HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED how
you can read something one minute,
and remember none of it the next?
Forgetting can be seriously
frustrating for the enthusiastic reader
but the good news is that there’s an
effective way to tackle it: SQ3R.
SQ3R may sound like a robot from
Star Wars, but it’s actually a tried-and-
tested learning technique. It stands
for: SURVEY, QUESTION, READ,
RECITE, REVIEW.
Invented by Francis Robinson as
far back as 1946, SQ3R has helped
generations of students to swot for
exams. And it works just as well today,
whether you’re reading for education,
business, or pure pleasure.
Step one is SURVEY. Scan the
whole text to get a rough idea of what
it’s about. From the start, you’re
connecting new information with your
existing knowledge, helping you to
understand and remember it.
Next, QUESTION. It’s easier to learn
material you’re interested in, so look
for things to be curious about—and
get your brain ready to find the
answers. It lifts your mental energy
and primes your learning.
Then READ, at whatever pace feels
right, checking your understanding
regularly, and making a note of
anything you want to explore further.
When you get to the end, see how
much you RECALL. Be honest: can
you remember key details as well as
the overall message? Are there any
parts you need to repeat, or ideas that
won’t make sense without more work?
And later, REVIEW everything
you’ve read. Reflect on your reactions
to it, and challenge yourself to
remember it now that some time has
passed. This second stage of testing
lets you see what to return to, but it’s
also a vital stage in the learning
process, helping to strengthen long-
term memories.
If you want to get more out of your
reading, SQ3R is well worth making a
habit. So start now—with the material
in your hands! Finish this page, then
pick another article you’re interested
in and give it the full SQ3R treatment.
And then—use what you’ve
learned. Talk about the article to
family members and friends. With
SQ3R, you’ll see what a difference it
makes when the words you read stay
with you—long after you’ve turned
the final page. n56 • JULY 2019
H E A LTH
Our memory expert Jonathan Hancock explains
how to remember what you read (including this!)Develop A Word-Perfect Memory