Hello -
I want to try speed reading but am not sure where to begin. I've seen others mention it in posts and am curious about programs, methods and results.
Thanks!
Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
1–10 of 18 posts
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#2There are some resources mentioned in this post: http://howtolifeguide.com/post/16664436505/how-to-read
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#3You may find this link useful : http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/07/30/speed-readin...
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#4Try scrolling down a web page very quickly and see if you can glean some info from it.
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#5You may start with this rather good and detailed overview of techniques: http://muflax.com/experiments/speedreading/
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#6Axiom: The faster you (force yourself to) read, the faster you will be able to read (and comprehend).
This is just something I have found to be true, and doesnt come backed by all of the speed reading research (or marketing). As far as I know it to be you just need to read faster and stop trying to understand every single word and sentence. Don't try to grok every word just keep reading. The next piece of reading you do will happen that much faster (and faster, and faster). And when you come to something you do need to read and consciously comprehend every word, you'll be able to do that even faster than you could before.
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#7You just need to spend more time reading and your speed will increase naturally.
For example, I read a lot and it usually takes me no more than 2-3 hours to finish an average fiction book(about 0.5 mb in size) in my native language(I didn't received any training in speed reading)
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#8Richard Zorn made a book called Speed Reading. I believe it's out of print. But you can probably find it on Amazon. Small book. I read it in highschool. It works.
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#9The easiest hack I've found is to inhibit subvocalization through just repeating "one, two, three" or any other phrase in your mind while reading.
The second "hack" is to try to make reading chunks as big as possible. Try not to focus on a single word.
The third trick is to minimize eye movement. Try reading the first line normally and the second line backwards.
Re: Ask HN: Want to Learn Speed Reading. Where to Begin?
#10Having been around during speed reading's first vogue in the 1960s, I have to say that I think it overrated. To the extent that it works, I think that it is plain old skimming, which people hardly need to be taught. If you can read something at triple speed and comprehend as much, that text probably had a lot of padding.