A classic and highly efficient reading method, where the letters stand for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. It is mainly used for close reading of texts and is also widely applicable to all kinds of learning.
Surveying is the first step of reading. Its purpose is to get a general idea of a book, textbook, or passage, and to build a logical framework in your mind, giving the reader a mental preparation for the material. Surveying mainly focuses on the preface and table of contents, the size of each chapter, headings, sections, the opening and closing paragraphs, paragraphs, the first and last sentences, and the conclusion. Also pay attention to illustrations in the book, such as charts, images, and formulas—these are usually the author's emphasis on key or difficult points
Questioning: through surveying we have gained a general understanding, turning what we didn't know we didn't know into knowing what we don't know. Raise questions around these unknowns. If you don't know how to ask questions, here is a technique called face-to-face dialogue with the author. On the author's side: what is the author saying in this book, this chapter, this passage? What is he really trying to express? What does he consider the key points? On the reader's side: what can I gain from this book, this chapter, this passage? What use is what I've gained? Which parts are difficult for me? And between the two: for example, do I agree with the viewpoint he is expressing? Do I have the method or ability to prove it right or wrong, and so on. Why is questioning this way best? Because reading is inherently a form of communication between author and reader. In the process of knowledge transfer, the core is understanding what the other party is giving and what you want. Questions are the hook of reading; reading without questions is like often listening to irrelevant conference presentations. This is the crux of why we usually get sleepy as soon as we read.
Reading questions carefully means reading without dozing off and looking for answers with questions in mind. This can spark your interest in reading and deepen your understanding of key concepts. Without the preparation of previewing and asking questions, it’s often hard to know what to focus on during close reading. The author may seem to be simply stating one thing after another, making it difficult to concentrate. So close reading doesn’t mean scrutinizing every single word and sentence; it means identifying the key points and challenging parts. The text in a book may all appear in the same size and be laid out in neat rows, but that doesn’t mean the author is simply stating one thing after another. Speech has its rises and falls, and reading is no different. Notice what the author emphasizes through bold text, underlining, and illustrations. Reread the parts you find difficult. The key to close reading is to save your precious energy for what matters most.
This stage is called recitation, though it is also sometimes described as summarizing. For students reviewing the key points of a text, it means reciting them. For a general reader working through a book, it can mean summarizing. Either way, the purpose is to review and organize the material after reading, deepening understanding and memory.
Review, also called revision, helps us further consolidate what we’ve gained from reading. We need to revisit the material regularly, whether according to a plan or from time to time. This helps us retain it in long-term memory, and when we return to it later, we may discover something new. By reviewing the old, we learn the new.
Clever readers will notice that the essence of the SQ3R reading method is really the logic of learning.
S is like previewing, Q means asking questions, R1 is studying, R2 is like doing exercises after class and reciting the entire text, and R3 is reviewing. You can use this approach for self-study, too.
Some people find it hard to understand how reading something over and over like this can be called efficient. Here, efficiency doesn’t simply mean reading speed; it means results—the value you get from reading relative to the time spent. It may seem to take more time than a single, uninterrupted read, but it greatly deepens how well we absorb knowledge, making it efficient in terms of value for time. As the saying goes, buying books is like watching a mountain pile up, while reading them is like drawing out a strand of silk. You can’t rush your way to mastery; that’s just how reading works, so don’t begrudge the time. Half a step through the Analects can help govern the world; a single frame of the Book of Rites can earn praise for ages. Glancing through ten thousand volumes is no match for deeply pondering a single page.