reasoning difficulties of students. In view of the fact that reasoning
starts out with a problem, you see at once that to make your study
effective you must study in problems. Avoid an habitual attitude of
mere acquisition. Do not memorize facts in the same pattern as they are
handed out to you. In history, in general literature, in science, do
not read facts merely as they come in the text, but seek the relations
between them. Voluntarily set before yourself intellectual problems.
Ask yourself, _why_ is this so? In other words, in your study do not
merely acquire, but also _construct_. The former makes use mostly of
memory and though your memorizing be done ever so conscientiously, if
it comprise the main part of your study, you fail to utilize your mind
to its fullest extent.

Let us now consider the second stage of the reasoning process as found
in study. At this stage the facts in the mind are brought forward for
the purpose of being fitted into the present situation, and the
essential thing is that you have a large number of facts at your
disposal. If you are going to reason effectively about problems in
history, mathematics, geography, it is absolutely indispensable that
you know many facts about the subjects. One reason why you experience
difficulty in reasoning about certain subjects is that you do not know
enough about them. Particularly is this true in such subjects as
political economy, sociology and psychology. The results of such
ignorance are often demonstrated in political and social movements. Why
do the masses so easily fall victims to doubtful reforms in national
and municipal policies? Because they do not know enough about these
matters to reason intelligently. Watch ignorant people listening to a
demagogue and see what unreasonable things they accept. The speaker
propounds a question and then proceeds to answer it in his own way. He
makes it appear plausible, assuring his hearers it is the only way, and