Francis P. Robinson's 1946 text, "Effective Study," first presented his Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review (SQ3R) study system, which is held to be the most widely advocated textbook study system. This paper traces the development of the ideas behind the SQ3R. SQ3R's theoretical foundation began with work in scientific-management, and continued with Seashore's 1939 study of work methods, which deemphasized native intelligence and prompted Robinson to design a higher-level study-skill system. Whipple's 1927 study-skills texts included each of the steps later included in SQ3R, while Kornhauser's 1924 study-skills booklet contained all the basic tenets of SQ3R. Finally, Cole and Ferguson's 1935 "Student's Guide to Effective Study" recommended study rules that stressed (1) surveying the material, (2) attending to graphic and textual aids, and (3) reading carefully, then reciting to assess understanding. Practical application of Robinson's thinking consisted of the logical organization of five distinct study activities, each including between two and seven explicitly identifiable substeps, into a total system of study and the assignment of an acronym. This development of SQ3R served as a capstone for the foundation of research findings and pedagogical practices pertaining to college reading programs of the prewar era. Future study systems, however, will be evaluated against a more sophisticated knowledge base. A seven-page list of references is provided, as well as a diagram of the empirical support of SQ3R and a master list of College Reading and Learning Assistance Technical Reports. (SRT)