is how it will be presented to +you. The easiest way to turn the text into a 'question' is by cloze +deletion. All you need to do is surround the 'hidden' parts of the text with +square brackets. +</p> +<p> +Next, you start reading a web page within Emacs. For example, suppose you are +reading the Wikipedia entry on tuberculosis <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosis">here</a>. +</p> +<p> +You read the following: +</p> +<blockquote> + +<p>The classic symptoms of tuberculosis are a chronic cough with blood-tinged +sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Infection of other organs causes +a wide range of symptoms. Treatment is difficult and requires long courses of +multiple antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in +(extensively) multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis. Prevention relies on screening +programs and vaccination, usually with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine. +</p> +</blockquote> + + +<p> +You decide you want to remember that "Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine" is the +name of the vaccine against tuberculosis. First, you select the relevant +portion of the text as the active region: +</p> +<blockquote> + +<p>The classic symptoms of tuberculosis are a chronic cough with blood-tinged +sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Infection of other organs causes +a wide range of symptoms. Treatment is difficult and requires long courses of +multiple antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in +(extensively) multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis. +<font style="background-color: yellow;">Prevention relies +on screening programs and vaccination, usually with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin +vaccine.</font> +</p> +</blockquote> + + +<p> +Then you press a key to "capture" this piece of text (whatever key you have +bound to <code>org-capture</code>), followed by "f" to use the "Fact" template shown +above. +</p> +<p> +A temporary buffer will be created, containing something like: +</p> + + + +<pre class="example">** Fact #1282372386.671655 :drill: + + :PROPERTIES: + :DATE_ADDED: <2010-08-21 Sat> + :SOURCE_URL: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosis][Tuberculosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]] + :END: + +Prevention relies on screening programs and vaccination, usually with Bacillus +Calmette-Guérin vaccine. +</pre> + + + +<p> +Note that the fact's properties automatically contain the date of its creation, +and a URL linking back to the origin of the fact – the web page you were +browsing, in this case. Because fact "titles" are seldom necessary, the title +of the fact contains a meaningless but unique number (the number of seconds +elapsed since 1/1/1970). +</p> +<p> +Next, you edit the sentence so that it makes sense when you are presented with +it out of context, and you also mark the key fact you want to remember by +surrounding it with single square brackets. +</p> +<pre class="example"> +Prevention of tuberculosis relies on screening programs and vaccination, +usually with [Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine]. +</pre> + + +<p> +You then press <code>C-c C-c</code>, and the new fact is saved. You continue reading the +web page, adding other facts if you wish. +</p> +<p> +Points to note: +</p><ul> +<li> +You can of course define several different "fact" templates, each of which +might send its fact to a different file or subheading, or give it different +tags or properties, for example. +</li> +<li> +You don't have to use a web browser within Emacs. The "fact" template above +will work if you do not have text selected – the new fact will be empty. You +could read a web page (or PDF document, etc) in a program of your choice, +copy some text to the clipboard, then switch to Emacs and paste it into a new +empty fact. +</li> +<li> +Alternatively, you could define a template that takes its text from the +clipboard rather than from the selected region. You can do this by changing +the <code>%i</code> in the fact template to <code>%x</code> or <code>%^C</code>. See the documentation for the +variable <code>org-capture-templates</code> for more details. + + +</li> +</ul> +</div> + +</div> + +<div id="outline-container-8" class="outline-2"> +<h2 id="sec-8"><span class="section-number-2">8</span> Still to do </h2> +<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-8"> + + + +<ul> +<li> +hide drawers. +</li> +<li> +<code>org-drill-question-tag</code> should use a tag match string, rather than a +single tag +</li> +<li> +progress indicator during drill session: cumulative time, time spent thinking +about this card +</li> +<li> +perhaps take account of item priorities, showing high priority items first + +</li> +</ul> +</div> +</div> +<div id="postamble"> +<p class="author"> Author: Paul Sexton +</p> +<p class="date"> Date: 2010-08-22 09:45:05 NZST</p> +<p class="creator">HTML generated by org-mode 7.01trans in emacs 23</p> +</div> +</div> +</body> +</html> |