Before you read, Survey
the chapter:
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the title, headings, and subheadings
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captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps
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review questions or teacher-made study guides
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introductory and concluding paragraphs
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summary
Question
while you are surveying:
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Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into questions;
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Read questions at the end of the chapters or after each subheading;
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Ask yourself, "What did my instructor say about this chapter or subject when it was assigned?"
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Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this subject?"
Note: If it is helpful to you, write out these questions for consideration. This variation is called SQW3R
When you begin to
Read:
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Look for answers to the questions you first raised;
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Answer questions at the beginning or end of chapters or study guides
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Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.
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Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or phrases
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Study graphic aids
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Reduce your speed for difficult passages
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Stop and reread parts which are not clear
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Read only a section at a time and recite after each section
Recite
after you've read a section:
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Orally ask yourself questions about what you have just read
or summarize, in your own words, what you read
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Take notes from the text but write the information in your own words
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Underline or highlight important points you've just read
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Use the method of recitation which best suits your particular learning style but remember, the more senses you use the more likely you are to remember what you read - i.e.,
TRIPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing-
QUADRUPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing , saying , hearing, writing!!!
Review:
an ongoing process.
Day One
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After you have read and recited the entire chapter,
write questions in the margins for those points you have highlighted or underlined.
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If you took notes while reciting,
write questions for the notes you have taken in the left hand margins of your notebook.
Day Two
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Page through the text and/or your notebook to re-acquaint yourself with the important points.
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Cover the right hand column of your text/note-book and orally ask yourself the questions in the left hand margins.
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Orally recite or write the answers from memory.
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Make "flash cards" for those questions which give you difficulty.
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Develop mnemonic devices for material which need to be memorized.
Days Three, Four and Five
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Alternate between your flash cards and notes and test yourself (orally or in writing) on the questions you formulated.
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Make additional flash cards if necessary.
Weekend
Using the text and notebook, make a Table of Contents - list all the topics and sub-topics you need to know from the chapter.
From the Table of Contents, make a Study Sheet/ Spatial Map.
Recite the information orally and in your own words as you put the Study Sheet/Map together.
Now that you have consolidated all the information you need for that chapter, periodically review the Sheet/Map so that at test time you will not have to cram.
