When I was a geology grad student, I TA'd beginning and advanced field (mapping) geology. For some people like myself, the concept of placing rock contacts on a topographic map was easy. But others, it was pure agony and in fact beginning field was considered a "weeder" class or one that weeds people out of the geology department. I had a hard time trying to teach some people how to read a map and place contacts on it.

Reading a topo map takes practice in the field. There is no other way to do it other than the direct application of "where are you on the map?". And in a lot of cases, you should be able to do this even without a compass. I very rarely use my compass in mountainous terrain; its all map reading. You know your starting point and follow your progress on the map going in and out as you move...piece of cake with some practice. In flat terrain you have to have a compass for any real accuracy. My take on it for what it's worth.

Chris