Question 1

What is the SQ3R method?

Accepted Answer

SQ3R is a structured active reading method developed by Francis Robinson in 1941. The five steps — Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review — transform passive reading into active retrieval practice. Survey previews the document structure; Question generates retrieval targets before reading; Read focuses attention on answering those questions; Recite tests recall without looking back; Review consolidates understanding across sessions.

Question 2

Does my worksheet auto-save?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All worksheet content is saved automatically to your browser's localStorage after every keystroke. Your session will still be there if you close the tab and return later. Note: clearing browser data or private/incognito mode will erase saved sessions.

Question 3

What document types work best with SQ3R?

Accepted Answer

SQ3R was designed for textbooks, which have explicit headings, section summaries, and end-of-chapter questions — making the Survey step natural. It also works well for research papers (survey abstract, headings, and conclusion first) and business reports (survey executive summary and section headers). It is less suited to narrative prose or fiction, which lacks the heading structure the Survey step relies on.

Question 4

How is SQ3R different from highlighting?

Accepted Answer

Highlighting is passive recognition — you mark text that looks important but do not retrieve it from memory. SQ3R's Recite step forces active recall, which Karpicke & Roediger (2008, Science) showed doubles retention compared to re-reading. The Question step also generates retrieval targets before you read, which primes attention during the Read step and improves comprehension of new material.