How to Study

Recognition
This is the ability to see new material, recognize it for what it is, 
and understand what it means. Familiarity is the key aspect of
recognition—you will feel that you have “met” this information
before, associate it with other data or circumstances, then recall 
the framework in which it logically fits.
If you’ve ever envied a friend’s seemingly wondrous ability to recall
facts, dates, and telephone numbers virtually at will, take solace that,
in most cases, this skill is a result of study and practice, not something
he was born with.
There are certain fundamental memory systems that, when mastered,
can significantly expand your capability. It is beyond the scope of this
book to teach you all of these techniques; but if you feel you need
help, I recommend Improve Your Memory, another book in my How to
Study Program. You’ll probably find a number of helpful titles at your
library as well.
Take Notes
Do you own the book you’re reading? Do you not care about pre -
serving it for posterity? Then use its margins for notes. Go beyond
mere highlighting to assign some ranking to the facts conveyed by 
the text.
How to Study
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I used to use a little shorthand method to help me remember written
materials. I’d draw vertical lines close to the text to assign levels of
importance. One vertical line meant that the material should 
be reviewed; two indicated that the facts were very important;
asterisks would signify “learn or fail” material. I’d insert question marks
for material that I wanted one of my more intelligent friends or a
teacher to explain to me further. I’d use circles to indicate the infor-
mation I was dead sure would show up on the next test.
Interestingly, I found that the very act of assigning relative weights of
importance to the text and keeping a lookout for test material helped
me remember because it heightened my attention.