16 Reading Texts and Manuals
SQ3R Efficient Reading Method
You need to use textbooks efficiently. Thick textbooks can be scary, making you not want to read and therefore you miss out on important content. The SQ3R method is helpful in getting the most out of your readings. When reading 100+ pages each week, it can be difficult figuring out what to retain and sometimes it feels like we must memorize every piece of information we come across. This guide will help you to efficiently summarize what you read into the most important points by using questions to help your comprehension and memory.
Survey (also called skimming and scanning)
Survey the title: Think about what you may already know about that topic.
Survey the introduction: It gives you an idea about how the chapter is organized, and what you will be learning.
Survey anything in bold: Subtitles are labels. Other bolded items may be definitions that you will need to know.
Survey the pictures, charts and graphs: Glance at these to pick out things that seem interesting or informative.
Survey the summary at the end: This will review and give you the key points in the chapter.
Survey the questions at the end of the chapter: These will help focus your attention on the main points.
Survey your course syllabus/course presentation and see what topics the Instructor is focusing on.
Question
Write “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How” questions for each subtitle or definition (you can do this as you progress through the reading).
Read
Read to answer the first question (this answer will become your notes). Look for keywords.
Recite
Recite the answer to your question out loud. Do this as if you are explaining to a study partner.
Write this down in your own words – these are your notes.
Repeat for each question that you created.
Review
Stand back and look at the chapter as a whole.
How do the ideas and facts you learned from each subsection fit together?
Review your notes to be sure they make sense to you.