Academic Support Services

Study Tips for Success – SQR3

Students sometimes dread reading textbooks and/or don't seem to remember much from reading.

SQ3R is a reading strategy to maximize your reading comprehension.

Survey/Preview (a mental 'warm-up')
- Read the chapter title. Think about what you know about the material.
- Skim the introduction, and quickly look over the rest of the chapter.
- Concentrate only on the headings and subheadings.
Question
- Turn each heading and subheading into a question.
- A good question directs you to the main idea(s) and supporting details.
Read
- Read the section carefully until you find the answer to your Question.
- If you don't find your answer, reread or perhaps change your Question.
- You should understand the important info from your section, and the details that support it.
Recite
- Say out loud the answer to your Question.
- As you read more sections, tell yourself how each section relates to previous ones.
- Proceed until you are done with your chapter or reading assignment.
Review
- Do a written and/or mental review of each section and each chapter you read.
- List the concepts, ideas, terms, and relationships.

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