Reading History

SQ3R

SQ3R is a reading strategy formed from its letters:  Survey! Question! Read! Recite! Review!

SQ3R will help you build a framework to understand and remember your reading assignment.

S             Before you read -  Survey the chapter.  Look at the following:

·         the title, headings, and subheadings

·         captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps

·         review questions or teacher-made study guides

·         introductory and concluding paragraphs

·         summary

Q                Question while you are surveying:

·         Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into questions

·         Read questions at the end of the chapters or after each subheading

·         Ask yourself, "What did my instructor say about this chapter or subject when it was assigned?"

·         Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this subject?"

Note:  If it is helpful to you, write out these questions for consideration.  This variation is called SQW3R

R             When you begin to Read:

·          Look for answers to the questions you first raised

·          Answer questions at the beginning or end of chapters or study guides.

·          Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.

·          Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or phrases

·          Study graphic aids

·          Reduce your speed for difficult passages

·          Stop and reread parts which are not clear

·          Read only a section at a time and recite after each section

R             Recite after you've read a section:

·          Orally ask yourself questions about what you have just read, or summarize, in your own words, what you read

·          Take notes from the text but write the information in your own words

·          Underline or highlight important points you've just read

·          Use the method of recitation which best suits your particular learning style but remember, the more senses you use the more likely you are to remember what you read - i.e.,

·          TRIPLE STRENGTH LEARNING:  Seeing, saying, hearing-

·          QUADRUPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing , saying , hearing, writing!!!

R                Review:  an ongoing process.

Day One

·          After you have read and recited the entire chapter,

·          write questions in the margins for those points you have highlighted or underlined.

·          If you took notes while reciting,

·          write questions for the notes you have taken in the left hand margins of your notebook.

·          Complete the form for a critical reading review

Day Two        Page through the text and/or your notebook to re-acquaint yourself with the important points.

·          Cover the right hand column of your text/note-book and orally ask yourself the questions in the left hand margins.

·          Orally recite or write the answers from memory.

·          Make flash cards for those questions which give you difficulty.

·          Develop mnemonic devices for material which need to be memorized.

Days Three, Four and Five

·          Alternate between your flash cards and notes and test yourself (orally or in writing) on the questions you formulated.

·          Make additional flash cards if necessary.

Weekend

·          Using the text and notebook, make a Table of Contents - list all the topics and sub-topics you need to know from the chapter.

·          From the Table of Contents, make a Study Sheet/ Spatial Map.

·          Recite the information orally and in your own words as you put the Study Sheet/Map together.

Now that you have consolidated all the information you need for that chapter, periodically review the Sheet/Map so that at test time you will not have to cram.

Based upon Robinson, Francis Pleasant. (1970) Effective study. New York: Harper & Row.