Improving Your Reading Skills with the SQ3R Method

Grad school requires a lot of scholarly reading. The SQ3R method of reading is a systematic approach to reading that is designed to help you understand and retain what you have read. It has five steps:

• Survey.
• Question.
• Read.
• Recite.
• Review.

Survey

In this step, you survey the material in order to get an overview of the reading. You skim the sections, look at the topic headings, and read the introduction and summary paragraphs. Your goal is to get an idea of how the document is organized and what general information it covers.

Question

Look at the heading and subheadings in the first section of your chapter or article, and turn them into questions. Write down the questions in your notebook. Think about what the author is trying to say and what you need to learn from this section.

Read

Read the first section in your chapter or article and actively seek the answers to your questions. As you find the answers, write them in your notebook, using your own words.

Recite

Once you've finished reading the first section, look away from the book or article and try to recite the answers to your questions. Use your own words and examples.

You will complete the Question-Read-Recite steps for every section of your reading.

Review

Once you've completed the Question-Read-Recite steps for every section of your reading, go over all the questions again. Review your notes to give yourself an overall view of the chapter. Write a summary of the chapter, including:

• How the information you have learned fits with other information you have learned in this course or other courses.

• The significance, implications, and applications of the information.

• Any questions you have about the information.

With the SQ3R method, it may take you a little longer to complete your reading assignments, especially at first when you are just learning the method. However, your reading comprehension will improve and you will have excellent reading notes to use as a study guide.