It is generally and frequently
remarked that our study system is SQ3R based which means that our learning
system comprises on a five-step process e.g., Survey, Question, Read, Recite
and Review. Let us discuss all these steps one by one.
1- SURVEY
This practice involves quickly
skimming through the reading material
without focusing on each and every word. Titles, headlines, pictures, and key
words remain the center of readers’ interest. This step is very important
because it provides an overview of the reading substance without which the
reader can either lose interest or waste much time on less informative
sections. Survey is of two types.
1.1- SURVEY OF BOOK
All books are written with a
particular sort of plan. Generally, a plan consists of a title page, preface,
table of contents and index etc.
1.1.1- TITLE PAGE
A compact title always tells what the
book is about. It is with the title that the reader picks the book from the
shelf. Survey with the title page is very essential because it helps getting
the essence of the whole book.
1.1.2- PREFACE
Every book starts with either
introduction or preface which is also termed as foreword or author’s remarks.
In preface, the author talks about his book and tells why he has written it.
Like the title page, this information can also be helpful in deciding whether
the book is worth reading or not.
1.1.3- TABLE OF CONTENTS
In every book, there is a table of
contents which tells very clearly which topics the author is going to deal
with. This page of information should never be ignored or taken for granted
when making preliminary survey.
1.1.4- INDEX
After choosing the chapter of
interest through the table of contents, the reader should visit the index page
that provides all topics in alphabetical order with their respective page
numbers. With this information, the reader can land quickly on the page of his
interest. Robert Lynd once said;
“I hate reading a book without an index. It makes me read the whole book.”
1.2- SURVEY OF CHAPTER
Before reading every new chapter,
first and last paragraphs should be surveyed carefully. This type of survey
will help knowing whether the chapter is of interest or not. Because the first
paragraph contains the thesis statement and the last paragraph
contains concluding statement.
2- QUESTION
In doing survey of a chapter, the
reader should focus on the titles and sub headings that can be turned into
simple questions using the basic question-words i.e. 5Ws e.g., who, what,
where, when, why and 1 H e.g., how. The purpose of this step is to make the
reading exercise more active. This step helps concentrating on the reading
material as this step prompts you to look for the answers of your
self-formulated questions. If you read actively, the benefits will be greater.
3- READ
While reading the selected sections,
try to seek out the answers to your questions. In this effort, all the sections
of reading material will automatically be covered.
4- RECITE or RECALL
After you have completed first three
steps (SQR), you should devote some time to recall the main points of the
selected section. If necessary, you can re-read that section until you become
able to recite all the main points. It will be a good idea to write down all
the questions evolved and their answers on a piece of paper. This step will
facilitate the next step i.e., ‘Review’.
Experiments have explored that the
students who spent more time in reciting can remember more than those who just
read and mere read. The information gathered through SQ2R can be shared with
the classmates for the purpose of reciting time and again.
5- REVIEW
Lastly, you should recall again the
recited material in order to get a review. This exercise will assist you
linking up all the various sections already recited. This will enhance the
understanding of the whole material.
To cut the matter short, we may say
unhesitatingly that SQ3R method has been very helpful for learning in general
and for reading in particular because this involves a universal saying;
‘Practice makes man perfect.’
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