SQ4R Strategic Reading Approach

September 03, 2025

Posted by STLCC in Tutoring Resources 

Reading at the college level requires students to read and think critically about their text and supplemental materials. This resource lays out the SQ4R method of reading comprehension: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Record, Review. Students can integrate this approach with other strategies before, during and after reading college level material to ensure they learn and can apply knowledge.

Successful students should:

• Prepare before reading an assignment.
• Be active while reading.
• Check comprehension after reading.

Before Reading: Survey and Question

Survey the selection for:

• Title and subheadings.
• Key terms in bold, italic, color, or other special type.
• Graphics and pictures.
• Summaries.

Create questions:

• Use titles and subtitles to create questions.
• Create who, what, where, when, why and how questions.

While Reading: Read and Recite + Record

Read

• Read to find the answers to your title and subtitle questions.
• Adjust your pace to the difficulty of the section.
• Reread to understand.

Recite

Restate important ideas out loud and in your own words.

Record

Annotate the text – underline main ideas, circle key terms, record questions, summarize in your own words.

After Reading: Review

• Review the questions and answers that you created.
• Review vocabulary.
• Connect new ideas to prior knowledge.
• Create possible test questions.