How to Read a Book Well: The SQ3R Method and the Speed-Reading Myth
Speed-reading claims are mostly hype, according to a major scientific review. Better results come from a method that makes you think while you read. Here is how.
Ads promise that you can read a book in an hour with perfect understanding. A major scientific review says that is not realistic. The good news is that you can get a lot more from reading by changing how you read, not how fast.
What research says about speed reading
In 2016, a group of psychologists, led by Keith Rayner, reviewed the scientific evidence on reading and speed-reading in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Their conclusion was that there is a trade-off between speed and comprehension. Skimming can be useful when you only need the gist, but the authors judged it unlikely that anyone can double or triple their reading speed and still understand as much as at normal speed.
The SQ3R method
Educational psychologist Francis P. Robinson described the SQ3R method in his 1946 book Effective Study. The letters stand for five steps.
Survey
Before reading, spend two to five minutes looking at the title, headings, summary, pictures, and questions at the end. Build a mental map of what is coming.
Question
Turn each heading into a question. "Causes of the French Revolution" becomes "What were the causes of the French Revolution?" This gives your brain something to look for.
Read
Read one section at a time, looking for the answer to your question. Slow down on difficult parts.
Recite
After each section, look away and say the answer aloud or write it in your own words. If you cannot, read it again.
Review
When you finish, go back over the headings and your notes. Test yourself on all the questions. Review again after a day and a week.
Make it work for fiction and non-fiction
- Non-fiction and textbooks: use SQ3R fully. Write short notes and your own questions in the margin.
- Fiction: read for enjoyment, but pause at the end of a chapter to recall what happened, and think about the characters and themes.
- Articles and reports: read the introduction and conclusion first to decide if you need the middle.
Habits that help any reader
- Read at a regular time, such as 20 minutes before bed.
- Keep your phone away, or put it in another room.
- Read with a pen, underlining sparingly and writing short notes in your own words.
- Stop books you do not enjoy, unless you need them. Life is short.
- Set a modest goal, like 10 pages a day. It adds up to many books a year.
- Talk about what you read with a friend, or write a short summary.
What most people miss
- Re-reading is useful when it is purposeful. Re-read the hard parts, not everything.
- Different goals need different speeds. Skim for the gist, read slowly for deep understanding.
- Reading regularly improves vocabulary and thinking. The benefit grows over time.
