How to Read for Studying

At the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, they teach the following technique. They teach teachers how to teach the technique. It is a very good technique for studying and preparing for exams. The first step is similar to skimming and scanning. The problem is that people don't usually dedicate the time it requires but you may find it useful nevertheless. It is called "SQ3R". "SQ3R" is a technique for getting a deeper understanding of a text; it is a reading and study system. "SQ3R" means: Survey Question 
Read 
Recite 
Review

Reading a chapter correctly takes a lot more time than you probably spend now, but try this SQ3R method for just one class. Slowly add this system into your other classes too. Be patient and give this method 2 weeks to make a difference. At first, you'll spend a lot of time on this. Remember: You can study a lot of hours over the course of the semester or you can study all of those hours the week before your final exam. The latter is probably not a good idea. This reading method will seem slow at first, but the benefits will soon be clear: You will remember more of what you read, and you won't waste time repeating work you've already done!

Study time rule: 1 hour of class = 2 hours of study time!
 

SURVEY THE CHAPTER  Do not read the chapter yet! Do these steps first:

• Read the title - prepare your mind to study the subject.

• Read the introduction and/or summary - think about how this chapter fits the author's purposes, and focus on the author's statement of most important points.

• Quickly look over each boldface heading and subheading - organize your mind before you begin to read - build a structure for the thoughts and details to come.

• Look over any graphics, charts, maps, diagrams, etc. They are there to make a point - don't miss them.

• Notice the reading aids - italics, and boldface print show that something is important. Also, the chapter objective and the end-of-chapter questions are all included to help you sort, understand and remember the information.

QUESTION  Do not read the chapter yet! Do these steps first:  

• Create questions from your reading to help your mind think about the material. Look at each section at a time and turn the boldface headings into as many questions as you think will be answered in that section. The better the questions, the better your understanding will be. You may always add more questions as you continue. When your mind is actively searching for answers to questions, it is learning! This is also the best way to predict test questions - where do you think your teachers think up questions?

Here's an example: if a heading says "Parts of the Flower," you can make a question like: "What are the parts of a flower?" "Historic People" can be a question like "Name some historic people." Make up as many questions as you possibly can.

READ  OK, now it is time to read the chapter, but follow these steps:

• As you read, look for the answers to the questions you wrote, and write the answers in your notes!

• Read each section of the chapter with your questions in mind. Look for the answers, and take note of questions you didn't think of that were answered in that section.

RECITE  As you read the chapter, you should recite your notes.

• Reciting means practicing out loud what you’ve written down. Yes, that's right - talk to yourself!

• After each section of reading, stop, think about your questions, and see if you can answer them from memory. If not, look back again (as often as necessary) but don't go on to the next section until you can say what you have learned!

REVIEW  Spend 15 minutes every day reviewing your notes.

• Once you've finished the entire chapter using the steps above, go back over all the questions that you made. See if you can still answer them. If you cannot, read the chapter again, being careful to answer your own questions. 
 

NOTE: Research suggests that online reading requires a different set of skills and strategies than offline reading.  These different skills and strategies are required because online reading is frequently information seeking, guided by the reader (rather than the teacher) and non-linear (readers follow a series of hyperlinks and navigate through multiple windows rather than reading something from beginning to end).  The skills required for successful online reading are: the ability to formulate appropriate questions, locate reliable information, and evaluate, synthesize and communicate that information. Additionally, because online reading occurs within rapidly changing technology that may or may not be familiar to teachers, and students are frequently engaged with outside of school, lessons that build on students’ prior knowledge of these technologies can and should be employed. Finally, research tells us that proficient offline readers are not always proficient online readers and vice versa.