SQ5R Reading Form

Name: _________________________ Date: ______________

Course: General Psychology Chapters #: _1 and 7___

SURVEY the chapter. As you survey, answer the following questions.

A. What is the title of this chapter? Tools for Student Success and Using Psychology
to Improve Our Memory

B. On what page(s) is the summary located? p. 49 and p. 281

(Read the summary BEFORE you survey any more of the chapter)

C. What are the main subheadings in this chapter? Please list them below. Note
there may be more or fewer than 10 main subheadings, so list as many as you can.

1. Active ReadingHow to Study (and Master) this Text

2. Time Management: How to Succeed in College and Still Have a Life

3. Strategies for Grade Improvement: Note Taking, Study Habits, and General Test-
Taking Tips

4. Additional Resources: Frequently Overlooked Helpers

5. A Final WordYour Attitude

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.
QUESTION yourself about the chapter by turning the major subheadings you
listed into questions. Remember to use Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How
when developing your questions.

1. What is active reading?

2. What are basic strategies for developing good time management skills?

3. What are the strategies for grade improvement in the areas of note taking, study
habits, and test-taking?

4. What are the additional resources that can provide help?

5. What does my attitude have to do with being successful in the classroom?

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

READ one major subheading section of the chapter at a time. THEN

RECITE and wRite the answer(s) to the questions you asked for each major
subheading. Make sure you do not read forward until you can answer your question.

A. Answer question 1, using one or two sentences.

Active reading requires one to put conscious effort by familiarizing myself with the general
text before I actually sit down and read, and using a variation of the SQ4R method.

B. Answer question 2, using one or two sentences.

Four basic strategies for developing good time management skills are 1) establishing a
baseline, 2) setting up a realistic activity schedule, 3) rewarding myself for good study
behavior, and 4) maximizing my time with real, concentrated study time.

C. Answer question 3, using one or two sentences.

An effective strategy for note taking depends on active listening, in which I should write
down key ideas and support them with details and specific examples. The single most
important key to improving my grades is distributed my study time, because cramming
material is counterproductive. Also, I should over-learn the material, by reviewing it
continuously until I can rehearse and recall it with ease. Likewise, I should work hard at
understanding and communicating with my instructor. Finally, there are several strategies
for effective test-taking, which include, taking my time in answering the questions, using my
logic when answering test questions, reviewing my answers, and practice taking tests.

D. Answer question 4, using one or two sentences.

Resources on campus that can help me succeed in the classroom include getting to know my
instructor, taking other college courses to improve my basic skills, friends and family, and
using my classmates, roommates, and study groups when studying.

E. Answer question 5, using one or two sentences.

Having a positive attitude, being responsible, and striving to be an independent, self-
motivated learner will help me be successful in college.

F. Answer question 6, using one or two sentences.

G. Answer question 7, using one or two sentences.

H. Answer question 8, using one or two sentences.

I. Answer question 9, using one or two sentences.

J. Answer question 10, using one or two sentences.
Give a detailed description one illustration, graph, chart, picture, or cartoon that
stood out as you read the chapter. Note the page: 40
The visual quiz stood out to me, which asked which of the 10 pennies shown, was an exact
duplicate of a real U.S. penny. I had a difficult time finding the real one, and realized that
although I had seen a penny more than a 1000 times in my life, I still couldnt pick out the
real one. It is amazing how limited our memory process can be.

I hope that you read and completed the Check-and-Review questions throughout the
chapter. Write two of these questions below, including the answer and page number.

Question: Explain how you can overcome the serial position effect while studying.

Answer: Because we tend to remember information that falls at the beginning or end
of a chapter, we should spend extra time studying information in the middle of the
chapter.

Page _275__

Question: The best way to ensure your full understanding of material and success on
an exam is through _____.

Answer: organization

Page _275_

List 3 key definitions found in the margins of the chapter below by noting the word,
definition, and page each is listed on.

1. Word: ___Mnemonic_______________ Page: __276__

Definition: Memory improvement technique based on encoding items in a special way.

2. Word: _______________________ Page: ______

Definition:

3. Word: _______________________ Page: ______

Definition:
Relate one of these key vocabulary words to your own life by providing a specific
example from your life of how the vocabulary word applies.

Vocabulary word ____Mnemonic_______________ Page: _276__

A life example related to this vocabulary word is

My eighth grade science teacher taught us a great mnemonic for remembering the
nine planets: My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas.

REVIEW the entire chapter by going back through it and describe one thing that
you found most interesting. Make sure you support your answer with a reason why
(e.g., I found _____ interesting, because). Also, note the relevant page number.
Remember to review the chapter and this form continuously up to the exam date.

I found the memory tests very interesting on choosing a penny (chapter 1, page 140)
and the test related to the words sleep and doctor (chapter 8, page 273). It is
amazing how our memory can play tricks on our performance. Thus, even though we
think we know something, in reality we may not be able to prove that we know it!

Page _140 and 273__