SQ5R Study Technique
A particularly good technique for organizing some of
these principles of learning and memory is the SQ5R study
technique, based on the SQ3R study technique originally
developed by Francis Robinson (1970). Here SQ5R study
technique is described, which differs from the original SQ3R
technique in the addition of two steps, record and reflect, that
were suggested by Pauk (1997). SQ5R study technique stands
for survey, question, read, record, recite, review, and reflect.
Step 1
The first step in studying is to survey. If you are reading a chapter
of a textbook, you should quickly glance through the entire chapter,
noting the headings, style, length, and general format. This step focuses
your attention on the material and helps prepare you for effective
studying.
Step 2
Question simply means to look at the chapter and ask yourself
questions about it. What does a heading mean? What are the important
points in the chapter? What does a word mean? You make up questions
about the chapter by quickly looking through it. The questions are
designed primarily to motivate you to study the material carefully. In
this book, you could turn the chapter objectives into questions. Again,
the question step prepares you for effectively studying the material.
Read
A critical step is to read. It's important that you actively read the
material paragraph by paragraph. Read for a purpose, even if the purpose
is just to find out what is in the chapter. Read to answer the questions
you have developed. Carefully note important terms, including the
italicized or underlined words and phrases. Your main job in reading is
to obtain the main ideas and important details. Active reading is
important for effectively remembering what you have studied.
Record
After actively reading a paragraph, you should record the main
ideas. You can underline key words and phrases, write the main ideas in
the margin, or write a brief summary in your notebook. Recording the
main ideas of what you read forces you to read the textbook actively and
provides you with a written outline to study later.
Recite
The fifth step is to recite. Recitation means recalling what you have
read. It is rehearsing the main ideas and important details in your
memory. You can simply recall the information, but a better technique is
to organize it and form associations to other ideas you have already
remembered. Recitation is an excellent way to discover what you can
remember about the chapter material.
Review
The next step of the study formula is to review. Reviewing the
material helps to keep it fresh in your mind. Quickly reread the chapter
to make sure you have covered it all. Then you recite the information to
yourself and read over any notes you have taken. If you review
regularly, you should have no problems when the big test comes.
Reflect
The last step of SQ5R is to reflect on the ideas you have learned.
Here is a chance to think critically about the issues raised, the points
presented, and the conclusions drawn. Take time to organize the
information and develop associations with your existing knowledge.
Reflect on examples and applications of the concepts encountered.
Evaluate the ideas and decide which point of view is correct. This will
help you remember and be able to use the information you learn.
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