e undoubtedly familiar with
the state of mind wherein you find yourself reading merely words and
not following the thought.) Lastly, material studied in this way is
remembered longer than material read scrappily. In short, such a method
of reading makes not only for good memory, but for good mental habits
of all kinds. In all your reading, hold to the conception of yourself
as a thinker, not a sponge. Remember, you do not need to accept
unqualifiedly everything you read. A worthy ideal for every student to
follow is expressed in the motto carved on the wall of the great
reading-room of the Harper Memorial Library at The University of
Chicago: "Read not to contradict, nor to believe, but to weigh and
consider." Ibsen bluntly states the same thought:

"Don't read to swallow; read to choose, for 'Tis but to see what one
has use for."

Ask yourself, when beginning a printed discussion, What am I looking
for? What is the author going to talk about? Often this will be
indicated in topical headings. Keep it in the background of your mind
while reading, and search for the answer. Then, when you have read the
necessary portion, close the book and summarize, to see if the author
furnished what you sought. In short, always read for a purpose.
Formulate problems and seek their solutions. In this way will there be
direction in your reading and your thought.

This discussion of reading notes has turned into an essay on "How to
Read," and you must be convinced by this time that there is much to
learn in this respect, so much that we may profitably spend more time
in discussing it.

Every book you take up should be opened with some preliminary ceremony.
This does not refer to the physical operation of opening a new book,
but to the mental operation. In general, take the following steps:

1. Observe the title. See exactly what field the book attempts to
cover.

2. Observe the author's name. If you are to use his book frequently,
discover his position in the field. Remember, you are going to accept
him as authority, and you should know his status. You may be told this
on the title-page, or you may have to consult Who's Who, or the
biographical dictionary.

3. Glance over the preface. Under some circumstances you should read it
carefully. If you are going to refer to the book very often, make
friends with the author; let him introduce himself to you; this he will
do in the preface. Observe the date of publication, also, in order