Does anyone have any information on how to speed read?

from what i can gather it is like reading but

Can't imagine you can really think critically about info. Probly good for memorization but I have to really understand and think about the topics that I read about so I never really looked into it.

If you want to learn a technique to speed read, it is to put your finger on the page and run it underneath the words as you are reading. This allows your eyes to focus better. Normally, when you read, your eyes are constantly bouncing. This is why people read a lot slower, for the most part. They have trouble focusing as they scan across the page. Putting your finger up there and following along gives your eye a central point to follow.

Speed reading does not equal better reading comprehension, but possibly in time it could.

Secondly, speed reading requires you to learn how to not read every word. I think it is suggested to start 3 words in from the left margin and then end 3 from the right.

But start with my first suggestion and move forward from there.

It is worth noting that the reason you start a couple words in is not so you can 'skip words', but because you have trained your eye to see chunks of words (in your example I assume you would be seeing chunks of 5). You probably shouldn't start off doing this.

I think this is a pretty good way to practice improving your wpm (words per minute): Pick a passage in an easyish book (not your physics text), and read for 3 minutes at your normal speed using your finger as a guide. Mark your place and record your wpm. Now read that far in 2 minutes. Then read that far in 1 minute. The key isn't to actually read every word, this drill isn't about comprehension. This is designed to train your eyes to move across the page at a rapid rate. When you finish, begin from your stopping point and read for 3 minutes at a normal rate. Record your wpm. I did this a couple times a day for a few weeks and my reading rate went up a lot without hurting comprehension.

For increasing your reading rate, the most important thing is avoiding subvocalization, or reading words individually in your head. Once you can learn to not do this, your reading times will skyrocket. I don't have any tricks for this, but the drill I mentioned seemed to help. Eventually you will just start to see chunks of words and they will make sense. It is hard to explain but definitely cool.

nice post from raptor. Another thing to note is when you reach the end of the line as you move your line of sight from right to left you should be able to tell whether next line has any valuble information and so forth (when your better it`ll be a couple of lines)

reading only left to right won`t give you great times. Also slowing down during info heavy sections is super important

Okay thanks for the help to everyone... I will practice on your drill Raptor and see if that will increase my wpm.

don't do any drills that have you using your finger. it wasn't effective for me, and i think those drills are terrible.

http://www.semanticrestructuring.com/lookma.php

its 3 weeks of drilling. you need to pick a time where you don't have to do any required reading and do those drills. you should not read anything at all during the 3 weeks except when doing those drills. i tried unsuccessfully twice before learning how to read w/ that pdf.

what helped me was not only counting when i read(see pdf i linked), but also asking myself internally say how the words i'm reading go together.

Just because they weren't effective for you doesn't mean it's not an effective technique, and telling him not to do it is pretty poor advice.

The purpose of the technique is to give your eye a focal point, to stop your eyes from bouncing while reading.

There is more than one way to do a lot of things...

On the other hand, I have taken a quick look into what you have linked. I can't give it a lot of attention right now, but will definitely skim it when I get a chance. Thanks.