It is undoubtedly true that training in the proper habits and methods of study should be inculcated by each individual teacher in the course of his work, and exemplified by the occurrences in his class room. The individual teacher can do much in this direction, and indeed the writer may say that probably the most important part of his instruction during the past thirty-five years has been teaching his students how to study and how to think logically, by constant reiteration of principles in the class room and by making any failure on the part of a student the occasion for pointing out how such failure arose from improper methods of study or reasoning.

Nevertheless, it has seemed to the writer desirable to formulate, in a brief but simple manner, certain fundamental principles which he has been in the habit of pointing out in the class room, and that such a statement might perhaps be found useful with students of any grade as a set subject of study in itself, occupying one or more lessons. With this object in view, the present paper has been written, and it is hoped that it will prove useful to teachers as well as to students, suggesting to the former directions in which they may seek to discover defects in their students and in which they may urge improvement. Most students desire to learn but do not know how. A student will frequently answer a question correctly, perhaps in the words of the book, but upon further probing the teacher will very likely find that he fails entirely to understand what he is talking about. The teacher should seek to discover if such is the case and should, if practicable, point out the cause of the trouble.

The writer believes that if the students in our colleges will read this paper carefully and thoughtfully, and will endeavor to follow its precepts, they will derive some benefit. If such proves to be the case, and if this paper affords help in enabling students to save time and to study more understandingly, the aim of the writer will have been accomplished.

CONTENTS

PAGE
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [v]
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [1]
I. THE PROPER MENTAL ATTITUDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [6] (a) Distinction between reading and understanding . . . . [8] (b) Distinction between facts, opinions, and logical
conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [9] (c) Importance of the questioning habit . . . . . . . . . [11] (d) Inquiring into methods of ascertaining facts . . . . [14] (e) Studying evidence of reliability of a writer . . . . [15] (f) Importance of caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [18] (g) Importance of the scientific attitude of mind . . . . [19] (h) Intellectual modesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [19] (i) Wisdom rather than knowledge the aim . . . . . . . . [21]
II. STUDYING UNDERSTANDINGLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [22] (a) Importance of definite ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . [24] (1) Use of the dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . [25] (2) Practice in definition . . . . . . . . . . . . [27] (3) Importance of the study of logic . . . . . . . [28] (b) Stating a thing in different ways . . . . . . . . . . [31] (c) Stating a thing negatively as well as positively . . [32] (d) Observation of necessary qualifying words or phrases [34] (e) Reflection, illustration, and application . . . . . . [35] (f) Keeping the mind active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [39] (g) Study of causes of differences of opinion . . . . . . [40] (h) Discrimination of mere assertion from proof . . . . . [40]
III. SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [42] (a) Importance of grasping the fundamental idea . . . . . [42] (b) Preliminary arrangement of ideas . . . . . . . . . . [44] (c) Classification and arrangement . . . . . . . . . . . [45]

IV. MENTAL INITIATIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [47] (a) Interest in subject of study essential . . . . . . . [48] (b) Formulation of problem essential . . . . . . . . . . [49] (c) Independent work essential . . . . . . . . . . . . . [49] (d) Drawing conclusions independent of author . . . . . [51] (e) Independence in arriving at conclusions . . . . . . [52] (f) Generalizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [52] (g) Going beyond the book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [52] (h) Visualizing results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [53]
V. HABITS OF WORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [54] (a) Selection of book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [54] (b) Proper number of subjects to be studied at once . . [55] (c) Haste undesirable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [56] (d) Taking studies seriously . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [56] (e) Judicious skipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [56] (f) Systematic program of work . . . . . . . . . . . . . [57] (g) Cultivation of concentration . . . . . . . . . . . . [57] (h) Applying what is learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [58] (i) Avoidance of indifference . . . . . . . . . . . . . [58] (j) Thorough knowledge of a few books . . . . . . . . . [58] (k) List of references should be made . . . . . . . . . [59] (l) Frequent reviews desirable . . . . . . . . . . . . . [59] (m) Regular times for recreative study . . . . . . . . . [60] (n) Physical exercise essential . . . . . . . . . . . . [60]
SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [61]
IMPORTANCE OF REFUSING TO BE DISCOURAGED,
AND OF SEEKING THE WORK ONE CAN DO BEST . . . . . [63]
REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [65]