The present paper has been suggested by a long experience in teaching,in which the writer has been continually surprised at the ignorancemanifested by students in the higher classes of our technical schoolsand universities, or graduates from such schools, with reference toproper methods of study. If his experience is a reliable guide, &large majority of the graduates from such schools, as well as someteachers in them, have not acquired proper habits and methods of study,and have devoted little or no attention to the consideration of thesubject, vital though it is.
It is undoubtedly true that training in the proper habits and methodsof study should be inculcated by each individual teacher in the courseof his work, and exemplified by the occurrences in his class room. Theindividual teacher can do much in this direction, and indeed the writermay say that probably the most important part of his instruction duringthe past thirty-five years has been teaching his students how to studyand how to think logically, by constant reiteration of principles inthe class room and by making any failure{vi}on the part of a studentthe occasion for pointing out how such failure arose from impropermethods of study or reasoning.
Nevertheless, it has seemed to the writer desirable to formulate, in abrief but simple manner, certain fundamental principles which he hasbeen in the habit of pointing out in the class room, and that such astatement might perhaps be found useful with students of any grade as aset subject of study in itself, occupying one or more lessons. Withthis object in view, the present paper has been written, and it ishoped that it will prove useful to teachers as well as to students,suggesting to the former directions in which they may seek to discoverdefects in their students and in which they may urge improvement. Moststudents desire to learn but do not know how. A student willfrequently answer a question correctly, perhaps in the words of thebook, but upon further probing the teacher will very likely find thathe fails entirely to understand what he is talking about. The teachershould 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 thispaper carefully and thoughtfully, and will endeavor to follow itsprecepts,{vii}they will derive some benefit.