Effective Reading Skills to Increase Efficiency

Survey-Question-Read-Recite-Review (SQ3R) – Effective Reading Skills and Strategies to Increase Efficiency

This method facilitates a very deep understanding of the matter that is being read. In fact, the system aims to facilitate an understanding so clear that the reader should be able to teach whatever he has learned during the process of reading. Instructors who are preparing to teach without having to refer to notes during the lecture generally use this effective reading method. The process involves five different steps, which are as follows:

Survey:

A survey involves getting a quick idea of what the whole writing piece is about. For example, if it is a book, maybe the introduction or the summary on the back will suffice.

Question:

Remember that you are not just reading the words or looking at the words, but are actually trying to decipher the underlying meaning. Create questions in your mind and look for the answers while you are reading the text. In case you are reading a piece for research, it is always advisable that you write these questions and their answers in brief.

Read:

Read selectively if you are looking for specifics. Learn to find out the portions of the text that are important to you and move over.

Recite:

Try and answer the questions in your own words, using only the keywords or listings that are required to sum up the complete idea.

Review:

Review or summarize the entire text in your mind and rest assured that you will never have to memorize it or learn it by heart.

Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when you start reading:

• Identify your aim while reading. Be clear about what you want from the text.
• Jot down important points, quotes, or lines that you might find useful later. Notes taken while reading can come in handy while studying the subject later.
• Even if you are reading fiction, do try to stretch your understanding about the writer’s writing style with regards to elements like language, emotion, and vocabulary. This will actually make the reading process more enjoyable for you.
• Every piece of text read gives you some information and enriches your knowledge in some way. Always read with concentration. Reading for the sake of it will not yield any fruitful outcome.

The next time around you’re reading something either as enjoyment or as a study text, ensure that you keep these strategies in mind. This will help in retaining information and increasing knowledge rather than just reading as an impassive reader with nothing to gain.

SOURCE: penlighten.com