READING:
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SPEED READING
It is no use reading anything if you do not understand it, however being able to read quickly with understanding is a key skill that you will appreciate on your course.
Do you know how fast you read at the moment? If not, try the following test.
Click here for speed test.
What is a good speed-reading rate?
If your speed reading test records results of 200-250 words per minute then you would benefit from improving your speed-reading rate. What is a good reading speed – about 500 words per minute.
Why do we need to speed-read?
Speed-reading has its place, but it is not going to help you 'learn' more quickly. But it may stop you wasting time reading carefully material that is not relevant.
Always remember that things read at speed will, more often than not, be forgotten at speed. It's the slow reading, the reflection and processing of information that helps us to learn and remember. So when is it appropriate to speed-read?
- Use speed-reading to find the parts in your reference books, articles etc. that are worth reading more slowly.
How can I speed-up my reading?
Practice, practice, practice is the real answer. But you might try some of these ideas:
- Read more advanced texts – get your mind used to seeing unusual words and complex sentence structures – but choose a subject that interests you.
- Move your finger down the page and try to keep up with it. – Gradually speed up the movement as you get more practised.
- Be selective in what you read, i.e. practice active reading – you still read at the same speed, but you read less and so gain time.
- Try to take in several words at a time, or a phrase, even if you need to guess what the phrase is going to be. – This is quicker than trying to read every word carefully and separately.
- Learn to recognise 'signal words' that indicate where you need to speed-up, slow-down your reading style.
Click here for signal words guide.
Active reading
Active reading is about knowing exactly what you are looking for and identifying the part of text you need without wasting time. Try some of these ideas:
- Carefully consider the question that you are trying to answer or the exact information that you need.
- Is there anything in the index of the book?
- Once I find a promising reference, do I:
- Read the chapter headings and subheadings first?
- Look at the first sentence of each paragraph?
- Look at the diagrams and charts and try to state what they tell me in a few words?
- Read chapter introductions and summaries?
- Put markers in the parts of the chapters I need to read
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