A great authority on education says: "Any work that deserves thorough
study, deserves the labor of making an Abstract, _without which, indeed,
the study is not thorough_."
A work which deserves thorough study is obviously one full of IDEAS, new
to the reader, such as the student must master.
If you are thinking of making an Abstract of a particular book, awaken
the utmost interest in regard to it before you begin. Are you sure that
it is worthy of thorough study? Is it the last or best work on the
subject? And if you advance, note in a separate memorandum book your
criticisms on the author's method and the soundness of his views. These
criticisms will help keep up your interest in the Abstract, and at the
close enable you to suggest modifications, additions, excisions, or a
refutation.
Three things are required: (1) To learn =how= to abstract; (2) To =make=
one, at least, such abstract; and (3) To =learn= it when made.