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Learning Strategies

QEC Method

Question, Evidence, Conclusion (QEC method) 

Similar to the SQ3R method, this method encourages you to formulate questions while reading and gathering information that answers those questions.  

Advantages  

  • Easy to review notes for exam prep or assignments 
  • Best illustrates the connection between evidence and concepts 
  • Easy to use in digital or handwritten format  
  • Useful when reading scholarly articles  

Disadvantages  

  • It may be challenging to think of questions, but you can pull ideas from questions in lecture, questions from your textbook, or turning headings of readings into questions (see SQ4R method above).

Steps 

  1. Question:  List questions based on section headings, textbook questions, learning objectives from lecture, and/or your own questions.
  2. Evidence: Read to find evidence that answers your question. 

  3. Conclusion: Summarize the evidence into a statement.

    Example: A topic sentence (first sentence in a paragraph) or thesis statement that is a direct response to the initial question.

 

Example 

Template: QEC Table.docx

  • Article: Effect of Endurance Training on Parameters of Aerobic Fitness  
  • Main Question: How does endurance training impact aerobic fitness?
Question  Evidence  Conclusion  

 

 

How does endurance training increase maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max)? 

 

 

VO2max = max amount of oxygen body can use during exercise 
  1. Elite endurance athletes have high cardiac output which increases VO2max  
  • Higher cardiac output = more blood & more oxygen delivered to muscles  
  1. Exercising muscle able to extract more O2 due to increase in # of capillaries  
 Endurance training causes adaptations in the cardiovascular system via increasing cardiac output (delivery of O2) and increasing skeletal muscle’s capability to extract O2 from the blood.