People tend to spend almost half of their lives in school. From being a toddler to being an adult, people are subjected to attend an academic institution in order to learn which would equipped them with the necessary information and training needed in order to subsist in the modern world. More so, because society has imposed an unwritten requirement to be literate, many individuals are obliged to work hard or put extra effort in studying to be able to secure a brighter future. In school, one of the most common activities performed by the students is reading. Various classes require different materials to be read in order to comprehend the flow and content of the course.
This seemingly simple task can be an easy and breezy task while for others this can be very arduous. But there are many ways on how students can carry out this task. It can vary depending on the individual’s personality and capabilities. More so, there are many strategies that are readily available for students to facilitate trouble-free reading comprehension.
However, it is important to note that the type of material that would be read should be taken into consideration in order to pick the most appropriate and effective strategy. Reading can be motivated by the need to prepare for an examination or an interview. “ Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review” or SQ3R technique is one of the most commonly used strategy in reading and understanding a wide array of written materials. This technique is aimed at helping an individual to understand the bulk of information without being confused.
Most often than not, SQ3R is used when dealing with textbooks that are new to the readers. This technique would help the reader to get familiarize with the content of the material in order for the reader to determine what information to prioritize because it is impractical to learn about every detail of the book. If an individual chooses to know everything in book, it would consume a lot of time and effort which is not ideal if you are students or professionals who have a bulk of workload in their hands (Studytechniques. org 2008).
SQ3R technique is a beneficial tool in “ fully absorbing written information. It is a useful way of developing a mental framework that is fit for learning wherein an individual can easily understand various data. More so, this technique aids in establishing study goals (Mind tools 2009). Also, many have attested that the SQ3R technique hones the “ textbook reading skills” which can be very handy when a person reaches college. Usually, college students are bombarded with many materials to read for their respective courses.
These materials can be books with multiple chapters that can be a bit complex to understand. Through SQ3R, reading can be meaningful which can help readers to learn and efficiently manage their time (Collegeboard. com 2009). This strategy can be carried out by performing the following steps chronologically: “ Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.
” First, surveying is the act of acquiring a general idea on what the topic is all about. This can be done by reviewing the highlights (Collegeboard. com 2009) which are usually found on the headings, captions, study guides and chapter summaries of the textbook (Study Guides and Strategies 2004). Next step would be formulating questions – the 4Ws and 1H – about the different sections of the book and its relation to the main topic (Collegeboard. com 2009).
This is usually carried out simultaneously while surveying the chapters of the book. Questions are formed by converting the topic “ headings or subheadings into questions. ” It can also be helpful if the reader ask himself or herself about his or her knowledge on the subject matter or the professor’s lecture on the topic. These questions aid in “ paying attention, understanding the text better and recalling the information more easily at the latter part of the process. There is an option to be put into writing the questions formulated in order to avoid forgetting or being confused.
If this is added to the process, another variation of the technique will be produced. It will become SQW3R which means “ Survey, Question, Write Read, Recite, and Review” (Study Guides and Strategies 2004). The third step involves the actual reading of the texts. When reading it is important to stay focus on one’s study goals. Individuals have to read carefully the chapters of the book.
As one reads through the texts, make sure that the individual tries to find the answers to the questions that were created earlier. But the readers should first prioritize the comprehension of the meaning of the texts rather than just simply trying to answer the questions (Stanford University 2009). More so, it would help if the reader would take into consideration the bold or italicized texts to mark the significant points of the author (Collegeboard. com 2009).
After finishing reading the material, the next step would be reciting or recalling all the information incurred while reading the text. The readers can say it out loud or just run it through in their mind for several times until they remember and understand the important information. To effectively do this, the reader should “ isolate the core facts or the essential processes” from the subject matter and then see how the other information fit around the topic” (Mind tools 2009). Furthermore, select a “ method of recitation” that would complement the reader’s learning style but bear in mind that the more senses are used, the likelihood of remembering the texts and its essence would be high (Stanford University 2009). The last step for the SQ3R technique is reviewing.
After going through the many sections of the book or any written material, go back to the written notes taken during the questioning and reading process. By doing so, the reader can easily point out the essential ideas of the text. More so, this last stop is an ongoing process wherein continuous reviewing can facilitate better comprehension of the subject matter (Collegeboard. com 2009).
Overall, SQ3R technique is a methodological strategy intended to grasp the essence of a long and complicated text. It can be done step by step but it can also be flexible wherein an individual can change the order to suit his or her own learning style.
