The whole point of studying is to remember information that you’ll need later in life, even if it’s just for an upcoming test. That’s not easy when you’re taking in a bunch of unfamiliar phrases and concepts. That’s why you need a quality method to structure your study sessions. Try the SQ3R technique the next time you study and see what a difference it can make.

We’ve touched on a similar method before when we gave advice on best note-taking practices , but SQ3R has applications far beyond your classroom note-taking moments. It’s actually a reading comprehension technique first introduced in 1946 by Francis P. Robinson in his book Effective Study . (Fun side note: the “P” stands for Pleasant!)

SQ3R has stood the test of time and is now widely recommended by academic advisors on campuses across the country. It is named after the five steps that make up the method:

It is important to first divide your work here. The goal is not to do this with an entire textbook or a bunch of material, but to go chapter by chapter or section by section.