Reading

							                                                SQ3R

Category: Reading/Notemaking/Study Skills/Writing
Grade Level: Grade 7 and up

1. What is the purpose of SQ3R?                         Recite - Looking away from the text
SQ3R is a five step method devised by                    and notes, the student recites answers
Robinson (1961) to assist students in reading            to the questions in his/her own words.
a chapter or article for comprehension or               Review – The student reviews the
study purposes.                                          notes and chapter headings, checking
                                                         for retention of the facts. To assist in
2. With whom can it be used?                             memory, students should repeat the
SQ3R is most appropriate for students in                 review stage after twenty-four hours
Grade 7 through high school, college, or                 and periodically afterwards.
university. It is most often applied to
expository text material, which should not be      4. In what types of settings can SQ3R be
above the student's instructional reading          used?
level.                                             The SQ3R method can be taught in a large
                                                   group, small group, or individually. It is
3. What teaching procedures should be              designed as an individual activity and can be
used with SQ3R?                                    employed at home as a study skill or in the
Students should be guided through the              classroom to elicit information from a chapter
following five steps:                              or article.

    Survey - The student should survey            5. To what extent has research shown
     the entire chapter. Attention should          SQ3R to be useful?
     be drawn to titles, headings, diagrams,       SQ3R has been shown to be an inclusive and
     maps, charts, and pictures. This gives        effective reading and study strategy. It
     the student an overview of the                improves both comprehension and recall of
     material. The introduction and                material.
     summary should be read to determine
     the major points examined.                    References
    Question - The student should go              1. Jacobowitz, T. (1988). Using theory to
     back to the title and formulate a                modify practice: An illustration with
     question based on the information in             SQ3R. Journal of Reading, 32, 126-131.
     the title. This should also be done           2. Montague, M. and Tanner, J. L. (1987).
     with all subsequent headings. This               Reading strategy groups for content area
     establishes a purpose for a more                 instruction. Journal of Reading, 30,, 716-
     detailed reading of the material.                723.
    Read - The student reads the sections,        3. Orlando, V. P. (1980). Training students
     looking for answers to his/her                   to use a modified version of SQ3R: An
     questions. Jot notes may be made at              instructional strategy. Reading World, 20,
     this time.                                       65-70.
4. Tadlock, D. F. (1978). SQ3R - Why it
   works, based on an information
   processing theory of learning. Journal of
   Reading, 20, 110-12.