There are a number of ways by which to improve your reading speed One of the simplest method is knowing how to skim the content before you actually read it. It is always a good idea for you to speed read for the main themes in any text or work of non-fiction. You can achieve this simply by going over the table of contents , the first and the last sentence of each paragraph before reading the main text.
Contrasting Priorities
Differentiating your material according to priority consisting of most important, slightly important and very unimportant is another way in which you can improve your reading speed. Also try reading one category at a time according to its priority. In addition, it also pays to do your reading in an harmonious environment and it is never a good idea to read important subjects or anything that is hard to comprehend while lying in bed, it is far better to use a desk.
Another way in which you can improve reading speed is to read in the early hours of the day because that is when your mind will be clearest and it is also a very good reason why many people choose to read during the early hours of the day rather than in the evenings.
You can also improve reading speed by treating the headings as questions, especially when reading reference books or textbooks and then you can scan the rest of the text and look for answers to these questions this way you will be able to remain more focused as well as improve your reading speed.
Highlighting text is not a good idea this will not allow improvement in reading speed and although many people tend to highlight certain parts of a text; the end result are lower comprehension and reading speed, in fact, it can even cause you to have to read the text twice. However, it is not a bad idea to preview the material before actually reading it. You should spend a short period of time previewing a chapter before actually reading it so that you get a sense of significant as well as relevant text .This will then help to improve your reading speed.
In fact, nearly everyone that does a fair amount of reading will wonder just how to speed read and for them a simple answer is that you can achieve your goals by simply enrolling in a speed reading course. There, you will learn the best method to increase your reading speed and learn flexibility when it comes to reading speed and learning to pace your speed according to the kind of material that you are reading.
Basically, skimming is the most rudimentary form of reading. The object of skim reading is not to necessarily comprehend all that is being read, but rather to familiarize yourself, as quickly as possible, with the text being read. In this regard, skimming materials, by reading the index, subject headings and sub-headings, allows you to prepare yourself so that when the time comes, you can race ahead and speed read at pace - as you are already familiar with the text. Consequently, your overall reading speed will be vastly improved.
In addition, skimming allows your subconscious the chance to absorb the main ideas of a text. These are later cemented by your speed reading of the contents. The combination of these two methods allows you greater comprehension of what you are reading.
Conversely, if you are reading from cold, there is more chance you'll miss certain points or issues. If you want, think of it as if you are watching a movie for the second time: don't you always see parts of the movie the second time that you didn't see the first, which makes the second viewing all the more relaxing and pleasurable?
How to Skim Read
Having ascertained that skimming will increase our reading speed, we now need to know how to skim read. Whilst there are many different methods adopted to skim reading, the following are the essential elements:
* read the index of a text - note that it is essential that you do this so that you get the general ideal of what the text is about;
* read the introduction paragraph of the text;
* read each heading in the text;
* read each subheading in the text;
* read the first paragraph under each heading and subheading of the text;
* (if you have time) read the first and last line of the first and last paragraph of each page;
* (if you have time) read the first and last line of each independent paragraph;
* read the last paragraph of the text - again, this is very important as it is usually in this section that you'll find all of the main concepts of the text being summarized and concluded.
Moreover, when skimming, try using your peripheral eye vision to identify the main idea of the text, the main dates in the text (especially if the text relates to historical issues), and any illustrations/diagrams/graphs.
Finally, when you are skimming, start at the beginning and read straight through to the end. Do not go back over what you have already read before you have completed the whole text as this will defeat the purpose of your skim reading: in any event, you are going to speed read the text once more after you have completed your skim read!
Remember, skim reading is not intended to replace any reading of the material. Its intention is to familiarize yourself with the text so that you can be fully prepared to review it once again at a later time. In the event that you find yourself with insufficient time to both speed read and skim read a text, you should not confine your reading to a mere skim read as you may find that you miss out on vital pieces of data. Besides this, enjoy your skim reading in the comfort of knowing it will enable you to increase your overall reading speed!
Both Francis Hesse & Melvin Ng are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Francis Hesse has sinced written about articles on various topics from amino acid, Speed Reading and Cars. Francis Hesse will help you find all you need to become a proficiant speed reader.