One strategy you can use to become a more active, engaged reader is the SQ3R strategy, a step-by-step process to follow before, during, and after reading. This strategy is valuable for people enabling you to read and comprehend material quickly and thoroughly, but is not recommended for all subjects. This strategy works best with The practice of SQ3R reading works in the following steps.
STEP ONE: Survey/preview Before you read, you survey, or preview, the text. Reading introductory paragraphs and headings can help you begin to figure out the author’s main point and identify what important topics will be covered. However, surveying contains many other aspects. Look over sidebars, pictures, and any text or graphics that catch your attention. Skim a few paragraphs. Preview any boldfaced or italicized vocabulary terms. This will help you form your first impressions of the material.
STEP TWO: Question Next, start brain-storming questions about the text. What is expected to comprehend from the material? You may have some questions come quickly based on completion of the survey step or based on previous readings and class discussions.
STEP THREE: Read The third step is to simply read. After you start reading, decide whether your first impressions of the text were right. Are the main points and ideas similar to what you determined? Also, looking for answers to your prior questions and beginning to form new questions is helpful. You may need to revise your thoughts and your questions as you read.
STEP FOUR: Recite/repeat While you are reading, stopping frequently and reciting or recording key ideas or information. Doing this at the end of each chapter or reading section or when there is a clear change in the author’s thought process will help break the text into smaller parts making it easier to recite concepts that are concise and relevant to the context of the entire passage or book. Recite