PQRST: Studying Under Pressure

At one time or another, we all find ourselves under pressure. There are tasks to accomplish, problems to solve, deadlines to meet. For the student, however, it seems to be a day-to-day hurdle having to deal with a pressured learning situation. New lessons have to be learned continually, and fast. Stress is like a student's "daily bread".

But doing class assignments and trying to get them done on time need not be so frustrating. There is one study technique devised by psychologists from thorough research which has been hailed by many as really helpful. It has the acronym PQRST (pronounced: pee-KWURST), short for "Preview, Question, Read, State, Turn Back."

The technique prescribes that before you study, you must try to clear your mind of any random or persistent thoughts. You must relax, lie down if you wish, and allow your thoughts to come and go freely for a few minutes.

If there are other things that need your attention, just write them down in the meantime and take care of them later. You must concentrate fully on the particular task - say, an assignment - which you want to tackle at the moment. Then, proceed as follows:

Step 1. Preview. Survey the assignment quickly, to have a general overview of the subject matter. Studying something without a preview is like starting a car trip without first looking over a road map to know where you are going.

If the assignment is a chapter in a book, take special note of the chapter heading. Read the first paragraph or two. Note the main divisions of the chapter, including all titles and captions, pictorial illustrations or figures. Read the concluding paragraphs and summaries carefully. This will prepare you for better comprehension as you actually go through the entire material.

Step 2. Question. Look away from the book and mentally ask questions on what you expect to find out in the assignment. If it is, for instance, about diabetes, you might ask, "When was the disease first discovered? How has the problem grown over the years? What, so far, are the known causes and remedies?" Questioning gets you actively involved in your reading. It effectively prepares you for the learning process.

Step 3. Read. Read the assigned material, focusing on ideas, not on the words. Your reading speed may vary depending on the material's difficulty, and your previous familiarity with the subject.

Read with a bright-color pencil at hand. Underline important words and phrases, make brief comments in the margins, and write questions that challenge the author's ideas. Notice connections between what you're reading and what you've already learned elsewhere about the subject. But don't take notes just yet.

Step 4. State. After you've finished reading the assigned chapter, state what you have learned-in your own words. Think thoroughly what you will state, and say it clearly. Go from one point to the next. This is a very important step, yet the one often overlooked by students studying under pressure.

Spend two-thirds of your study time in stating, reflecting or reciting the points you have just covered. Do it right after your study period, and your recall of the studied material will increase significantly.

Step 5. Turn Back. Turn back and reread the chapter selectively. Don't necessarily read everything, but spend more time, if needed, on the difficult parts. Skip the parts that immediately seem all too familiar; there's no need rehashing what you already understand.

Now is the time for making notes, in outline form and in your own words. If possible, close the book as you write down notes. If you've followed all the steps properly, this will be easy-the notes will almost write themselves.

The PQRST technique has been tried by many, who claim that it works for them. But it may not work instantly with everyone. Some may need to practice it frequently before it will begin to yield positive results. Study methods are like muscles-the more they are used, the more effective they become.