This article in the NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html) discusses some interesting observations about learning through studying. Although it doesn't talk about go specifically, it certainly has some practical application.
In short, it suggests that the following may help you learn through studying (some of these go against conventional wisdom):
- Alternating study environments (studying the same thing in two different places, rather than repeatedly studying it in the same place)
- Studying mixed, but related, content
- Self-testing
- Spacing (i.e. spreading out study sessions rather than taking it on all at once)
In particular, I found the discussion on studying mixed content relevant. The article suggests that, perhaps, the brain has to work harder to solve a problem when it doesn't know the strategy to attack the problem before hand. It gives the example of an entire set of math problems of the same type, but I think it has direct application to tsumego and other forms of study. I've commented before that the reason I like Graded Go Problems is that the problems are mixed (although, perhaps it would be better not to categorize them).
There is also some interesting discussion on "cramming."
Of course, go is a game--I "study" in the way most enjoyable to me, almost irrespective of how much I learn. But, all things being equal, I might as well learn more
. Also, as noted in the article, there are surely other variables that make take priority over these.