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The art of study
love for study is one of the noblest pleasures of life. Study is the application of the mind to any subject in order to learn about it. It is a part of the learning process and is accomplished by reading, observation, questioning, and reflection.
Effective or successful study consists of much more than mere reading. To study successfully it is essential to keep the mind, through mental discipline, intensely engaged in the reading matter. The end result of intelligent study is to possess the ability to make effective use of the knowledge we have gained from our study.
To read in haste without thinking or reflecting on one's reading, to skim through a book, or to read with a wandering mind, is passive reading and contributes little, if anything, for the elevation of thought or accumulation of knowledge. Reading cannot be considered study unless one reads with the determination to retain what has been read, to assimilate and apply it in the great lesson of life.
"If you want to get the best out of books," said Richard Le Gallienne, "spend a quarter of an hour in reading, and three-quarters of an hour in thinking over what you have read."
Sitting erect in a comfortable chair at a table or desk contributes to effective study.
Underline or highlight striking portions of your study for review. The making of marginal notes and preparation of outlines are invaluable study aids which will help us digest our mental food.
- Emerson
