Survey Question Read Recite Review
Learning how to schedule your time and work within your time limits is something that is learned over time, with trial and error. Remember that you must be aware of your abilities to stick within your schedule and, if unable, must elicit the help of other students, helpers or professors to maintain your schedule.
One strategy that has been proven scientifically to help sharpen your study skills is the SQ3R program – Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. During the survey stage the student gets an overall picture of what will be studied before getting into any detail
Many students recognize the effectiveness of using questions to guide their study habits. The questions you ask should emphasise the what, why, how, when, who and where of what is being studied. Ask these questions as the material is being read and reviewed. They help to focus the mind on the pertinent information that should be learned – and not rote memorisation.
Reading should be an active process, not just running eyes over text, but mentally answering questions and integrating the information into your conscious memory. During the reading process, stop every so often and recite out loud in your own words the information you’ve just read so that your mind reads it and hears it. This is a time to also make connections between what you’ve read and how you are learning.
And last, review the information that was covered. Reread any ideas that aren’t clear, go over notes, and be sure that you understand what you’ve read. This is a good time to go over notes from class and clarify any questions with fellow students that you don’t understand.
Study techniques are simple but challenging to put into effect. When students are diligent with the manner in which they learn and study they are more successful, get higher grades and have a better sense of achievement.
