Look Mom, I Can SQ3R!

By Mary Beth Martin

May 25, 2004

EDTC 560

Eli Collins-Brown

What is SQ3R?

The SQ3R study system is an organized approach to your textbook learning. Students who use a study system read with greater comprehension and remember more over a period of time.

Materials Needed

• Any college textbook such as Psychology, History, or other type with large amounts of text to be comprehended

• Writing pen• Paper

Steps to SQ3R

• S urvey• Q uestion• R ead• R ecite• R eview

SURVEY In the first chapter of the text, read the chapter title. What information might this chapter include based on this title?

Read the introduction, main headings, subheadings, summary, and review questions.The main headings and subheadings are the main points of the text.The summary shows the relationship among the main ideas.The review questions help identify the important parts of the chapter.

Question

Using “How?”, “When?”, “What?”, “Where?”, or “Who?” type questions, change the headings and subheadings from statements to questions.

For example, “The Development of Psychology” turned into a question would be “How was psychology developed?”

READ

Reading only until you find the answer to your question for each heading, write your answer to the question on your piece of paper.

Do this for each of the main headings and subheadings.

RECITE

Say to yourself or write down a key phrase that sums up the major point of the section and answers the question.

Use your own words.

REVIEW

Take the study guide you have developed for the chapter and look over it whenever possible.

Don’t wait until the last minute.

Table showing…STUDY STRATEGIES

Memory Short term memory Long term memory

Repetition The more times you go over the material, the better chance you have of storing it permanently.

SQ3R Reading and studying system preferred by many educators.

Notetaking Techniques 2-6 method

http://www.gmu.edu/departments/csdc/study.html

For more information, click on the following link:

ReferencesThe SQ3R method retrieved May 25, 2004 from

http://jamaica.u.arizona.edu/ic/wright/other/sq3r.html

The SQ3R study system retrieved May 25, 2004 from http://www.frontiernet.net/~jlkeefer/sq3r.htm

Study Strategies retrieved May 25, 2004 from http://www.gmu.edu/departments/csdc/study.html