The forgetting curve

The thing about learning is,

no matter how good we think our brains are at keeping information, our memory fades as time goes on.

In the late 19th century, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered that memory retention declines rapidly at first, then more slowly over time.

The phenomenon is known as the forgetting curve.

Spaced Repetition

Fortunately, there is a way.

Spaced repetition, a proven learning technique, combats the forgetting curve by reviewing information at strategically increasing intervals. The goal is to review material just before you’re about to forget it, which strengthens memory retention and makes learning more efficient.

Engrave applies this technique into your study process. Anytime you’ve added a set of key concepts from a learning journal, the app schedules the reviews based on the SuperMemo2 spaced repetition algorithm—maximizing your knowledge retention while spending just the right amount of time.

Consistency is key

If spaced repetition is the engine, consistency is the fuel.

It doesn’t have to be perfect—but showing up regularly is what makes it powerful.

  • You will spend less time relearning.
  • You will build long-term retention efficiently.
  • You will reinforce not just facts, but the habit of retrieval itself.