A System Of Study:- SQ3R

“Not so much to know a thing, as to have known it, and known it thoroughly. If you have once known a thing in this way it is easy to renew your knowledge when you have forgotten it” ~T.H.HUXLEY

How you set out to learn your complex subject, one which usually takes weeks months, or even years to learn. To understand how complex topics are learned, one must understand how knowledge is organized in memory- as memory is a series of a network in which our daily learning is brought together, merged, and assimilated. We have to follow two steps to achieve the organization of knowledge in memory so that we can retrieve the right information at the right time. As “The important thing is not what you know, but what you can do with what you know”.

The two steps are:-

1. linking new knowledge to the old ones.
2. organizing it and remembering it systematically ( reflect on newly learned concept, write out summaries of the main point, discuss it with others).

Organization of knowledge in a systematic fashion cannot be achieved overnight as relearning and revision which takes less time in comparison to original learning is a must to keep knowledge at a functional level. For which a proper system of study is required. In this article, I am trying to throw light on SQ3R given by F.P Robinson Effective Study, New York

The SQ3R Stands for:-

1. Survey:- Don’t just pick the book and start reading chapters over and over, find out the purpose of the book, read the author’s preface, and table of content, in sort skim the book and keep your syllabus and purpose of your reading in mind. keep searching until you surround by the best one which fits your demand.
2. Question:- Ask Questions, jotting down all the questions that come to your mind while reading the book this attitude forces you to think about the concept, which ultimately strengthens your understanding of that topic.
3. Read:- First reading must be thorough and slow while moving forward keep previous subheadings and important points in mind this practice helps in developing understanding. “A picture is worth a thousand words”. So never be foolish enough to skip graphs and tables as the complex concept can be easily illustrated by diagrams.
4. Recite:- Bacon told, “If you read anything over 20times you will not learn it by heart so easily as if you were to read it only 10times, trying to repeat it between whiles, and when memory failed looking at the books”. So, after reading each major portion of the chapter, lay the book on one side and try to recall what you have been reading. Experiments had shown that 4/5 of reading and recitation are required to get mastered in concept.
5. Revise:- Material that has to be retained for a long time must be studied and restudied. 1st revision must take place on the same day of study.2nd revision after 24hour and 3rd revision in a week, answering questions after the final revision gives a clear picture of your weaknesses and strengths.

Thank you so much for your time!! Happy Learning !!