SQ3R: A Study Reading Strategy

English 213

Prof. Shirley Santiago de Jiménezcopyright. January, 2006

Review:

What does a person have to develop to be an effective reader?

HABITS

According to STCR, what 3 habits are essential in order to become an effective reader?

Commit to readingConcentrate on your readingRead actively

To read actively or skillfully you must:

Understand the reading process

Utilize strategies that can help you read more efficiently

Maximize reading comprehension

Minimize reading time

Retain information

Improve concentration

What is SQ3R?

A study reading method or technique based on a series of steps

It divides the reading process into 3 stages:

Before : Preparation

During : Concentration

After: Retention

Why use SQ3R?

Organized information is easier to remember than information taken in without a plan

The Steps in SQ3R

Survey

Question

Read

Recite

Review

SURVEYGet an overview or general idea about the reading by previewingThis helps to activate any previous knowledge we may have

Find out about the author, type of work, and subjectLook at the title, subtitles, or headingsLook at any visuals (captions, pictures, charts or drawings)

SURVEY (cont.)

Read the first paragraph and the first sentence of each other paragraphRead the last paragraphLook for key words in different printCircle or underline any difficult words as a vocabulary previewMake a PREDICTION about the main idea or central theme

The author’s idea or message about the topic of discussion

Remember-don’t read all the material!

All you want is an idea, so only take a few minutes to conduct your survey!

Practice: Food for Luck

QUESTION

Formulate information (Wh) questions on what you have surveyed

These will help you to concentrate or focus while reading!For example: the title, visuals, the first lines of the different paragraphs etc.

Follow the organization of the article!

Practice: Food for Luck

READ

Read thoroughly and actively, focusing on your questions

This gives your reading a purpose

As you read, you can annotate (underline and take notes in the margin)

Writing reinforces what you read

RECITE

Try to answer the questions you formulated based on what you remember

If you have problems, then these are the areas you will pay closer attention to when you review

Recite after a long section; repeat information and reread if necessary

REVIEWLook over the material again but without rereading; go over the questions againVerify your prediction and revise it if necessary

Now that you’ve read you can determine what the main idea or central theme is

Respond and reflect by connecting the reading to your previous experiences

SQ3R- Food for Luck: New Year’s Rituals 213-02

Prediction: Many people think eating food at New Year’s brings or symbolizes good luck.

Questions:What kind of food is lucky at New Year’s?How does food control good luck?Why do societies think that certain foods have magical powers?What are lentils?What ties these New Year’s talismans together?What is the root of these traditions?Why are the symbols self-centered?Why do people connect food and color?

Revised Prediction:

Before Reading

During ReadingReadRecite

Review After Reading

SurveyQuestion

PREPAREIdentify author and workMake PredictionsEstablish PurposePrereadActivate previous knowledgeRaise Questions

READAnnotateMonitor comprehension

RESPONDReviewReflect

SQ3R

References

Seyler, Dorothy U. Steps to College Reading, 3rd ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2004

Weiner, Harvey and Charles Bazerman. Basic Reading Skills Handbook, 5th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 2000