You Should Use the SQ3R Method
You should use the SQ3R reading method when you deal with tough or lengthy material. Through its 5 steps - survey, question, read, recite, and review, this strategy makes reading more intentional and helps you subtract information in a simple, clear, and organized way.
How many times have you read something with your mind somewhere else? Exactly. That’s what this reading comprehension strategy tackles.
The SQ3R Process
“To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.”
— Edmund Burke
Survey
🔎 Find out what the material is about.
Read the abstract/introduction. You’ll learn the general intention of the author, and the type of text you’re about to see. Is it a meta-analysis, a case study, a summary of research, a theoretical framework, or something else?
Skim through the whole material - Check all headings and subheadings to get an idea about the topics tackled.
Look at any visual elements that grab your attention: bigger text, bolded text, graphs, charts, diagrams, etc.
2. Question
❔ Based on what you skimmed through, ask as many questions as possible.
You can create one question per chapter, per heading, or more. Whatever topic or subtopic you identify as relevant, ask a question about it.
For instance, if you see a heading named History of spectroscopy, turn it into What is spectroscopy.
3. Read
📖 Now, Go back and start reading the whole material.
Keep the questions you wrote close and identify their answers in the text.
This makes reading more intentional.
Way less likely to think of something else as you read by adopting such a method.
4. Recite
📚 At the end of each section, pause and summarize what you read in your own words.
Take note of topics of sections you don't grasp that well yet.
By reciting the information, you reinforce your understanding and help commit it to memory.
Review
👓 Once done with the whole thing, survey yourself again: this time, on the entire material text.
You can do this after a few hours, or immediately after the previous steps.
Pay attention to the questions you can fully answer, those you can answer to some extent (either completely or with a general idea), and those you cannot answer at all.
Once you know this, you can return to a specific chapter or subchapter of your material and re-read it - see what you missed. Go back to the sections and take notes of what you missed
Feel free to repeat the whole process as much as you need. You can also bend the rules a little. Skip a few steps or revisit the same steps multiple times if that's what you need to get the most out of your reading.
Is SQ3R Effective?
Yes, research proves the SQ3R method is effective.
In an early scientific journal, Tadlock D.F. explains that SQ3R works efficiently because it aligns with information processing theory.
Basically, we naturally seek to make sense of the world by processing and categorizing. Since it relies on proven mechanisms, the SQ3R method helps readers, including students of all levels understand and remember written text better.
Another study published in Teaching of Psychology found that students who use this method performed better on exams compared to those who did not.
Final Thoughts
A student should use the SQ3R reading method. This strategy helps you effectively process and categorize information from a written text.
Even more, the fact that you can modify and adjust this simple method as you go, makes it an even stronger tool in your arsenal.