Introduction: Speed Reading

How to Read Fast and Retain More of what you read.

It is not that difficult to do, however people are unable to read quickly, mostly because they are taught in school to read out loud so the teacher can observe that they are really reading all the words. This has limited speed and comprehension. Studies show that you will remember nearly Everything on the top 1/3 of a page, Half of what is in the center, and Nothing on the bottom third. For textbooks, novels, and technical data these techniques work.

1. To double your speed and retention, place your index finger under the words. This forces you to read faster and remember more. Useful on tests.

2. The key to fast reading is Previewing.

To preview, Place your hand about 1/3 of the way down the page and drag it off the page looking straight down the page, do not focus on any words, do this at a rate of around 2 seconds a page.

Repeat the above practice at 4 seconds a page.

Repeat the above practice at 8 seconds a page.

It is important to let your mind settle for 30 seconds or so between previews. Just close your eyes and let the brain sort things out.

Practice this technique daily for a month. As you preview you will quickly observe that you are able to read the words. Even at 2-4 seconds a page.

3. Now Read. No hands on the page. Your reading speed will have increased, as will the comprehension.