The human mind is adept at hiding truths from us, and we are too easily satisfied with general assertions so vague as to be practically meaningless. Once we do grasp something solid, it's equally hard to make that belief comprehensible to others. These various sets of beliefs never coincide exactly, and they sometimes differ radically. Another useful technique is to study one's own actual behavior as objectively as possible, and then to infer the principles that seem to guide that behavior. The key is to ignore conscious motivation and avoid rationalization.
Talk is cheap.
The proof is in the actual behavior. Don't read as if you're looking for likely test items. Read as if you are engaged in a serious intellectual wrestling match with the writer. If you approach the materials in this course predetermined not to change any of your beliefs or ideas, then you are ineducable. You're wasting your time and everyone else's.