"Understand the problem" is often neglected as being obvious and is not even mentioned in many mathematics classes.

Yet students are often stymied in their efforts to solve it, simply because they don't understand it fully, or even in part.

A partial list of strategies is included: Also suggested: Pólya lays a big emphasis on the teachers' behavior.

[3] Pólya mentions that much can be gained by taking the time to reflect and look back at what you have done, what worked and what did not, and with thinking about other problems where this could be useful.

The book contains a dictionary-style set of heuristics, many of which have to do with generating a more accessible problem.