so that he can test himself, for instance, in memory work, or in solving a problem in mathematics.  On the other hand, sometimes he will have to compare his work with definite standards, such as the Thorndike Handwriting Scale, or the Hillegas Composition Scale.[19] In other instances, he will have to search for standards.  He will need to know what his classmates have accomplished, what other people think, what other text-books say, and so on.  Gradually he must be made conscious that study is a controlled activity, and unless it reaches the goal, and the correct one, it is useless.  He must be made to feel that the responsibility to see that such results are reached rests on him.

These, then, are the general factors involved in all types of study, and therefore are fundamental to good habits of study:  a clear purpose; vital interest of some kind; concentrated attention, and a critical attitude.  There are further additional suggestions which are peculiar to the special type of study.

In study which is directed to habit formation, the student should be taught the danger of allowing exceptions.  He should know the possibility of undoing much good work through a little carelessness.  Preaching won’t bring this home to him—­it must come through having his attention attracted to such an occurrence in his own work or in that of his mates.  After that knowledge of the actual experiences of others, athletes, musicians, and others will help to intensify the impression.  The value of repetition as one of the chief factors in habit formation must be emphasized.  The child should be encouraged to make opportunities for practice both in free minutes during the school program, and outside of school.  He must be taught in habit formation to practice the new habit in the way it is to be used:  practicing the sounds of letters in words, the writing movements in writing words, swimming movements in the water, and so on.  Practicing the whole movements, not trying to gain perfection in parts of it and then putting it together.  It is important also that the learner be taught to keep his attention on the result to be obtained, instead of the movements.  He should attend to the swing of the club, the lightness of the song, the cut the saw is making, the words he is writing, instead of the muscle movements involved.  In breaking up bad habits it is sometimes necessary to concentrate on a part or a movement, when that is the crux of the error, but in general it is a bad practice when forming a new habit.  The child must also learn to watch the habit of skill he is forming for signs of improvement and then to try to find out the reason for it.  It has been proved experimentally that much of the improvement in habits of skill comes unconsciously to the learner, and necessarily so, but that in order for the improvement to continue and be effective, it must become conscious.  Of course, at the beginning and for a long time it must be the teacher’s