Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review (SQ3R)

Instructors know how important it is to get you to read the textbook.The textbook frequently provides the essential material to prepare you for classroom discussion and participation.Textbooks often contain explanatory material that the instructor uses as a foundation.Without the mortar, the foundation being built will not be suitable to withstand critical thinking or test evaluation.This section consists of various methods to get the most out of your reading. Textbook reading is not done for entertainment. Most students have to work hard to get something substantial out of the exercise. Therefore you should always use "pen in hand" to make the exercise more beneficial. Each of these techniques have several core elements in common. Pick those out and modify these techniques to create your own successful strategy to get the most out of your textbook readings. 

PREVIEW - READ - RECALL at first glance seems to be an intricate and time consuming process. However, it gets easier and faster with practice, ensures thorough learning and facilitates later "relearning" when you review for exams. Give it a try!

WHY? If you give your mind a general framework of main ideas and structure, you will be better able to comprehend and retain the details you will read later. 

HOW? 

• Look quickly (10 minutes) over the following key parts of your textbook to see what it's all about and how it is organized: 
• Title 
• Front and back cover info.
• Author's biographical data 
• Publication date 
• Table of Contents 
• Introduction or Preface
• Index 
• Glossary 
• Before you read each chapter, look over: 
• Title 
• Introduction 
• Subheadings 
• First sentences of each paragraph (should give main idea). 
• Any diagrams, charts, etc. 
• Conclusions or summaries 
Then answer the following questions: 
What is this mainly about? How is it organized? How difficult is it? About how long will it take to read? 

WHY? Being an active reader will involve you in understanding the material, combat boredom, and will increase retention. 

HOW? 

Set realistic time goals and number of pages to be read. Divide your chapter into small (1/2 page? 1 column?) sections, rather than try to read the whole chapter nonstop. Ask yourself a question before each paragraph or section, then seek its answer. This will give you a definite purpose for your reading. Try inverting the subheading or first sentence into question form, using "who," "what," "when," or "how" if necessary.

Helpful Hint # 1 Do not pick a chair that is too comfortable.

Helpful Hint # 2 Instead, sit at a desk with a straight-back chair and plenty of light.

Helpful Hint # 4 If falling asleep while you read is the problem, try reading aloud while pacing.

WHY? Research shows that 40 - 50% of the material we read is forgotten very shortly (about 15 minutes) after we read it. Immediate recall is an essential first step toward continued retention of the material. 

HOW? After reading each small section of material, choose one (or more) of the following methods: 

Recall mentally or recite orally the highlights of what you have read. Ask yourself questions (maybe the same ones you used before you read the section) and answer them in your own words. Underline and make marginal notes of the key words or phrases in the section. Underlining after you read is the best way to decide what's the most important information to remember. Make separate notes or outlines of what you have read. This technique often works for more technical material which you need to put into your own words.Recall with a friend. What you don't recall, he/she might.

Go to Handouts, Worksheets and other Self Study Materials, a comprehensive WebSite at the University of Texas at Austin (view other useful resources). Study the Reading section. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the difference between a reading strategy and a reading objective?
2. What do you think are the most effective reading strategies for the social sciences (anthropology, history, government, sociology, psychology)?
3. How do they differ for suggested reading strategies in the Humanities (art, literature, music, philosophy)?
4. What are the significant differences in strategies for Mathematics? For the Natural Sciences (astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics)? 
5. In what ways are the reading objectives for each of these academic categories similar, different?

What is different about reading in the sciences? 

1. Readings contain a large number of facts and details (specifics). This kind of reading requires an overall understanding of the information presented in order to process details. 
2. Placement of main ideas and details is usually straight forward (headings and subheadings), but grasping all of the details can be awesome. Information may be dense. 
3. Organizational pattern is usually "relationships ", i.e., ideas and details building upon previous information. A solid background of the basics in the discipline is necessary to understand and comprehend the information. 
4. Terminology is subject specific and must be understood to comprehend information presented. Often important terms are boldfaced or italicized. A review of terminology before reading increases understanding and comprehension. 
5. Diagrams, figures, charts, and graphs are numerous. Time is needed to study these both before reading and as one reads as these visual aids help integrate information. Visualizations aid in the understanding and retention of information. 
6. Knowledge and comprehension of the readings and lectures must be taken to an "application " level, i.e., the ideas learned should be applied to new or different situations other than those presented in the texts or lectures. 
7. Research is an extension of information. In order to read research and understand it, the basics of the discipline must be understood. Think of research as taking an idea, analyzing, synthesizing and extending it. 

Before the Lecture

• Preview the chapter. - Briefly look over titles, introductions, subheadings, first few sentences beneath subheadings, figures, diagrams, italicized or boldfaced words and terms, and summaries. As you preview, ask yourself: 
• What is this about? 
• What do I know about this ... and don't know or don't remember? 
• Where does the author begin and where is he going? 
• What is the organizational pattern (relationships, chronological, topics?) How does this fit into what we are learning in this course? 
• How difficult or how easy is this? Is there terminology that is unfamiliar or that I will need to review?
• How important is this information? 
• Are there parts I could skim and get the main ideas?
• Where can I make logical breaks in the reading to divide up my study time? In what order might I read the information in the chapter?
• Would it be easier and more motivating to read the most interesting section first? 
• Skim the chapter, but don't try to read it thoroughly yet. Read first and last sentences of paragraphs. Pull out some major ideas and details. Examine charts and figures. Try to understand the more important and frequently repeated terminology. Think about the overall organization of ideas. 
• Don't panic or become overwhelmed with the readings. They may be dense, but not unconquerable. By previewing and skimming the materials before the lecture, you can then use the lecture to clarify the level and depth of comprehension you'll need to achieve when you actually read the chapter more thoroughly. 
• If the material is quite difficult and detailed, and if you have little recent background in the discipline, it might be useful to review the fundamentals and basic terminology in an introductory text in the field. 

In Class Be prepared to anticipate information acquired from pre-skimming your textbook, and listen for clues during the lecture that will help you focus on an appropriate level of comprehension when you read the related chapter(s) after the lecture.  Take lecture notes on the right side of your notebook page, and leave the facing left page free to add related notes summarized from your textbook.

After Class

• Review and edit your notes taken from the lecture. 
• Begin thinking about what additional information you'll need to add from the text to fill in the gaps. 
• Read the related textbook material that you have previously skimmed. 
• Re-preview and and break the reading into logical subsections to be tackled one at a time. 
• Plan far enough ahead of time that you'll be able to take a break and move away from the material at the end of each subsection if you feel overwhelmed. 
• Often time is needed to allow the mind to gradually absorb complex ideas. 
• Read carefully and methodically, referring to figures and diagrams as appropriate. 
• "Self-pacing" by moving a card or pencil finger along as you read may help keep your attention focused on the task. 
• After reading a subsection, stop and recall what you've read: tell it to yourself in your own words; take relevant notes along side the related lecture notes in your notebook , and/or make marginal notes in the textbook and highlight key details. (However, just highlighting in dense texts may not be the best form of recall since nearly all of many paragraphs may need to be highlighted and review would be difficult.) 
• Draw your own diagrams or charts to summarize and translate information. 
• Review your notes and the reading periodically. Information needs to be reviewed and used periodically for it to be stored in long-term memory. 
• Reflect upon the information in various ways. 
• How are these functions related to each other? 
• How do they affect each other? 
• Apply ideas learned to other or new situations: What would happen to the body if one of these areas/functions/organs were damaged or destroyed? 
• Anticipate and practice responding to the kinds of test questions which might be asked. 

SS Home Introduction | Active Learning |Learning Styles | Note Taking | Memory Techniques | Time Management | Procrastination | SQ3R | Study Tips | Critical Thinking | Test Preparation | Presentations | Teacher Resources | FAQs |  ACCD Home Please send any questions, or comments to Nora E. McMillan, email, nmcmillan@mail.accd.edu,  or Carol A. Keller, email, ckeller@mail.accd.edu