The unaided acquiring of knowledge is the basic of higher studies, and the effectiveness of self-teaching depends on many factors, among other things, on motivation. The paper presents the results of investigations carried out at the Institute of Mathematics of Łódź University, concerning the student's attitude towards unaided work. Their attitude towards 6 partial aspects of self-education has been taken stock of. I. The unaided studying is an indispensable element of higher studies; II. Self-teaching should transcend the tasks deputed by the academic teachers; III. The weight of studies should be shifted from didactic activities at the educational institution to the students self-teaching. IV. The aim of studying is not only the acquirement of a definite portion of knowledge, but also of the ability to acquire it single-handed, to process and apply it. V. The academic teachers should acquaint the students with the techniques of intellectual work. VI. Although self-teaching is sometimes burdensome, the students must not be spared trouble in the unaided acquiring of knowledge, guiding them at every step. It has turned out that, although aware of the indispensability and importance of the unaided acquiring of knowledge, the students reject the proposal of the shifting of the weight of studies from didactic activities at the educational institutions to their self-teaching. They also feel that they do not know the techniques of intellectual work and think that the academic teachers ought to acquaint them with such techniques.
