The SQ4R Reading and Study Method
Survey the chapter or article.
- Read the title of the chapter or article.
- Read the introduction and abstract carefully.
- Read the chapter or article objectives carefully.
- Read the chapter or article headings and subheadings.
- Look at the visual aids and graphs.
- Read any marginal notes or footnotes.
- Glance at terms in bold or italic letters.
- Read the chapter or article study questions.
- Read the summary and conclusion carefully.
Write Questions for each heading and subheading.
Formulate a question for each heading, subheading, and major concept of the chapter or article. Use the words, who, what, why, which, when, where, and how to form your questions.
Read the information one paragraph at a time.
Try no to just read fast. Read carefully and take one paragraph at a time unless the text is written at a very low level. Reading is a critical thinking process. After you read a paragraph or section of the paper stop and think about what you just read. Do you understand the paragraph or section? Does it seem to fit into the larger context of the whole work?
Select a form of notetaking to Record information.
Reading comprehension involves locating the main ideas and themes of the work you are studying. Once you read carefully you are ready to record your observations. There are five basic types of note taking and recordkeeping:
- Underlining or highlighting
- Write notes in the margins of the book or article
- Using the Cornell format to take nits on paper
- Making hierarchies or visual mappings
- Main note on flashcard.
Recite the important information from the paragraph.
Before moving to the next paragraph or section, stop an recite the information you captured in your notes. Speak out load as you review the information.
Review the information learned in the chapter.
The last setup in the process is to review There are several helpful activities that can support your learning process:
- Answer the questions in the chapter or article.
- Answer the questions that you wrote in the questioning step.
- Study and recite from the notes that you took n the record step.
- Write a summary of the information in the chapter or article.
- Personalize the information by asking yourself additional questions: How can this information be used? How does the lecture from class fit in with this information? Why is this important to learn? Create additional study such as vocabulary flashcards, study tapes, or visual mappings.