The SQ3R Method will help you when you are studying for a test or trying to understand anything you read. It’s easy and it doesn't take long. Here’s how each step works and the amount of time it should take.

1. Survey (1 minute):
   Look through the whole piece before you read. Check out what it’s about without actually reading. Just pick out the main ideas.
2. Question (usually less than 30 seconds):
   Ask yourself “What is this about?” and “What is the question that this material is trying to answer?”
3. Read (at your own speed):
   Read actively and focus on what you are reading. The time here depends on how quickly you read; some of us are slower than others.
4. Recite/write (about 1 minute):
   Say to yourself (its best if you do this aloud, so you might want to be alone), or write down a key phrase that sums up the main idea of what you read. It is important to use your own words, not just to copy a phrase from the book. Research shows that we remember our own ideas better than we remember ideas given to us.
5. Review (less than 5 minutes):
   Go over what you uncovered in steps 1 through 4. Test yourself by asking yourself questions about what you read. If you can’t answer any of your questions, re-read that section.