SQ3R reading notes

SQ3R is a five-step method for studying a textbook chapter, developed by the educational psychologist Francis P. Robinson. The steps are Survey the chapter, turn its headings into Questions, Read to answer them, Recite the answers from memory, and Review the whole thing later.

It works because it turns reading into a search. A reader with questions in mind notices the answers; a reader without them lets the words slide past. Reciting from memory, rather than rereading, is what fixes the material. This skill writes the notes for each stage and keeps the person doing the parts only they can do: the reading and the reciting.

When to use it

• Someone has a textbook chapter, long article, or report to study.
• They read chapters but cannot recall them afterward.
• They want a structured way to prepare for a class discussion or exam.
• They ask for SQ3R by name.