Post by temporus on May 18, 2007 13:04:05 GMT -5
I previously posted here about feeling the need to read more quickly. Steve's advice at the time was to take a course.
I did go through the motions of researching speed reading, however, after a day or two of reading about the concept, and not finding anything convenient, I let things slide. I keep "looking into it" now and again, but have yet to put the effort into it that I should.
Today during my lunch break, I started in on some research again. (Thanks Fast 5 for freeing up some time.) I decided to check out some more ideas.
First I decided to see if I could test myself. I was able to track down two online speed tests. My reading rates were very close to identical, 196 wpm on the first, 190 wpm on the second. The second test also did two things. Quizzed for comprehension, and gave me an idea where that ranking falls. According to them, 200 wpm on a computer screen is about average. They also rate 60% reading comprehension as average. What I found was that despite my marginally below average speed, my comprehension is 100%. This made me pause slightly when considering this goal. The question in my mind is, if I increase my speed will I be sacrificing comprehension. The literature all seem to indicate that speed reading increases comprehension, so I may be concerned over absolutely nothing. Further, a small loss in comprehension is probably acceptable, if I could still make advances.
For the curious, the specific test I took resides here:
www.readingsoft.com/index.html
Anyone willing to take it and compare notes, I'd be intrigued. (Only takes a few minutes.) I'm not endorsing the product on their page, though at the price, it doesn't seem out of the question.
Regards,
Ed
I did go through the motions of researching speed reading, however, after a day or two of reading about the concept, and not finding anything convenient, I let things slide. I keep "looking into it" now and again, but have yet to put the effort into it that I should.
Today during my lunch break, I started in on some research again. (Thanks Fast 5 for freeing up some time.) I decided to check out some more ideas.
First I decided to see if I could test myself. I was able to track down two online speed tests. My reading rates were very close to identical, 196 wpm on the first, 190 wpm on the second. The second test also did two things. Quizzed for comprehension, and gave me an idea where that ranking falls. According to them, 200 wpm on a computer screen is about average. They also rate 60% reading comprehension as average. What I found was that despite my marginally below average speed, my comprehension is 100%. This made me pause slightly when considering this goal. The question in my mind is, if I increase my speed will I be sacrificing comprehension. The literature all seem to indicate that speed reading increases comprehension, so I may be concerned over absolutely nothing. Further, a small loss in comprehension is probably acceptable, if I could still make advances.
For the curious, the specific test I took resides here:
www.readingsoft.com/index.html
Anyone willing to take it and compare notes, I'd be intrigued. (Only takes a few minutes.) I'm not endorsing the product on their page, though at the price, it doesn't seem out of the question.
Regards,
Ed