Overcoming Difficulties in Study

Do not worry if you feel that you read too slowly and will never be able to read all the things that you are expected to read. Be assured that any student who has passed the qualifying examinations (fulfilling the entrance requirements for an advanced course) is unlikely to be handicapped by slow reading. Then understand that you are unlikely to be expected to read every word of every publication mentioned in lectures or included in reading lists. What is needed is concentration during hours of study and the use of appropriate reading techniques: scanning, skimming, and a slow critical reading of selected passages. Rapid reading, although useful for some purposes, is not essential. On the contrary, slow reading is part of active study; and slower reading than usual is also to be expected at the start of a course when you may be acquiring additional vocabulary and being introduced to new concepts.

Do not worry if you think that your memory is not as good as that of other students, or that you are not as intelligent. In fact, most people can remember things in which they are interested and both coursework and examinations are more than a test of memory. Also, it is not easy to assess another person's intelligence. Remember that many students compensate for weaknesses at the start of a course because they are intelligent enough to accept that they must be well organized, work hard, and study effectively.

Satisfaction is derived from overcoming initial difficulties, and persevering through difficult periods, at the end of which you may see connections and things may fall into place. In this respect, studying is like climbing a hill: an all-round view cannot be expected until you reach the top.