The Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) continues to be applied in a wide range of pedagogical situations. However, the question remains as to how well a researcher understands the conceptual basis behind the tool they choose. This essay provides a compact and comprehensive view of the conceptual basis for the development of the original SPQ, and the later revised version (R-SPQ-2F), and offers a way for a researcher to quickly be informed on the concepts underpinning the tool, enabling the opportunity to quickly assess whether the R-SPQ-2F is an appropriate tool to be using in there study. In this essay we look at the earliest stages in the development of the SPQ, through to the development of the revised Study Process Questionnaire unpacking the underlying conceptual model.