How to Read Books Effectively

One commonly used approach to reading, which works well for texts, is the Survey, Question, Read, Review and Recite (SQ3R) Method. The main steps are as follows:

Survey - Before you start reading a chapter, scan the title of the chapter, the main headings,    pictures given in the chapter and summary of the chapter. This will help you to understand the concept which is going to be discussed in the chapter.

Question - Actively ask yourself questions as you read such as what the key topics in this section/chapter are, and what the different concepts of the chapter want to convey. By framing questions, you are also increasing your understanding of the chapter as well as these questions can help you prepare well for your exams.

Read - Read for comprehension, locate concepts and facts, record and reduce information in the margins. When reading, underline the main points and examples that can be later referred quickly.

Review - Practice and rehearse the main concepts, reflect on key learning, predict exam questions. Before closing your book, just go through all the headings and main points of the chapter once again, as this will help you to remember the concept for a long time.

Recite - Transfer information to long term memory of your mind. This you can do by revising the concepts three or four times in a week. This is the best way to remember any chapter for long time.

By using this technique you can increase your understanding of the chapter as well as remember a concept for a long time.