Speed Reading?

[flow]

Do any of you speed read? I find myself always reading at a leisurely pace. I read in my head the speed that I would read aloud.. I hear it's possible to speed that process up (they even offer free speed reading classes at my university), but why?

 

[Ermine]

It depends what I'm reading and for what reason. If I'm reading for leisure, I read at the same pace I would read aloud. If I'm doing a reading comprehension test, I read slower. If I'm reading a math or science text for an assignment, I speed read.

 

[Reverse Transcriptase]

I would like to read faster.. I already spend so much time reading, and have a two dozen book long to-read list. Damn my birthday being so close to christmas! I get a tsunami of books.

 

[zxc]

I would like to read faster.. I already spend so much time reading, and have a two dozen book long to-read list. Damn my birthday being so close to christmas! I get a tsunami of books.

That's a good thing!

 

[Kianara]

I speed read for comprehensive tests, at least the ones I'm not very serious about. I read almost twice the speed I speak if it's just leisure. I also speed read for reading-speed tests.

I got a dozen books for Christmas, but I'm purposly taking it slow to convince my father that I'm not addicted and that he doesn't need to take my books away.

 

[Madoness]

Do any of you speed read? I find myself always reading at a leisurely pace. I read in my head the speed that I would read aloud.. I hear it's possible to speed that process up (they even offer free speed reading classes at my university), but why?

Uhmm... you got to get rid of the habit on speaking in your mind words that you read... and then the speed of reading would be at least twice as fast.
To my surprise, I found out that I read books in english faster than I do with my native language. But I guess, it's the matter of when I read in my native language, I tend to read them in my head as speaking words but with english it isn't so.

 

[Fleur]

I read very fast, both in voice and mind; I can easily finish a thick book in one day.
When in voice, I read so fast that I end up tangling with words and it's not rare that I "jump" over some parts (this is the reason why teachers don't want me to read loud in a class - others aren't able to follow what I'm reading).

When I re-read a book, I sometimes wonder how it comes that I haven't noticed a certain part in the first time of reading.

 

[JoeJoe]

I always read in the speed I would say it aloud, especially when someone's talking. I often even make a pause when there are "..."'s to get a better feel of the ambient in the book.

 

[figaro_black]

On any given day I have between a hundred and three hundred pages to read. This might not sound as a lot, but when you read to learn and not all of it is interesting speed reading becomes quite a handy thing to have mastered to quickly get the gist of a text before reading in the important details.

Besides, when searching for additional information on any given topic you also have to be able to quickly read texts or you will spend a lot of extra time just sorting relevant information from non-relevant information.

Speed reading is simply a useful tool, not to be used when reading for pleasure.

 

[Kidege]

I read fastly even for leisure. I slow down for study purposes because I try to memorize the important stuff.

A few years ago I couldn't speed read in English and it was somewhat frustrating, but practice makes perfect. Frankly, if I can't speed read, I get bored.

 

[Minuend]

Yes, I do. I usually skips descriptions as well, since I have an image in my head of what things and people look like already. Actually, I speed read everything. When I read posts in forums, sometimes I just read the beginning of the paragraph, and then assume what is written in the last part of the paragraph. I think I also just read some words in a sentence. And then use my experience to make meaning of them. I assume what it says.

And even when I have to read "properly" (tests), I read very fast.

 

[hopefulmonster]

I was tested when I was younger and was found to read at about 1k words per minute. But I'm hyperlexic which is psychobabble for autistic spaz who reeds gud.

 

[Anling]

I can read pretty fast. I've learned to speed read, but I not very good at it. Sometimes I find I just cannot take understand that many words at once and I have to go back over it slower anyway. I'd say it's only really good for skimming something for the basic ideas before you read it more closely. But I wouldn't want to speed read a novel, I'd miss all the nuances.

I got a dozen books for Christmas, but I'm purposly taking it slow to convince my father that I'm not addicted and that he doesn't need to take my books away.

I've been grounded from my books before. Mom said I got too cranky when I was interrupted. Sometimes I wonder if it counts as an addiction. When I finally get a new book, especially one I've been waiting for, I often cannot sleep until I finish it. Which means that I can read a pretty long book in one night, but I also would have to attend classes the next day with a sleep deprivation headache.

 

[Waterstiller]

When I read for data or official purposes I tend to use techniques I learned in analytical reading and thinking classes; scan for main points and secondary points, their relations, and trash the padding. Most forms of informative media aren't meant for INTPs and seem to be a waste of time to read everything.

*finally has an idea for a thread*

 

[Anling]

Most forms of informative media aren't meant for INTPs and seem to be a waste of time to read everything.

I have noticed this recently with the documentaries I watch. I've become rather irritated at how they try to sensationalize everything and there's all this useless fluff in it. I feel incredibly let down when they try to hook me with all these interesting ideas and then nothing comes of it. I am watching because they promised me fascinating information and they did not provide it. Sometimes it seems like they're taking after soap operas, where maybe 10 minutes worth of stuff is stretched out into an hour.

 

[Wilbur]

Yes, I do. I usually skips descriptions as well, since I have an image in my head of what things and people look like already. Actually, I speed read everything. When I read posts in forums, sometimes I just read the beginning of the paragraph, .

Every time you read, try to increase the number of words you look at in a time. In most cases, holding the text a few inches away from your eyes will allow you to see more words and read faster.

 

[Aiss]

I can't remember the time when I didn't love reading. I learned to read early, and in my family books and reading were highly valued, so I guess I had little choice in the matter. I learned to read fast, just from doing it a lot. I don't do the "speak in mind" thing, but neither is it skipping over the text. Only later did I become interested in "speed reading" and learned it. It can be useful but reading for pleasure this way seems pointless to me (especially since the difference in speed isn't big), so I don't do it often.

To my surprise, I found out that I read books in english faster than I do with my native language. But I guess, it's the matter of when I read in my native language, I tend to read them in my head as speaking words but with english it isn't so.

Interesting. For me it's the opposite - I read relatively slowly in English, exactly because I'm speaking in my mind, even though I learned English by reading/writing rather than speaking/listening (which came later).

 

[Madoness]

Speed reading as in reading diagonals, no. But reading through finding keywords to get the point, sometimes, yes. But when I'm about to discuss the subject, I need to read it through, sometimes faster, sometimes slower.

 

[Cogwulf]

I think most of the time I read just slightly faster than I would read out aloud, but I think it's hard to tell, I think the brains internal clock runs differently on the introverted and extraverted levels, so it may seem like I read to myself at the same pace as I would say the words out aloud, but in reality I might be going twice as fast

 

[transformers]

I speed read when I'm reading for leisure, otherwise I'll be careful and slow, as if I don't I tend to miss important details.

 

[morricone]

Like most of you I read a lot and fast (just fast, not speed reading).

But I can't speed read scientific literature, you just can't do that if every single symbol has a meaning und you need about 15 min to "get" one page.

I have noticed this recently with the documentaries I watch. I've become rather irritated at how they try to sensationalize everything and there's all this useless fluff in it. I feel incredibly let down when they try to hook me with all these interesting ideas and then nothing comes of it. I am watching because they promised me fascinating information and they did not provide it. Sometimes it seems like they're taking after soap operas, where maybe 10 minutes worth of stuff is stretched out into an hour.

This is so true, usually I try to record it (if it seems at least somewhat interesting) and fast forward then.

When I finally get a new book, especially one I've been waiting for, I often cannot sleep until I finish it. Which means that I can read a pretty long book in one night, but I also would have to attend classes the next day with a sleep deprivation headache.

Happens to me a lot. When Harry Potter 6 came to the cinemas, I read HP 6 and 7 in two days. (vacation ) Because I didn't remember the details and wanted to double check the movie.

 

[SEPKA]

My 2 years maths note is ~15cm thick. Yet each topic is filled with dozen of useless super long and boring mind-numbing examples that might even faster to solve by program into the computer. Lucky I have practised speed reading so I read them and only take note of important definition that worth only 2 A4 pages in writting. However, when I read scientific paper I usually read very slowly to try and understand it clearly. I tend to avoid it though, and find a summary instead.

 

[Cassandra]

I can read at the speed my thoughts usually are (very fast),
Or the speed I speak at (moderate)
Or the speed I would read something I wanted to get every drop of meaining, beauty, and enjoyment from the text (very, very slow).

I prefer the latter.

 

[echoplex]

I actually think I read somewhat slow. I can read fast but then I don't feel that I'm comprehending it well enough to suit me.

 

[saffyangelis]

I can read pretty fast, but I tend to only do that when I'm either near the end of a book, and I know I have to go do something in a minute so I want to finish it faster, if the book itself is quite dense (then I find it easier since I'm not trying to remember all the mini details for long) or if I'm being forced to read something (or, occasionally when I'm being timed, I'll read faster). If I focus for the first few pages, then I start reading quickly without thinking about it though.
Normally though, I'll slow down and read at a good bit faster than my speaking speed.
When I'm re-reading a book, I tend to drift into reading in between my two speeds though.

 

[chaomon]

I talk fast, I read fast. I remember when my teacher ask me to read infront of class... everyone was like "damn I didnt understand everything she's fast and slang" but when I'm reading a Filipino (our launguage) book infront of everyone I am so slow! I dont know why? Its Filipino our official language so I should be good at that but I'm not. But I talk fast in our language I just cant read fast.

 

[anemian]

Speed Reading test: http://www.readingsoft.com/index.html OR http://mindbluff.com/askread.htm#7
I get 310 WPM with 95% accuracy. In the tests in the other link got nearer to 400 without all the silly numbers. However when reading Internet talk as you can imagine anyone can digest that stuff insanely fast, it being 5th to 9th grade reading levels most the time. Even Harry Potter books can be a fast 700 word a min read at a 5th grade reading level.

 

[pacman244740]

I've tested at a reading speed at 700 wpm on very simple text. For me the speed at which I read depends on how difficult the subject matter is.

 

[snafupants]

I think it would behoove lawyers or research scientists to speed read and digest as much and as quickly as possible. If I am reading for leisure, however, I go just a little faster than reading it out loud; this enhances comprehension while still making it enjoyable. I would like to see someone speed read Joyce or Faulkner and ask them questions minutes later without reflection.

 

[KazeCraven]

Eh, speed reading seems only good for getting past material that one is already familiar with. Due to hardware limitations (eye fixation speed, sensitive area of retina) there's a pretty low limit for reading every single word, so much of "speed reading" is making lots of assumptions about what is given and hence skipping irrelevant words (or passages, if it is that predictable).

I read lots of philosophical literature and scientific studies, so speed reading is pretty worthless for that. Try "speed reading" a psychological study and critique the methods/procedure: you'll see what I mean.

 

[Apotheosis]

I'm not a fast book reader. When I read slowly and carefully, I find it easier to shove information into my mid- to long-term memory.

When I'm absorbing smaller chucks of information, I can process it at a far quicker pace.

 

[BitRogue]

I'm a slow reader. I read at the speed I talk, or just slightly faster but not much. What bugs me is how people actually read fast and still enjoy what they're reading. Textbooks and reference material, yes, read fast, skim and skip methods are exactly what I do as well.

But reading a novel for me is like having this movie played out in my head. Im creating worlds with colours, sounds and objects as Im reading it. When people talk, they talk at normal speed. I mean who the hell talks at 12x speed in a movie anyway?
My memory retention by doing this is brilliant. Not perfect, but certainly way above average.

For a while I tried speed reading novels and found it was just like data transfer, no emotion, no richness or enjoyableness. My memory retention went down and I found myself rereading paragraphs as a result. So yes, I read every single word on a page, to a fault. Speed reading requires more concentration and effort and its more stressful. So I no longer bother trying it and I've adopted a relaxed and unconscious (and not very fast) reading speed that gives me the best enjoyment and least stress.

 

[jzono1]

Speed reading came naturally to me. They suspected me of cheating on the reading tests in elementary school.

I can plow through even the most advanced books at decent speeds. Reading at "normal" speeds is boring, since my mind can keep up with a lot more.

If the material is interesting enough, I drop speed intentionally when I need to process it in depth eventually anyway - when that's needed I might as well do it as I go.