Speed Reading

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Reading documents

Where you are reviewing this sort of document, an effective technique is to compile your own table of contents headings before you open the document. You can then use this table of contents to read the document in the order that you want.

When you are reading a document, such as a company report, which purports to give an overall analysis of a subject, it is easy to accept the writer's structure of thought, and miss the fact that important information has been omitted or that irrelevant detail has been included.

Using this technique will allow you to spot where important information is missing or has been obscured, and helps you to avoid trivia. If the writer has a better knowledge of the structure of the topic, this helps you to recognize and adjust your initial view of the best structure.

Speed reading techniques

• There is little relationship between rate and comprehension
• Active reading with pen
• Vocalization and speed reading
• Speed reading (flash mode)
• Reducing skipping back

Remember these two things and enhance your reading speed:

• Make sure your text is fairly easy for you. You should know something about the subject matter and have no major problems with the vocabulary, style, or ideas. Don't expect to read Scientific American or Spinoza's philosophy rapidly and with full comprehension the first time through, unless you are a scientist or philosopher.
   
• Make sure your purpose for reading. Do you need to memorize the contents of the material? Discuss it in detail? Savor the style? Are you aiming at 100 percent understanding of new, difficult principles, as when you study-read a textbook? If so, don't expect a fast, once-through reading to be sufficient. Your purpose should not be study or analysis (although a single rapid reading prior to study or analysis is often very useful). Your purpose when you decide to rapid read should be general information and enjoyment.

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Thought units help you move faster. This is where you group the words according to context. For instance, lets say you have, "He said something." It's easy to put that in a phrase, then you move to the next phrase. If I had this sentence, "It's safe to say that almost anyone can double his speed of reading while maintaining equal or higher comprehension." If I want to read that in phrases, "It's safe to say that almost anyone.......can double his speed........of reading while maintaining is equal or even higher comprehension." You move much faster that way.

Speed reading techniques

• Active reading with pen
• There is little relationship between rate and comprehension
• Vocalization
• Reducing skipping back
• Speed reading (flash mode)

• Use your finger as a pacing device. You can move the finger rapidly from left to right under each line. This technique is effective if you intend to read every line, but it will hold you back if you wish to skip.
• You can use one or more fingers vertically. Place your finger(s) under the center of the first line of page, then move your finger straight down the page. (A slight left-right wiggle is permissible.) Keep your finger one or two lines below your eyes.
• Use an index card as your own portable shutter. Like commercial gadgets, the card prevents you from regressing to previous lines of print. Also, because you use your arm and hand to move the card down the page, you are physically more focused on the reading. Unlike other gadgets, an index card is cheap, is easy to carry with you, and can double as a bookmark! Do not forget to use soft focus and shortened margins as you read.