Learning how to read effectively is an essential skill for students and anyone looking to understand written material better. One helpful strategy to improve reading comprehension is called "previewing," and another is the SQ3R method. Both strategies are designed to help readers engage with and retain information more effectively.
Power Previewing: A Strategy to Enhance Comprehension
Previewing is a reading strategy that allows readers to prepare for a text before they begin reading it in detail. It involves briefly skimming the text to identify its structure, main ideas, and any important features. This process helps readers activate their prior knowledge, set a purpose for their reading, and get an idea of what the text will be about.
Research has shown that previewing a text can significantly improve comprehension (Graves, Cooke, & LaBerge, 1983, cited in Paris et al., 1991). By looking over the text beforehand, readers can better understand the content and anticipate the key points they will encounter.
How to Use Previewing
Previewing involves a few simple steps:
Identify the type of text: Before you begin reading, decide whether the text is fiction, nonfiction, or a biography. This will help guide your previewing approach.
Fiction or Biography: If the text is a story or a biography, look at the title, chapter headings, any introductory notes, and illustrations. These elements will give you insight into the setting, main events, or characters.
Nonfiction: For nonfiction texts, pay attention to text features like headings, subheadings, highlighted words, and any images or charts. These features provide clues about the subject matter and help you recall prior knowledge on the topic.
Previewing also allows you to identify areas where you may not know much about the subject, and helps you set goals for what you hope to learn by reading the text.
Why Use Previewing?
Previewing helps you engage with what you already know. By recalling prior knowledge, you prepare yourself to learn new information. It encourages you to think about what you already understand about the subject and to anticipate what new ideas or facts might be coming up. This way, when you read the text more closely, you are better prepared to absorb the information.
The SQ3R Method: A Structured Approach to Reading
The SQ3R method is a reading technique designed to improve comprehension by providing a systematic approach to studying and understanding text. Developed in the 1940s, the SQ3R method is still widely used today by students and readers looking to increase their understanding of academic and nonfiction material.
The SQ3R stands for:
Survey: Begin by skimming the text to get an overview. Look at headings, subheadings, bolded text, charts, graphs, and any other highlighted features. This quick review, which should take 3-5 minutes, helps you understand the main points of the text and creates a mental framework for what you'll read in detail later.
Question: After surveying the text, generate questions based on what you’ve seen. For example, turn headings into questions like, "What is this chapter about?" or "What is the main idea of this section?" This step is important because asking questions helps you focus on the text and gives you a clear purpose for reading.
Read: Now, read the text actively, keeping your questions in mind. Focus on answering the questions you raised during the "Question" step. By reading with a purpose, you are more likely to retain and understand the information.
Recite: After reading, summarize the main points in your own words. This could be done aloud or in writing. Try to recall the answers to your questions and key ideas from the text. This helps reinforce the information and ensures that you truly understood it.
Review: Finally, review what you’ve read. Go back over your notes or the text itself to check if you’ve answered your questions and grasped the main ideas. Rewriting or summarizing the material in your own words can strengthen your understanding and help you remember the content.
Practical Example of Using the SQ3R Method
Imagine you are studying a chapter on climate change in a textbook:
Survey: You quickly skim the chapter, noting headings like "Causes of Climate Change" and "Impacts on Weather Patterns." You also look at any graphs or charts about carbon emissions.
Question: Based on the survey, you ask yourself, "What causes climate change?" and "How does climate change affect weather patterns?"
Read: You now read the chapter carefully, looking for answers to these questions.
Recite: After reading, you try to explain the main causes of climate change and its impacts on weather in your own words. You may also write a brief summary of the chapter.
Review: Finally, you revisit the chapter and your notes to ensure you fully understand the material and have answered all your questions.
Conclusion
Both previewing and the SQ3R method are effective strategies for improving reading comprehension. By engaging with a text before reading, asking questions, reading actively, and reviewing what you've learned, you can enhance your understanding and retention of the material. These techniques not only help with academic reading but are also useful for everyday reading tasks, such as understanding news articles, instructions, or even novels.
By consistently using these strategies, you can become a more efficient and effective reader, better equipped to absorb, retain, and apply new knowledge.
References
Graves, M. F., Cooke, N. A., & LaBerge, D. (1983). The relationship between reading and comprehension strategies. Educational Psychology Review, 5(3), 65-81.
Paris, S. G., Lipson, M. Y., & Wixson, K. K. (1991). Becoming a skilled reader. In P. L. Anders & T. J. V. (Eds.), Handbook of research on reading (pp. 104-115). Prentice-Hall.
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