THE SQ3R READING METHODProf. Miguel A. Arce RamosEnglish 213 PUCPR

WHAT IS THE SQ3R READING METHOD?

  SQ3R is an acronym for the following words:

Survey

Question

Read

Recite

Review

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU USE THE SQ3R METHOD?

  As we have discussed in class, there are four basic ways that we read which are to:

  Skim

  Scan

  Read for intensive purposes (intensive reading)

  Read for entertainment purposes (extended reading)

SURVEY  Before we begin to use the method, you should skim the unit

that you are going to read.

  When we use the SQ3R method, we must do 3 of those processes to help us to better understand text.

  The first process is to survey. When we survey we have to scan the chapter for the following data:

  Headings, Sub-headings, titles, captions, charts, graphs, maps, bold font words

SURVEY  Read the questions at the end of the chapter (if there are any).

  Read the introductory and concluding paragraph.

  Read the summary of the chapter.

  The purpose for doing this is to make connections to the text.

  This in turn will activate prior knowledge.

  You will get a good idea in what the chapter will be about.

QUESTION  Turn the title, headings and sub-headings into questions.

  Use who, what, when, where and how to formulate questions.

  Read the questions at the end of the sub-headings.

  Think about your prior knowledge of the text.

READ  Before you begin to read:

  Scan for the questions that you wrote.

  Answer the chapters questions.

  Reread captions, charts, etc.

READ  Note and define all underlined, bold or italicized words

or phrases.

  Reduce your speed when reading difficult parts.

  Stop and reread things when they are not clear.

  Read by sections and write down notes of what was read.

RECITE  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.

REVIEW  After you have read and recited the 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 margin of your notebook.

REVIEW  Page through the text and/or your notebook to re-

acquaint yourself with the important points.

  Cover the right hand column of your text/notebook and orally ask yourself the questions in the left hand margins.

  Orally recite or write the answers from memory.

REVIEW  Make “flash cards” for those questions which give you

difficulty.

  Develop mnemonic devices for material which need to be memorized.

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