Textbook Reading
The Goal of the SQ4R is to
comprehend information as you
work through the chapter so that
you will not need to keep
rereading the chapter to learn the
information.
Source: Wong, Linda, Essential Study Skills 3rd edition 2000
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey the Chapter
Write Questions
Read Carefully
Record Information
Recite
Review
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Set studyblock goals
Do warm-up
Study
Reward
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey the Chapter
Surveying is a warm-up
activity to increase your
interest, help you set goals
for study sessions, and to
lay a foundation for
comprehending the chapter
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey the Chapter
Introductory Material
Take a moment to relate the chapter
title to the information you already
know about the topic
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey the Chapter
Chapter Headings
Glance over the headings of the
chapter to have a better idea of the
“skeleton” structure of the chapter
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey the Chapter
Visual Aids and Marginal
Notes
Use the graphic layout of the
chapter to explore what it is trying
to cover
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey the Chapter
Terminology
Look for but don’t stop to read the
terminology in the chapter
Ask yourself if you know something
about the words
This is not time to study the words!
You will do that when you start
reading the chapter
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey the Chapter
End-of-Chapter info
Read the chapter summary or review
questions to give you a better idea of
the most important concepts found
in the chapter
Note: Not all information is in the
summary. It is not a substitution for
reading the chapter. Even if you
understand it.
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Write Questions
Which, when, what, why,
where, how, who
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Write Questions
Which, when,
what, why,
where, how,
who
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Which, Write
when,
what, why,
where,
how, who
Questions
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Which,
when,
what,
why,
where,
how,
who
Write Questions
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Which
when
what
why
where
how
who
Write Questions
Tailor your strategies to
improve your comprehension
from the following...
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Which
when
what
why
where
how
who
Write Questions
Full chapter questions in the
book
Turn headings into questions.
Write that question in the book
so that it will focus your
attention and provides you with
a way to think of the reading
when you are reading it
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Which
when
what
why
where
how
who
Write Questions
Full chapter questions on
paper
Before you read
How can
question
writing
help me?
It can prepare me for
future test
Gives me a purpose for
read
Helps me draw in my
knowledge of the
subject
After you read
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Which
when
what
why
where
how
who
Write Questions
Partial Chapter questions in
the book or on paper
Do the same at the last slide
but go on section at a time
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Which
when
what
why
where
how
who
Write Questions
Alternating Writing of
questions and Reading
Before you read
How can
question
writing
help me?
It can prepare me for
future test
Gives me a purpose for
read
Helps me draw in my
knowledge of the
subject
After you read
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Read Carefully
Don’t go on Auto Pilot
adjust your reading speed to
the difficulty of the reading
Take time after each
paragraph to see if you
understood what it was
saying
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Recite
Once you have recorded the
information recite the
information using complete
sentences.
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Review -can be done in
many ways
Answer the question at the end of the
chapter
Answer the questions you wrote for
yourself
Study the recorded information you
took
Write a summary of the chapter
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Reviewing helps by
Summarizing what you just learned
Puts the 12 Memory principles in
motion
Keeps the information fresh in your
mind
Builds confidence by showing yourself
you can be prepared and use your
time efficiently
12 memory principles
 Selectivity
 Association
 Visualization
 Effort
 Concentration
 Recitation
 Interest
 Big and little pictures
 Feedback
 Organization
 Time on task
 Ongoing review
Wong, Linda Essential Study Skills 3rd edition 2000
Sq4R Textbook Reading Sys.
Survey
Question
Read
Recite
Review
Record
Comprehension Strategies
Read out loud
Visualize
Substitute words
Find the Topic Sentence
Discover the
Organizational pattern
Comprehension Strategies
Read out loud
Active reading can be
enhanced by reading the
information out load
Comprehension Strategies
Visualize
Make “movie in your mind”
of what you are reading
Try reading a paragraph
slowly and visual images as
you read
Comprehension Strategies
Substitute words
Use the glossary,
Thesaurus, dictionary or
electronic speller for
unfamiliar words
Underline the word and
write the word you
understand at means the
same thing above it
Comprehension Strategies
Find the Topic Sentence
Ask yourself in 1, 2, or 3
words ‘what is the
paragraph about’
Those words might appear
many times in the paragraph
Comprehension Strategies
Find the Topic Sentence
Then find the sentence that
makes more sense as a
topic sentence
Ask your self does
everything else in the
paragraph relate to this one
idea in at sentence
Comprehension Strategies
Find the Topic Sentence
Main Idea
detail
detail
detail
detail
Comprehension Strategies
Find the Topic Sentence
Implied main Idea
The assumption author
makes to relay an idea
Ask yourself what is the author
saying
Paraphrase in your own words what
ideas you get from the paragraph
Comprehension Strategies
Discover the organizational
pattern
Chronological Pattern
Comparison or contrast
Definition
Examples
Cause/effect
Comprehension Strategies
Discover the organizational
pattern
Chronological Pattern
Time Line
When, then, before, next, after, first, second, finally
Comprehension Strategies
Discover the organizational
pattern
Comparison or contrast
Features
A
B
Like: also, similarly likewise Unlike:but, in contrast
Comprehension Strategies
Discover the organizational
pattern
Definition
Word
key point, examples
characterustucs,
analogy
key point, examples
characterustucs,
analogy
key point, examples
characterustucs,
analogy
Means, is, can be considered is defined as
Comprehension Strategies
Discover the organizational
pattern
Examples
Example
Topic
Type title here
Example
Example
For example, another example, and illustration of this
Comprehension Strategies
Discover the organizational
pattern
Cause/effect Cause
Effect
Effect
Effect
Because, since, so, Therefore, caused by, result in