Reading and Study Methods

  Efficient readers make good use of their time. They set purposes for reading and then read to meet their purposes. When your purpose is to study a reading selection, a good study method can help you become more efficient. 

  Efficient studying involves more than just reading. To study efficiently, you must get ready to read, read with a purpose, and then do something with what you have learned. The SQ3R study method can help you do this.

 

 SQ3R stands for the following steps :

• S U R V E Y
• Q U E S T I O N
• R E A D
• R E C I T E
• R E V I E W 

  The first two steps are survey and question. In these two steps your purpose is to get a general idea of what you will be reading about, to call to mind what you know about the topic, and to set purposes for your reading of the material. You use your skimming and scannning skills in these two steps, and usually you can accomplish your goal in about five minutes. This is true even if the assignment is a long of ten pages or more.

  First, survey your material

  When you surrvey, you want to see how the material is put together. To determine organization, do the following things :

1. Look at the title. Ask yourself, "What do I know about this topic?" Then make some guesses about what you think will be included in the chapter or essay. It is a good idea to write the title, a few notes about what you know on the topic, and your guesses in your notebook. Later you can come back and check yourself.
2. Look at the author's name if one is given. Ask yourself if you are familiar with the author and, if so, what you know about him or her.
3. Read the introduction. The main ideas and the general topic of the material are usually found in the introduction.
4. Scan quickly through the material and identify new vocabulary presented in boldface or italicized print. Write these word in your notebook.
5. Read the summary at the end of the chapter. The summary often tells relationships among ideas.
6. Read the main heads, look at marginal notes, and note color-coded or other emphasized information. There are often the main ideas and more important points. The rest of the material will fill in information about these points.
7. Look at illustrations. What can you guess about the chapter from the pictures?

  Second, ask questions that will give you a purpose for studying

  Make up questions to answer as you read. Some books have "purpose"questions at the beginning or end of chapters. Another source for questions is to change the title and topic headings into questions. 

  Think about each question for a moment to see if you can think of a possible answer. When you think of possible answers, you are using clues you have found in the question step. Write these questions and possible answers in your notebook.

  Third, read to answer your purpose questions

  Remember that your purpose will determine what you will pay most attention to. You will not necessarily read every sentences with the same care. Move as quickly as you can to answer your questions. If some content does not relate to your purpose, give it only a passing glance and move on.

  Fourth, recite. Answer the questions you made up in the questions step

  Be sure to answer questions in your own words instead of just reading the answer from the book. Putting the information in your own words helps you think about what you read. This is a good time to take notes by writing down the answers to your questions. You can also check to see if you know the meanings of the vocabulary words and how illustrations are used.

  Fifth, review

  The very important review step actually has two parts : immediate review and delayed review. Immediate review involves going back over the questions and answers just as soon as you have finished the recite step. Read each purpose question from your notebook and try to answer the question without looking back or at your notes. If you cannot, look at your notes. Five to ten minutes of review should be enough for a chapter. Delayed review is reviewing again after one week.

  When you use SQ3R, you do much more than open your book to a page, read to end of another page, and close your book. You get ready to read, you read, and then you review what you have learned. As you practice the method, you will become more and more efficient in your study.