Reading Rate (From “The Reader’s Handbook”

What is your reading rat? How many words per minute should a college student read? What should a college student’s comprehension be?

Can you believe that a college student should read 300 words per minute? A college student should have 70% comprehension too!!

Should your reading rate be adjusted according to the type of reading you are doing?

If you answered “yes”, then you are right!! Remember: An efficient reader should adjust his/her reading rate for the type of reading being done

What should I do to vary my reading rate? How can I vary my reading rate?

Vary reading rate according to prior knowledge, difficulty, and purpose!

Before reading ask: WHY AM I READING THIS MATERIAL -Do you want 100% comprehension? 70 % (reading a newspaper) 50% (flipping through a magazine at a doctor’s office)

What are the techniques for faster reading?

Concentrate! Internal distractions and External distractions

Stop Regressing!! This occurs when your eyes are reading but your mind isn’t!! When you realize it, you go back and re-read the paragraph (this is called regression)

How can I stop regressing? 1. Find out why and when you are regressing 2. If your mind is just wondering, break the habit. 3. If you simply didn’t understand, find out what you didn’t understand and fix it—then re-read!

Expand Eye Fixations (fixations are when your eyes stop to read) Try to read at least 3 words at a time—not one word at a time Read following phrase

In the car

Did you make 3 fixations or 2?

Entertainment

You can read this automatically with one fixation

Use peripheral vision on either side of fixation point to help you erad two ro three words per fixation Take in phrases or thought units that go together

Monitor Subvocalization (your little voice in your head that reads for you) Do not vocalize (read with your lips moving— trying to pronounce each word)

Preview!! (we know this already—look at headings, subheadings, titles, illustrations, italicized words, boldfaced print)

Use Pen as Pacer Use pen or fingers pointing under words in smooth, flowing way---moving back and forth from line to line This will improve concentration by drawing your attention to the words Helps you to keep from regressing because you are moving forward and re-reading would interrupt this rhythm. Moving pen down page sets a rapid, steady pace for reading and helps you move from word-by word reading to phrase reading

Push and Pace! Sit up straight Be alert and aggressive Try to read faster Set goals and pace yourself Count number of pages in reading and estimate according to your reading rate how many pages you can read in 30 minutes PUSH YOURSELF TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL!

SKIM Skimming involves skipping words, sentences, paragraphs, and pages Quick overview of material to find out what reading is about Similar to previewing

Skimming Techniques 1. Read title, subheadings, italics, and boldfaced print 2. Find out how reading is organized and anticipate location of important points (listing, definition and examples, time order, comparison-contrast, description, cause and effect, problem- solution, opinion-proof) 3. If first paragraph is introduction, read it—if not, skip to a paragraph that seems to introduce topic 4. Move rapidly, letting eyes float over words. 5. Read first sentences if they seem to be summary sentences 6. Skip words that seem to have little meaning 7. Skip sentence with familiar ideas, unnecessary details, restatements, material irrelevant to your purpose 8. Read last paragraph of a section if it is a summary

Scan Searching for a single bit of information Only want to pinpoint a specific detail or word (like in the phone book or dictionary)

When researching you use both skimming and scanning Example: if you are working on a research paper on paranoia and have 30 sources—you would scan some of the sources that would have the relevant information to your topic and skim to get the main idea.