| Let's face it, for most academic courses, you are | | | | task in hand. Reading something technical, a novel, |
| going to spend a lot of time reading. It will usually be | | | | history, a newspaper, these all take slightly different |
| the primary way to obtain the information you need | | | | approaches. |
| even if you have to go and learn by doing later. So it | | | | 2. Scan your text at increasingly detailed levels until |
| makes sense if your study success depends on it to | | | | you've obtained the information you need. Titles, |
| invest some time in improving this invaluable skill. | | | | subtitles, diagrams, summaries, introductions and last |
| We take reading and improving our reading for | | | | paragraphs first. This will impress the structure of the |
| granted. When you learned to read as a child there | | | | knowledge on your mind, show you where you need |
| were various steps and stages to be reached until | | | | to concentrate, and prime your mind to receive new |
| you could say 'I can read'. Usually though, once we | | | | information. |
| reach a certain stage, reading becomes a tool to | | | | 3. Use a pencil/your finger as a guide. It has been |
| learn other things and we stop learning to read in | | | | shown that physically following your pencil across the |
| itself. And although the act of reading more and | | | | page can increase your speed and concentration. |
| more does help enormously, we need to consciously | | | | Force yourself to go faster and faster, keeping up |
| think about how we read and stretch ourselves that | | | | with your guide. |
| bit more to reach new standards, especially if our | | | | 4. Don't stop at difficult parts. Don't try to |
| progress is dependent on the speed at which we | | | | understand everything at first. A little question mark |
| acquire our knowledge. | | | | is all you need to remind you, and you can come |
| It will take you some effort. It always does to | | | | back to it on a later 'scan'. |
| change habits and push our limits. But, the results will | | | | 5. Read words in groups, don't concentrate on one |
| be well worth it. You could double your speed and | | | | word at a time. |
| retention, depending on your current state and how | | | | 6. When you've finished a scan, brainstorm what you |
| much you are willing to put into it. There are many | | | | remember, so for your next scan you'll know where |
| books and courses available on speed reading, but for | | | | the gaps are and where you need to concentrate a |
| now let's look at some general tips that you could | | | | bit more and read in a bit more depth. The |
| implement right now and improve your reading skill. | | | | recollection itself is a very important part of the |
| | | | study process as well as a help to read more |
| 1. Learn to adjust the type of reading you do to the | | | | effectively. |