The SQ3R Method

The SQ3R Method

The SQ3R method has been a proven way to sharpen study skills. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. Take a moment now and write SQ3R down. It is helpful to commit it to memory and carry out this effective study strategy.

Survey. Get the best overall picture of what you’re going to study before you study it in great detail. It’s like looking at a road map before going on a trip. If you don’t know the territory, studying a map is the best way to begin with.

Question. Ask questions for learning. The important things to learn are usually answers to questions. Questions should lead to emphasis on what, why, how, when. Who, and where of the study content. Ask yourself questions as you read or study. As you answer them, it will help you make sense of the material and memorize it easily because the process will make an impression on you. Don’t be afraid to write your questions in the margin of textbooks, on lecture notes, or wherever they make sense.

Read. Reading doesn’t mean running your eyes over a textbook. When you read, read actively. Read to answer the questions you have asked yourself or the questions the instructors or author has asked. Always be aware of the dark or unusual print, where the authors intend to receive special emphasis. Also, when you read, be sure to read everything, including tables, graphs, and pictures. Tables, graphs, and pictures often express ideas more powerfully than the written text.

Before you begin reading, you must know what your purpose is, and read accordingly.

Getting the main idea in reading is central to effective studying. Obtaining important details means that you locate in your reading the basis for the main ideas.

Recite. When you recite, stop periodically to recall what you have read. Try to recall main heading, important ideas or concept presented in the dark or unusual print, and what graphs, charts, or pictures indicate. Try to develop an overall concept of what you have read in your own thoughts and words. Try to connect things you have just read to things you already know. When you do this periodically, the chances are that you will remember much more and be able to recall materials for papers, essays, and objective tests.

Review. A review is a survey of what you have covered. It is a review what you are supposed to accomplish, not what you are going to do. Rereading is an important part of the review progress. During review, go over the notes you have taken to help clarify points you may have missed or don’t understand. The best time to review is when you have finished studying something. Don’t wait until just before an examination, do a final review. It can be thought of as a “fine-tuning” of your knowledge of the material.

Thousands of high school and college students have followed the SQ3R method to achieve higher grades with less stress.