Final answer:
Tackling difficult topics at the start of a study session leverages high concentration and energy levels, enhancing focus on complex information and ensuring easier topics can be reviewed when mental energy wanes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Studying more difficult topics first is a strategy that capitalizes on the period when your concentration and energy levels are at their peak. One reason for this approach is that challenging material requires a higher level of mental effort, which can be more effectively applied when the brain is fresh. Therefore, tackling difficult subjects at the beginning of your study session could enhance your focus and enable you to handle complex information more efficiently. Additionally, this practice allows you to allocate appropriate time to understand intricate details, as you are less likely to be fatigued compared to later in the session.
Simple tasks or topics you find easier can then be addressed towards the end of your study period. Since these require less cognitive effort, they can be managed even when you have less mental energy. This means that difficult subjects receive the attention they need without compromising the review of easier materials. Lastly, the 'Figuring for Yourself' exercises and interdisciplinary questions mentioned in the texts are best approached with a sharp mind to aid deeper understanding and application of the concepts learned.