All students need to develop critical thinking skills to apply both to the classroom and the “real world.” To this end, the authors of this volume, as in Hill’s original text, use the eight-step plan of Learning Through Discussion—check-in, vocabulary, general statement of author’s message, identification and discussion of major themes and sub-topics, application of material to other works and to self, and evaluation of group and individual performance. Also discussed are cooperative learning, active participation, and interaction—criteria essential for developing an effective discussion group. The combination of cognitive and personal skills employed by the method allows the group to reach its primary goal: extended discussion and deeper understanding of the material.