How do you read textbooks?

>>8925546
A plus ask prof for more problems on each topic

In case of math, definitely B, minus the problems. The textbook problems are usually bad.

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>>8925560
In case of math
NOT solved some problems

WAT?

>>8925561
At my university, we have tutorial sessions. There is a group of experts that get paid to provide weekly problems and solutions.
Textbook problems are usually just there for lazy professors who have no time to come up with something better.

>>8925569
understood

>>8925546

Well, generally B since I'm using the textbook in parallel to a lecture course. So I generally just read the relevant chapters for a different perspective. Since I've already seen it once (in lectures), then it's easier going. I keep a pen and paper on hand in case there's a gem - sometimes a book will phrase something instructively or point out an algebraic step that you were missing and you'll have one of those wonderful epiphanies, so I keep paper around to add these insights to my notes. I'll also do whatever relevant problems I can find.

If I'm self-studying, then I'll try to work through each chapter sequentially. Since it's unseen, then progress is slower. I work through the derivations with pen and paper, making sure that I understand. Typically, I'll follow a couple of textbooks at once for extra perspective. But ultimately, I learn best through solving problems, so I try to find those wherever I can.

Reading (and understanding) an entire textbook is very ambitious. You should set clearer and more realistic goals than just 'understand the entire textbook'. For example, if you're a physicist taking some extra maths on the side, then think carefully about what you want to accomplish - you're there to learn new techniques, but you're not there to be able to derive the entire thing and prove the special case for 22 dimensions. Thus your goal is to become familiar with the maths, not to be able to regurgitate every page of the book.

I failed every year of college for the last 7 years and the trend is continuing because my blind completely unfounded hope of ever getting something done is not enough to outweigh the fear of studying, therefore
C. Buy but don't open textbook

X

>>8925631
You are supposed to insret x in the OP post...

>>8925546
Generally B, unless I want to learn everything from the text book

>>8925623
what country are you in?

>read textbook before lecture
>go to lecture
>review some shit
>do only ODD exercises

Fuck, there is too many exercises in a single chapter in some textbooks. I don't have much time.

There's almost never a reason to read an entire book, unless it's a short read dedicated to a greatly specific topic. I also wouldn't bother doing every single exercise in most books -- you'd never finish some.

>>8925546
C: Don't read textbook and just do problems until I understand.

>>8925546

The key here is how much time you spend.

Read the chapters BEFORE class and definitely ahead of time if you have lectures.

Take notes, simplify and summarize as if you were to teach the subject to someone else, rewrite them, reorganize them, rewrite them a second time, review them. Put em in a fancy notebook, make copies and sell em to your classmates.

If you are fresh to the material, work in a less rigorous book for the concepts and find tougher problems in graduate level texts in the same field if the problems in one book are truly too easy.

Spend a minimum of 20 hours per week on each subject, lecture time included. [Truly required if you are committed to learning a subject] It may take more or less time but it is a good average to start with. (this includes studying your notes, working problems, rewriting, etc).

In a lecture setting you should be working on three chapters every single week. The previous to study and review, the current to do problems in and the next to take notes on and read ahead of time.

9-12 weeks depending on whether you do one or two chapters at a time. Dont worry about most later chapters unless the textbook is canonical.

Same method for working alone, but it will take much more effort, also should probably double the chapters each week too if you are only working on a single book at a time. As it is assumed you only have 2-3 upper division classes in a lecture setting.

>>8925546
C: Go to lecture instead

>>8925546
D: don't be a brainlet and master the material by reading the course description

>>8927109
>go to lecture
>student asks question that would have been understood if they mastered material from previous courses
>professor proceeds to waste time explaining it

Lecture sucks dick

>>8927201
It's uncomfortable too. I hope more expensive colleges are comfier but at my run of the mill state college they fit as many chairs and as many kids into a room as possible to the point where if you need to piss in the middle of class you have to knock over 10 backpacks and spill a few drinks. I'm not even fat. Also professors don't want to help individual kids. God I hated college. Can't wait for every class to be online.