Summary of Findings (Green Team): Speed Reading (4.5 out of 5 Stars)

Note: This post represents the synthesis of the thoughts, procedures and experiences of others as represented in the 12 articles read in advance (see previous posts) and the discussion among the students and instructor during the Advanced Analytic Techniques class at Mercyhurst University in April 2012 regarding Speed Reading specifically. This technique was evaluated based on its overall validity, simplicity, flexibility, its ability to effectively use unstructured data and its ease of communication to a decision maker.

Description:
Speed reading is a modifier that allows an analyst to more easily process information in order to enhance productivity. When used effectively, there will be an increase in reading speed in addition to some increase, or at least little decrease in comprehension or retention. Speed reading can be understood as reading faster than the average word per minute rate, where 200-300 wpm is considered average for normal readers. With the variety of techniques available, speed reading is flexible, though the effectiveness of techniques varies.

The two main techniques are skimming, which is a process of speed reading that involves visually searching the sentences of a page for clues to meaning, and meta-guiding, which is the visual guiding of the eye using a finger, pointer. or notecard, in order for the eye to move faster along the length of a passage of text.

Strengths:

• Very simple
• Can be applied to most forms of text
• Once mastered, can be switched on and off depending on the material at hand
• Greater comprehension can be achieved by understanding the bigger picture
• Can be used to increase comprehension for non-native speakers

Weaknesses:

• Involves breaking old habits
• May miss important information if applied incorrectly
• Effectiveness is disputed
• Once techniques are learned, they must be continuously practiced
• The effectiveness differs from native speakers to non-native speakers
• Less effective with new vocabulary

How-to:
Although there are a variety of techniques for speed reading, almost all start with a benchmark/test of your current reading level (wpm). The most common application of speed reading involves reducing cognitive sub-vocalization, which involves silencing your interior voice in order to absorb the text faster. Other methods to improve reading speed that are accepted as effective include:

• Chunking, which involves taking in larger amounts of text than simply one word a time. (http://speedreadingtutorial.wordpress.com/category/chunking/ or http://learntospeedread101.com/courses/chunking/)

• Reading a book, using an index card to guide your eye is another technique that keeps the reader moving forward.
• The ability to skim over “non-essential” words like “and” “be” “it” while concentrating on the main words of a sentence will also help increase reading speed. (http://www.speedreadingtricks.com/skimming.php)
• Alternatives to speed reading is to selectively choose the types of material read, then reading the conclusions to decide if a full article is worth reading.

Personal Application of Technique:
The exercise to demonstrate speed reading was divided into two sections. The first part of the exercise was designed to measure each participant’s words per minute read and their comprehension rate. Using http://www.readingsoft.com/index.html, each person read a paragraph to determine the WPM. The class read at rates between 200 and 600 wpm, with the average being near 350. Once WPM was discovered, a comprehension test was applied based on the paragraph read. The class scored between 65% and 85% comprehension. The two fastest wpm scores recorded the lowest comprehension scores.

The second part of the exercise was to demonstrate an online tool to help increase speed reading. Using http://www.spreeder.com, the class read a set piece of information at 300 wpm, with 1 word on screen at a time. Once completed, the words per minute was increased to 600. At the faster speed, it is designed to move just beyond the internal “voice” of a reader. The exercise is then repeated at 300 wpm to demonstrate how much slower it seems. The software can be customized to any wpm and chunk size, allowing to read several words at a time.

One problem with Spreeder is that it repeats the same content with each iteration. It would be more effective at demonstrating increased reading speed if the content changed with each attempt.

Further Information:
Information on speed reading can be found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_reading
Online tests are available, the class used the resources at http://www.readingsoft.com/index.html
Spreeder.com provided an excellent online program for increasing reading proficiency

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Speed Reading for the Executive

Introduction:
Dr. Pauk hypothesizes that speed reading, as taught, doesn’t work. He summarizes his belief by using the example of someone who says he can read 40,000 words per minute (wpm). He equates that to reading 133 pages of a book in one minute. He further demonstrates that even at 10,000 wpm, that equates to 33 pages per minute, or 2 seconds per page. He proposes an alternative method for deciding what to read.

Summary:

Dr. Paulk looks at how a busy executive can stay current with journal and other readings without the need of traditional speed reading techniques. Instead, he suggests going through each periodical, when it is received. He proposes a multi-step process to eliminate a pile of “to read” items on an executive’s desk.

Before tackling the journals and magazines received, Paulk suggests that executives analyze what they are getting and why in order to eliminate items that will not add to professional knowledge.

Once a journal arrives he proposes an executive review the table of contents of each magazine or journal received to see what articles are of interest. If any articles warrant further investigation, then read the conclusion, or last paragraph, of those articles immediately to decide if you will learn something new in the article. If the answer is affirmative, then either read the article immediately or take it home to read that night.

He suggests that if it is worth reading, then it is worth reading sooner, rather than later. Once the article is read, he then instructs the executive to write down any ideas he has on index cards…one idea per card…and give it a title, then note the journal article, journal, date and page number. Once that is completed, the executive is told to discard or pass on the magazine or journal to another person.

Conclusion:

This article suggests that astronomical speed reading rates are unrealistic and practitioners lose the ability to comprehend the reading at advanced rates. It goes on to propose a process for tackling piles of magazines or journals that allows an executive to gain insight needed to better perform his job. To relate the article to modern technologies, would be to use a note-taking type of program to file interesting ideas from readings instead of keeping the entire journal article on a hard drive.

Source:

Pauk, Dr. Walter. Speed Reading for the Executive. Training Directors. March 1965. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.mercyhurst.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=8951161&site=eds-live

The Effect Of Speed Reading Courses On Reading Authentic Texts

Introduction:

In the article, “Speed reading courses and their effect on reading authentic texts: A preliminary investigation”, the author proposed research question deals with whether reading speed gains measured in words per minute on controlled speed reading texts transfer to other types of texts, because the texts in speed reading courses are written within a restricted lexicon.

Summary:

The author notes that in the classroom, there are three principal approaches to increase reading speed:

1)      Extensive reading which includes that learners read materials that contain only known vocabulary and they are reading a lot due to the learners reading what they like.

2)      Repeated reading which requires the learners to read the same text repeatedly, either silently or aloud.

3)      Speed Reading courses which consist of a set number of texts of a fixed length, written within a restricted lexicon, followed by several multiple choice questions to analyze how much the learner “absorbed”.

This study was conducted with four intact classes on a university preparation course at a New Zealand university. All the teachers were familiar with and used speed readings, but for this study one teacher agreed not to use a speed reading course with her class. At the beginning of the course, all students took a Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), which tests various vocabulary frequency levels and provides information to guide future vocabulary learning. The teachers teaching the speed reading course then chose a book that fitted the class profile, but could have been more difficult for a few students. The three authentic texts were all taken from a long essay written by George Orwell about his school days. The time period for the writing was around the time of WWI, and it was likely that the topic would be unfamiliar to all the learners.

The results of the study showed gains for students doing a speed reading course in reading speed as measured in wpm on speed reading texts and on authentic texts. Specific conclusions are:

1) Students who do a speed reading course are very likely to increase their reading speed from the beginning to the end of the speed reading course.

2) Students who do a speed reading course are significantly more likely than those who do not do a speed reading course to read an authentic text more quickly at the end of the speed reading course than they did at the start of the speed reading course.

Conclusion:

The findings suggest that a speed reading course may contribute to faster reading speeds on other types of texts, but the author indicates that there remains a need for further experimental research into the impact of speed reading courses. Finally, the author suggests that opportunities to read, possibly through an extensive reading program are needed so that learners can maintain their gains in reading speed.

Source:

Macalister, J. (2010). Speed reading courses and their effect on reading authentic texts: A preliminary investigation. Reading in a Foreign Language, 22(1), 104–116. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ887882.pdf