SQ4RMethodforReadingTextbooks

S: Survey
Previewingwillhelpyougetyourbearingsandsavetime.
Previewthetextbook: Readthefrontmaterial,especiallythetableofcontents.
Notetypographicalandvisualaids.
Lookfortheglossaryandotheraids.
Quicklyreadheading,subheading,andintroduction.
o Reviewwhatyoualreadyknowaboutthesubjectmatter.
o Findtheauthor'spurpose.
Previewthechapter: Dividethechapterintosmallreadingsegments.
Readthesummaryifthereisone.
Q: Question
Aquestioningattitudemakesthereaderthink.
Ask:Whatdoesthetitleofthechaptermean?WhatdoIalreadyknowaboutthesubject?
o Questionyourpurposeforreadingthechapter.WhyamIreadingthis?WhatdoIwanttoget
outofit?
o Lookatquestionstheauthormayhaveatthebeginningorendofthechapter.
R1: Read
o Usereadingspeedappropriatetothematerialandyourpurpose.
o Developmorethanonereadingskill.
o Readtogetthemainideaandsupportingdetails.
o Compare,analyze,andsystemizeasyouread.
o Answerspecificquestions.Makeheadingsintoquestions.
R2: Recite
o Reciteorally inyourownwordsassoonafterreadingaspossible.
o Talktoyourself,usingtheforminwhichyouwillneedtheinformationfordiscussion,
answeringspecificquestions,etc.
R3: (W)rite
o Writeabriefsummary inyourownwordsrelatingmainideatodetails.
o Turnheadingsintoquestionsandanswerthem.
R4: Review
o Recitationandreviewmustbeacontinuousprocess.
o Makesureyouunderstandthegeneralideabehindwhatyou'veread.
o Useacriticalattitudetowardmaterialyou'veread.
o Relatenewmaterialstudiedtowhatyoualreadyknow.

AdvantagesoftheSQ4RMethod
o Increasesreadingefficiency
o Increasesinterest
o Helpsconcentration
o Relatesnewknowledgetopreviousknowledge
o Buildsconfidenceinabilitytoreciteandtaketests
o Practiceandregularapplicationhelpachievesuccess
PrimarySource:SacramentoCityCollege