I went to observe a seminary class and on one of the classroom walls was a cluster of scripture study strategies. There were so many of them and they were so good that I just had to write them all down for reference. If you want to squeeze every last bit of wisdom and insight from your scripture study, or add extra breadth and depth to it, these are very helpful.

Find out background and read in context
Compare and contrast
Insert your name in place of other names
Look for blessings and how to obtain them
Look for if-then statements
Look for power phrases
Look for principles and doctrines
Look up word definitions
Look for patterns and repetition
Look for lists and number them
Look for words of emphasis, attention, and focus (verily, O, wo, Lo, truly)
Look for problems and their solutions
Look for questions in the text and answer them
Look for characteristics of the Godhead
Ask what the author intended to teach
Check footnotes
Look up cross references
Study by topic using the Topical Guide
Create scripture chains
Use a scripture journal
Use manuals
Use maps and photographs
Find a supporting hymn
Create scripture clusters.*
Ask the writer a question, then look for the answer.
Link a scripture mastery scripture to its surrounding context and then to your life
Ask how it relates to the Plan of Salvation
Ask how it might relate to the Proclamation on the Family

*A scripture cluster is a list of scriptures all dealing with the same topic and represents the best scriptures you can find on that topic. Each scripture in the cluster must add a special bit of knowledge or insight to the topic that none of the other scriptures in the cluster have.

Are there any other methods that you use that you can share with me?
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