SQ3R Method for Reading and Textbook Note-taking
Instructors know how important it is to get you to read the textbook. The textbook frequently provides the
essential material to prepare you for classroom discussion and participation. Textbooks often contain explanatory
material that the instructor uses as a foundation. Without the mortar, the foundation being built will not be
suitable to withstand critical thinking or test evaluation. This section consist of various methods to get the most
out of your reading. Textbook reading is not done for entertainment. Most students have to work hard to get
something substantial out of the exercise. Therefore you should always use “pen in hand” to make the exercise
more beneficial.
SQ3R—THE STUDY TECHNIQUE WHICH GIVES YOU A PURPOSE FOR READING
S=SURVEY





Determine the structure or organization of the chapter.
Think about the title. Guess what will be included in the chapter.
Read the introduction. The main ideas will help you understand or make sense of the details.
Read the main-headings (boldface type). Here are the main ideas.
Read the summary. Here is the relationship among the main ideas.
Read the questions at the end of the chapter. These will help you to identify important parts of the
chapter.
Q=QUESTION Turn each heading and subheading into a question. Especially while you are practicing this
technique, write the questions down. This gives you a focal point for crystallizing a series of ideas (the answer).
YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING RATHER THAN SIMPLY LOOKING AT WORDS.
Take one section at a time. Keep answers brief. Use your own words.
R1=READ
Read only that section, looking for the answers to your questions. Move quickly. Sort out ideas and evaluate
them. If content does not relate to the question, give it only a glance. READ SELECTIVELY.
R2=RECITE Answer the question in your own words, not the author's. Then write the answer using only key
words, listings, etc. that are needed to recall the entire idea. Follow the above technique for each section of the
chapter.
R3=REVIEW
Increase retention and cut cramming time by 90% by means of immediate and delayed
review. Try a variety of methods, such as: 3x5 cards, oral recitation, study groups.
Sample of how to use the SQ3R method of taking notes for chapter 1:
These are my initial questions after surveying the chapter. Notice that questions are fairly general for each topic.
Some questions were formed before reading any sort of detail in each section. Other questions were formed as I
read the chapter for the first time. Remember that you should first survey the chapter (make questions as you go),
then read thoroughly and answer questions as you go. You may need to reword questions or add questions as you
read more thoroughly. If you are fairly fast at typing, I think doing this on a computer would be the easiest. You
would then be able to have a copy of the questions without answers and a copy with answers to help you study.
Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life
1.1 Inquiring About Life – Themes make connections across different areas of biology
Theme: New Properties Emerge at Each Level in the Biological Hierarchy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What are the seven major properties of life? Describe each.
What are the levels of biological organization?
What are emergent properties?
What is reductionism?
What is system biology?
Theme: Organisms Interact with Other Organisms and the Physical Environment
6.
What are some ways that organisms react with their environment?
Theme: Life Requires Energy Transfer and Transformation
7.
Describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem.
Theme: Structure and Function Are Correlated at All Levels of Biological Organization
8. How is structure related to function?
9. What are some examples of how structure and function correlate at the various levels of organization?
10. How is the bone structure of a bird related to its function?
Theme: The Cell Is an Organism’s Basic Unit of Structure and Function
11. What is an organism’s basic unit of structure and function?
12. What is a eukaryotic cell?
13. What is a prokaryotic cell?
Theme: The Continuity of Life Is Based on Heritable Information in the Form of DNA
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
How does DNA ensure the continuity of life?
What is heritable information?
What are chromosomes made out of?
What is the structure of DNA?
What are genes made out of?
What is the function of DNA?
How does DNA control the production of proteins?
What is gene expression?
What is a genome?
What is genomics?
What is bioinformatics?
Theme: Feedback Mechanisms Regulate Biological Systems
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
What is a feedback mechanism?
What is the difference between positive and negative feedback?
What is the role of enzymes?
Give an example of a negative feedback mechanism.
Give an example of a positive feedback mechanism.
1.2 The Core Theme: Evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of life
Classifying the Diversity of Life
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
How are species grouped together?
What is taxonomy?
How is life classified?
What are the three domains of life?
What are the characteristics of each of the domains of life?
How are the four eukaryotic domains distinguished from each other?
How is all life unified?
Charles Darwin and the Theory of Natural Selection
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
What is evolution?
What is a common ancestor and how does it relate to evolution?
What did Charles Darwin propose?
How did Darwin infer natural selection?
What is natural selection?
The Tree of Life
42. Explain how the diversification of finches on the Galapagos Islands might have resulted from natural
selection.
1.3 In studying nature, scientists make observations and then form and test hypotheses
43. What is science?
44. What is inquiry?
Making Observations
45. What is data?
46. What are the different types of data?
47. What is inductive reasoning?
Forming and Testing Hypotheses
48. What is a hypothesis?
49. What is deductive reasoning?
The Flexibility of the Scientific Method
50. What is a controlled experiment?
Theories in Science
51. What is a theory?
1.4 Science benefits from a cooperative approach and diverse viewpoints
Building on the Work of Others
52. What is a model organism and why are they used?
Science, Technology, and Society
53. How does science differ from technology?
This portion must be completed by hand (no computers!) After the initial survey and formation of basic questions,
I took the questions I asked and read through each section carefully. As I read each section, I answered the
questions I wrote down initially. You can also add more questions as more detail is revealed. It is important that
when you answer the questions, you provide yourself in-depth quality answers. Superficial answers are not going to
be as helpful to you later when you try to study. Also, by answering the questions, you are one step closer to putting
the information in long term memory. You will still need to quiz yourself and review periodically if you expect to
remember the information for any period of time. These questions and your answers will be extremely valuable to
you when it is time to study for unit tests, semester exams, and the AP Exam. Notice that answers to questions are
not direct quotes from the book. It is important to try to reword, summarize, or paraphrase in order to incorporate
these new ideas in your learning.
Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life
1.1 Inquiring About Life – Themes make connections across different areas of biology
Theme: New Properties Emerge at Each Level in the Biological Hierarchy
1.
What are the seven major properties of life? Describe each.
a. Order – All other characteristics of living things emerge because organisms tend to be highly
ordered.
b. Regulation – Maintaining internal conditions within a certain limit even when external conditions
are changing (homeostasis). This is important for keeping an organism stable.
c. Energy processing – All organisms must take in energy so that it is available to do work. Animals
take in various types of food and transform it into energy for the cell; plants take in sun energy
and transform it into molecules the plant can use for energy.
d. Evolutionary adaptation – Organisms adapt to their environment. Because they adapt, evolution
occurs (change over time).
e. Reproduction – Living things only come from other living things.
f. Response to the environment – All organisms respond in some way to their environment. They
move toward or away from stimuli, they move body parts in response to food triggers etc…
g. Growth and development – DNA provides directions for the way organisms grow and develop.
Growth means organisms get larger, but development means organisms change during their life
cycle.
2.
What are the levels of biological organization?
1. Biosphere – The regions (land, water, atmosphere) where all life exists
2. Ecosystems – All biotic and abiotic parts of an area
3. Communities – All living things in an ecosystem
4. Populations – All individuals of a species in a specific area
5. Organisms – Individual living things
6. Organs and Organ Systems – Part of a living organism that has a specific function
7. Tissues – A group of cells working together
8. Cells – Basic units of life
9. Organelles – Parts of a cell
10. Molecules – Two or more atoms bonded together
3.
What are emergent properties?
Properties that come out at each new level of organization
4.
What is reductionism?
Making complex concepts simpler for the sake of studying
5.
What is system biology?
Focusing on the way an organism’s parts interact
Theme: Organisms Interact with Other Organisms and the Physical Environment
6.
What are some ways that organisms react with their environment?
The leaves of a tree absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide from their environment. The tree uses these
materials during photosynthesis to release oxygen.
Theme: Life Requires Energy Transfer and Transformation
7.
Describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem.
Plants absorb sunlight energy in order to carry out the process of photosynthesis. When a plant is
consumed by a heterotrophic organism, the energy in the plant is then transferred to the consumer.
Decomposers return energy to the ecosystem at all levels of the energy pyramid.
Theme: Structure and Function Are Correlated at All Levels of Biological Organization
8.
How is structure related to function?
An organism’s structure gives clues as to what it does and how it works and vice versa.
9.
What are some examples of how structure and function correlate at the various levels of organization?
The thin, flat structure of a leaf allows for the plant to increase the amount of sunlight that is absorbed by
the leaf for photosynthesis.
10. How is the bone structure of a bird related to its function?
Birds have hollow bones (honeycomb structure) in their wings which cause the bone to be strong but also
lightweight for flight.
Theme: The Cell Is an Organism’s Basic Unit of Structure and Function
11. What is an organism’s basic unit of structure and function?
The cell is the basic unit of structure and function.
12. What is a eukaryotic cell?
A eukaryotic cell contains membrane bound organelles and a nucleus.
13. What is a prokaryotic cell?
Prokaryotic cells lack membrane bound organelles and do not have a nucleus. Prokaryotic cells are simpler
and smaller than eukaryotic cells.
Theme: The Continuity of Life Is Based on Heritable Information in the Form of DNA
14. How does DNA ensure the continuity of life?
An organism’s DNA is its set of instructions that dictates development and regulation of all the organism’s
activities.
15. What is heritable information?
Heritable information is passed on from parents to offspring.
16. What are chromosomes made out of?
Each chromosome is made of one strand of DNA.
17. What is the structure of DNA?
DNA is made of two strands twisted into a double helix. Each strand contains building blocks called
nucleotides. There are four nucleotides in DNA: A, T, G, C.
18. What are genes made out of?
Genes are made up of hundreds or thousands of nucleotides. The order of the nucleotides determines our
specific traits.
19. What is the function of DNA?
DNA contains the instructions for making proteins.
20. How does DNA control the production of proteins?
DNA is transcribed into RNA which is then translated into a specific protein.
21. What is gene expression?
Gene expression is when DNA directs the production of proteins.
22. What is a genome?
A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA instructions.
23. What is genomics?
Genomics is the study of groups of genes. Scientists can compare these groups across species.
24. What is bioinformatics?
Bioinformatics uses computers and other technology to store and organize massive amounts of genetic
information.
Theme: Feedback Mechanisms Regulate Biological Systems
25. What is a feedback mechanism?
A process where the end product regulates the start of the process.
26. What is the difference between positive and negative feedback?
Negative feedback occurs when the end product builds up in excess and results in slowing or stopping the
process. Positive feedback occurs when the buildup of the end product leads to the process speeding up.
27. What is the role of enzymes?
Enzymes speed up chemical reactions.
28. Give an example of a negative feedback mechanism.
Cells use enzymes to break down sugar to make energy (ATP). When a surplus (too much) ATP is made, the
ATP will inhibit the enzyme so that the reaction will not proceed.
29. Give an example of a positive feedback mechanism.
An injured blood vessel will attract platelets to the site of injury so that a clot can form. As platelets arrive
at the site of injury, they release a chemical that attracts more platelets.
1.2 The Core Theme: Evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of life
Classifying the Diversity of Life
30. How are species grouped together?
Species are grouped together based on how many characteristics they share.
31. What is taxonomy?
Taxonomy is the branch of biology that names and classifies organisms into groups.
32. How is life classified?
Life is classified into taxons: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.
33. What are the three domains of life?
The three domains of life are bacteria, archaea, and eukarya.
34. What are the characteristics of each of the domains of life?
Bacteria – prokaryotes, diverse domain containing many kingdoms
Archaea – prokaryotes that live in extreme environments, diverse domain containing many kingdoms
Eukarya – contains all eukaryotic kingdoms such as plantae, fungi, protists, and Animalia
35. How are the four eukaryotic domains distinguished from each other?
The four eukaryotic domains are distinguished by the way that they get nutrients. Plants produce their
own food during photosynthesis. Fungi absorb nutrients from dead organisms that they decompose.
Animals get nutrients by consuming other organisms. Protists are diverse and have modes of nutrition that
mimic the other eukaryotic kingdoms.
36. How is all life unified?
Life is unified by similar structures across species in homologous structures, the universal language of DNA,
and in similar cell structures.
Charles Darwin and the Theory of Natural Selection
37. What is evolution?
Evolution is the change in a species over time.
38. What is a common ancestor and how does it relate to evolution?
A common ancestor is a species that lived a long time ago. Descendants of the common ancestor may still
share similar structural or genetic features but could have changed enough over time to form a new
species. Common ancestors provide clear evidence for how a species has evolved or changed over time.
39. What did Charles Darwin propose?
Darwin proposed that modern species came from a common ancestor and that the modern species had
changed over time.
40. How did Darwin infer natural selection?
Darwin was able to put many pieces together:
1. There is variation among individuals in a population.
2. More offspring are produced than are able to survive.
3. Species are adapted to survive in their environment.
41. What is natural selection?
Natural selection occurs when the environment “chooses” which traits are advantageous for survival
within a species. Individuals that possess these advantageous traits are more likely to survive and pass
their traits to the next generation.
The Tree of Life
42. Explain how the diversification of finches on the Galapagos Islands might have resulted from natural
selection.
Each island in the Galapagos is home to a species of finch that is adapted to survive in that environment.
For example, the beak of the large cactus ground finch was likely selected by the environment because
individuals with that trait were able to successfully eat the cactus on the island.
1.3 In studying nature, scientists make observations and then form and test hypotheses
43. What is science?
Science is a way to understand the world we live in.
44. What is inquiry?
Inquiry involves searching for information to explain questions about the world around us.
Making Observations
45. What is data?
Data is recorded observations.
46. What are the different types of data?
Data can be qualitative or quantitative. Qualitative data is descriptive while quantitative data includes
numerical measurements.
47. What is inductive reasoning?
Inductive reasoning occurs when an individual uses observations to draw conclusions.
Forming and Testing Hypotheses
48. What is a hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a prediction for a testable question.
49. What is deductive reasoning?
Deductive reasoning uses logic to predict unknown outcomes based on what is already known.
The Flexibility of the Scientific Method
50. What is a controlled experiment?
A controlled experiment compares an experimental group with a control group. In an ideal controlled
experiment, there is only one factor that is altered between the control and the experimental group.
Realistically, controlled experiments have many differing variables whose effects are cancelled out.
Theories in Science
51. What is a theory?
Theories are claims that are broader than a hypothesis, generate many new hypotheses, and are
supported by a significant amount of evidence.
1.4 Science benefits from a cooperative approach and diverse viewpoints
Building on the Work of Others
52. What is a model organism and why are they used?
A model organism is easy to grow in a lab so that many trials of an experiment can easily be run.
Science, Technology, and Society
53. How does science differ from technology?
The goal of science is to understand the world we live in. Technology is the application of scientific
knowledge.
The Value of Diverse Viewpoints in Science