Speed Reading

[LitNetIsGreat]

Sorry if this has been done before or anything but I would be interested to hear you thoughts on speed reading. Do you think that it is something worth trying to develop or do you feel that comprehension is lost as a result of it? I think that the average speed people read is about 300-400 WPM though stepping up to 600 WPM seems not to difficult to achieve without losing much comprehension.

Of course it very much depends upon the content you are reading, there is also little fun or point in racing through the likes of Shakespeare or Shelley (or any poetry for that matter) at breakneck speed. I fully stand in the camp of pleasure and savouring literature, instead of ‘whomping it down’ but I am still interested in speed reading.

In short, do you think speed reading is a good idea? Can you speed read? What are you thought upon it if anything?

Thanks, Neely.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Sorry if this has been done before or anything but I would be interested to hear you thoughts on speed reading.

Happy to oblige: We have in fact dealt with speed reading at least twice before, in those two old threads:

How fast do you people read, and how did you get that way?
Speed reading

One of those threads contains a link to a speed reading test I found and tried at the time (and which I am in no way associated with).

There is no reason not to start a new thread on an interestiong subject though. To answer your questions: Yes I do practice speed reading, and I do think it's worth the trouble to develop your reading speed. In my opinion, an increase in speed also increases comprehension rather than the opposite.

/Claes

[LitNetIsGreat]

In my opinion, an increase in speed also increases comprehension rather than the opposite.

/Claes

Yes this is an interesting paradox that I have read about and seen a few times. When you look at people like Tony Buzan and all he has achieved through memory, brain training and speed reading you know there must be something in it. I have just got one of his books (again) out of the library to have a re-read. I'm particularly interested in the memory comprehension graphs showing how much people recall in learning and how to maximise your own potential through this. I'll relate this later if any one is interested who doesn't know what I'm talking about. Anyway, thanks for the links I'll go through them in a short while.

[Dr. Hill]

A decent, constant pace is all that matters. Speed reading, as you put it, is normally detrimental to my understanding, but a brisk reading, a reading that doesn't stop, is best. If you stop reading a book for a few days and go back to it, I think that's worse than speed-reading it.

[Infinitefox]

I don't like speed reading. I like to take in the details and dialogue, to think about the characters and plot, and speed reading doesn't allow me to do that. Plus I really do think it hinders your comprehension.

[skasian]

I consider myself a speed reader and it seems not to effect my comprehension at all. I tend to move my eyes in a figure of an X, and it seem to pick up every word while jumping from left to right. Does anyone else read like this?

[Tallon]

I find it hard to comprehend reading that fast, let alone being able to do it. I don't think my vocabulary is good enough to speed read, plus i generally like to look up references to people/events, as well as words, as i go along anyway.

[aBIGsheep]

The first time you read something can only say so much.

It's only when you go back and reread it, like two or three times, do you hopefully begin to understand.

[Illuminati]

I don't like speed reading. I like to take in the details and dialogue, to think about the characters and plot, and speed reading doesn't allow me to do that. Plus I really do think it hinders your comprehension.

How is it that you have read 102 books this year and yet do not speed read?