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SQRW
is a four-step strategy for reading and taking notes from chapters in a
textbook. Each letter stands for one step in the strategy. Using SQRW will
help you to understand what you read and to prepare a written record of what
you learned. The written record will be valuable when you have to participate
in a class discussion and again when you study for a test. Read to learn what
to do for each step in SQRW.
Survey.
Surveying brings to mind what you already know
about the topic of a chapter and prepares you for learning more. To survey a
chapter, read the title, introduction, headings, and the summary or
conclusion. Also, examine all visuals such as pictures, tables, maps, and/or
graphs and read the caption that goes with each. By surveying a chapter, you
will quickly learn what the chapter is about.
Question.
You need to have questions in your mind as you
read. Questions give you a purpose for reading and help you stay focused on
the reading assignment. Form questions by changing each chapter heading into a
question. Use the words who, what, when, where, why, or how
to form questions. For example, for the heading "Uses of Electricity" in a
chapter about how science improves lives, you might form the question "What
are some uses of electricity?" If a heading is stated as a question, use that
question. When a heading contains more than one idea, form a question for each
idea. Do not form questions for the Introduction, Summary, or Conclusion.
Read.
Read the information that follows each heading to
find the answer to each question you formed. As you do this, you may decide
you need to change a question or turn it into several questions to be
answered. Stay focused and flexible so you can gather as much information as
you need to answer each question.
Write.
Write each question and its answer in your
notebook. Reread each of your written answers to be sure each answer is
legible and contains all the important information needed to answer the
question.
As you practice using SQRW, you will find you
learn more and have good study notes to use to prepare for class participation
and tests.
HINT: Once you
complete the Survey step for the entire chapter, complete the Question, Read,
and Write steps for the first heading. Then complete the Question, Read, and
Write steps for the second heading, and so on for the remaining headings in
the chapter.
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