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| Speed reading courses and tests utilize skimming questionnaires rather than standardized reading comprehension in order to claim an improvement in reading speed and comprehension. Current empirical research into reading, and common sense, suggests that to improve comprehension, a reader would be sensible to slow down their rate of reading. When comprehension is not the goal, skimming and scanning can be cautiously applied. | Speed reading courses and tests utilize skimming questionnaires rather than standardized reading comprehension in order to claim an improvement in reading speed and comprehension. Current empirical research into reading, and common sense, suggests that to improve comprehension, a reader would be sensible to slow down their rate of reading. When comprehension is not the goal, skimming and scanning can be cautiously applied. | ||
| A speed reader, or super reader, is someone who speed reads and/or advocates the use of speed reading. At best, they can be considered as experienced skimmers who claim to be able to read at superhuman rates ( |
A speed reader, or super reader, is someone who speed reads and/or advocates the use of speed reading. At best, they can be considered as experienced skimmers who claim to be able to read at superhuman rates (sometimes 1000-10,000 words per minute). When tested for comprehension on both light and comprehension dependent material such speed reading experts claims have been found to be false. | ||
Revision as of 08:13, 22 December 2004
Speed reading or RRT (rapid reading training) is purported to vastly improve reading speed (at rates exceeding 1000 words per minute) with full comprehension. However, courses and books on speed reading, often sold through popular psychology literature, promote skimming habits rather than reading ability.
It is possible to adopt skimming skills within a few minutes without having to enroll in a course. However, skimming and scanning is a dangerous habit to foster as it severely reduces comprehension.
Speed reading courses and tests utilize skimming questionnaires rather than standardized reading comprehension in order to claim an improvement in reading speed and comprehension. Current empirical research into reading, and common sense, suggests that to improve comprehension, a reader would be sensible to slow down their rate of reading. When comprehension is not the goal, skimming and scanning can be cautiously applied.
A speed reader, or super reader, is someone who speed reads and/or advocates the use of speed reading. At best, they can be considered as experienced skimmers who claim to be able to read at superhuman rates (sometimes 1000-10,000 words per minute). When tested for comprehension on both light and comprehension dependent material such speed reading experts claims have been found to be false.
Reading Rate: A Review of Research and Theory. (1990) Professor Ronald P. Carver.
Nell, V. (1988). The psychology of reading for pleasure. Needs and gratifications. Reading Research Quarterly, 23(1), 6-50
Homa, D (1983) An assessment of two “extraordinary” speed-readers. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 21(2), 123-126.
See also
External links
- Suggestions for improving reading speed
- SpeedReader - a free speed reading software
- RocketReader - commercial speed reading software - 14 day free trial
- speedreading.com - RocketReader-affiliated speed reading resources