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If you want to handle texts efficiently then you cannot only focus to reading speed, but you have to remember what you read. Otherwise there is no point in reading. There exist many methods for improving comprehension. Today I will show you how to use SQ3R. This method was introduced in 1946 by Francis Pleasant Robinson in his book, Effective Study.

SQ3R is a reading method, which includes 5 steps.SQ3R means Survey, Question, Read, Recite  and Review. There are many variation of this method, here I will introduce you the basic version of it. The main point is that you will not just read the text but you will work on it through these five steps. I will explain you how you should do it.

• Survey. Look through the text before starting to read it. It means that you will make a quick preview of it. Search for the headings and subheadings; see what the structure of the text is. If there is an introduction or conclusion then look them trough at fast pace. Do not spend much time on that phase and avoid starting to read paragraphs from the text. You should get only a fast and brief overview of the text, which will help you to comprehend later.
• Question. Before you start reading ask yourself questions about the text. What do you think the text is about? By now you have already gained some information about the text and if you question yourself then it activates your brain for reading. You may write the questions down in order to make this step more efficient.
• Read. Now you are ready for reading the text. Concentrate while reading. The better your focus, the better your comprehension will be.
• Recite. Take a sheet of paper and write down the most important facts and keywords. You should write them in your own words. Rephrase the main ideas. This phase activates your knowledge. If you apply newly acquired information through reciting it then it will significantly improve your comprehension.
• Review. Look at the keywords you have written down. They will reflect the most important information from the text. Try to recall what the linkages between these keywords were. If it comes out that you have forgotten something then you can look it up from the text. You should repeat the review on the next day in order to harden the information. Later you may look through your notes from time to time in order to brush up your memory.

This method allows you to remember texts better. However, following this method will not guarantee that you will get the information from text within the shortest possible time period. SQ3R is not a speed reading method, its primary target is improving comprehension.

However, SQ3R can be combined with speed reading, if you apply speed reading techniques at step 3. Steps 1 and 2 lay a good ground for being able to comprehend well while reading at fast pace.

Not all the texts are worth applying SQ3R. Use this method only for text which you need to remember very well. If you are satisfying with only getting the main points from the text and if you need not remember them far in the future, then SQ3R will be a waste of time.

kristjan Speed Reading comprehension, concentrate, reading method, reading speed, sq3r, texts

One option for learning to speed read is to get a speed reading book and study it on your own. There are a number of speed reading books to buy. Today I will give you some comments about 5 speed reading books, which you may consider buying.

Tony Buzan „Speed Reading“

It is one of my favorites. Covers different areas of speed reading. Starts with common reading problems. Much focus on improving you eye movement. Provides good tips for improving your concentration and vocabulary. Does not focus only on improving your reading speed, but also on comprehension. It is a good choice if you want to take learning speed reading seriously.

Abby Marks Beale “The Complete Idiots Guide to Speed Reading”

Well, this famous series has now reached speed reading. It is an easy and well explained book. Includes many exercises. Special focus on reading different types of texts such as magazines or texts from computer screen. If you are afraid that speed reading is difficult for you then it is a good choice for you.

Wade E. Cutler “Triple Your Reading Speed”

This book includes more practical exercises than most speed reading books. On the other hand it does not cover many areas of speed reading. Much focus on breaking old reading habits. Includes “two stop” reading method, which you are not likely to find from other books. In addition, it gives you tips for test taking.

Peter Kump “Breakthrough Rapid Reading”

It is a slightly old book, but it covers a wide range of speed reading topics. Besides technical tips lots of advice about developing the mind set of a speed reader and setting goals for reading. Provides tips for time management on speed reading. Includes lots of exercises.

Stanley D. Frank “The Evelyn Wood Seven-Day Speed Reading and Learning Program”

It’s a classical book on speed reading. Follows the methodology developed by a speed reading pioneer Evelyn Wood. Much focus on using your hands for reading faster. Not so many practical exercises in it, which is the weakness for the book. Besides speed reading provides you many tips about learning methods. The book is targeted to students.

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One of the main reasons why we spend too much time on reading is that we have developed a habit of reading all the words from the text. We read texts in a linear way, word after word and sentence after sentence. We have always read the texts in that manner and we usually do not think that three are possibilities for reading faster.

What is the aim of reading texts? It is not reading the words. It is getting information from the texts. Words are a medium for delivering information and reading words is only a means of obtaining information, not the goal of reading itself.

You do not have to read all the words from the text in order to get to know what the text is about. In fact, many words in the text do not contain valuable information. Consider the sentence “What is the aim of reading texts?” and compare it with “Aim of reading?” The message from these two sentences is practically the same, but the first sentence consists of 7 and the second one of only 3 words. It will take only half the time to read the shorter sentence.

In the most cases you do not need to get all the information from the text, but you are looking only for the general ideas. You want to get to know what does the author say. Although the information density of different texts may vary, on the average it is possible to get the main message from the text when one third of the words are missing.

So you can skip every third word and still understand the content. It means that when reading you do not have to be limited by the habit that you read all the words. Let your eyes fly over the text and do not be worried if you miss some of them. As far as you can follow the text, it is ok.

Reading the message and not the single words from the text is a matter of mindset. If you want to read faster then you have to approach the sentences as whole entities not as they consist of single words. Read sentences and not words. Get the idea from the sentence with out paying attention to every single word.

How can you develop that kind of habit? Instead of reading the text, let your eyes move over the text. Move your eyes in a faster pace than you are regularly reading. Read what you can, but do not pay attention if you miss some words. Let your eyes fly and follow the main message of the author.

kristjan Speed Reading information density, message, mindset

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Classroom course

For learning to speed read there are basically four options. First, you can participate in a speed reading class. It means that you will take a classroom course and a speed reading trainer will teach you there. Typical courses will consist of 8-16 hours of training, which to a large extent involves many different practical exercises. Usually, it will take one or two days to complete a classroom course, but there can be evening courses, where you will have classes for 2 hours in the evening one or twice a week and that kind of courses will take several weeks to complete.

Classroom course is for many people the best option for learning to speed read as your trainer will see you how you are doing the exercises and he/she will guide you if you are doing something wrong. At the same time there is a possibility to ask questions and get instant feedback to your progress.

A drawback of the classroom courses is that you will depend on their schedule, if you are not going to buy an individual course, which may be possible. You have to find a speed reading course in your location for, but there may not be available any in your area, especially if you are not living in a big city. In addition, this is the most costly way for learning to speed read. It will cost you $300-$600 to participate in the course.

Completing a classroom course does not mean that you should not continue practicing on your own. It will take time for you to harden your skills, so you should continue individual practice for at least 30 days following the completion of the course.

Speed reading book

The second option is to buy a speed reading book and study speed reading on your own. You will get an overview of the reading techniques plus exercises for improving your reading speed from it. Some books include only description of the exercises; others include practice reading texts and other exercises in it.

Learning from the book will give you flexibility as you can choose when to deal with it. At the same time it requires lots of self-discipline and you have to follow the instructions carefully in order to get the techniques right.

By my opinion it is the least efficient way for increasing your reading speed. Many people buy speed reading books and read them, but they really do not work hard on them and therefore they will not succeed. On the other hand, it is the cheapest way. You can get an older speed reading book for about $10 or you can borrow it from the library. Recent books will cost you around $25-$40.

Speed reading software

Using different software packages for training your reading skills has become very popular. In comparison to studying from the book, using a computer program gives your more interactivity and it is more fun way to do it. These programs include many different exercises, majority of them focus on your eye movements. Usually, it is possible to track your performance and test you reading speed.

A negative aspect of these programs is that usually they do not provide you much knowledge about theoretical aspects of speed reading and they focus too much on developing mechanical reading speed. But there is more to learn, if you want to read fast then you have to get a new mindset.

Similar to studying from the book, it is time flexible, but it requires self-discipline. As it provides more interactivity then the chances are higher that you will be able to make progress. Still many people do not make use of these programs. The price range for speed reading software is comparable to books, although it may be slightly higher. Some programs will have free versions, which allow practicing 1 or 2 exercises, but if you want to take it seriously then you will still have to buy the program.

Online speed reading course

Finally, there is a possibility to enroll in an online speed reading course. Buying that kind of course means that you are provided access to a learning environment, where you have different kinds of materials available for improving your reading skills.

These courses are usually divided into chapters as books and before sending you to perform practical exercises they will give you theoretical background of different reading methods. In addition, many online courses include video material. There you can see how to perform the exercises correctly. If you are going to participate in an online course then I would recommend you to choose the one, which has video material included. It will help you to get the techniques right.

Online courses include many different practical exercises and some of them are similar to offline speed reading software. In addition it is possible to track your progress and test you reading speed during the course.

In addition, online courses may include an option of communicating with the trainer, for example by email. So it will allow you to get feedback as the classroom course.

From my point of view online speed reading course is the second best option for learning to speed read after the classroom course. Clearly, it beats studying from the book or by speed reading software. It will give you theory, practical exercises and feedback. Still, it requires self-discipline to complete the course, which is the reason why some people may not succeed with it. And the feedback by email is not so instant and direct in comparison to the trainer being in the same room with you.

For some people it can be the best solution. For example, if you do not have a class room course available in the location. Or if you do not have time to participate in it. Or if you prefer individual learning. In addition, it is less expensive than the classroom course. The price of the online courses ranges from $75-$200.

kristjan Speed Reading online speed reading course, reading speed, reading techniques, speed reading, speed reading book

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Speed reading will help you save time on reading as it will allow you to increase your reading speed. On the average, after completion of a speed reading course and sufficient individual training most people are capable of doubling their initial reading speed. Speed reading skills are useful in many professions, especially for office work. In addition, you will benefit from these skills when reading for studying or leisure.

If you want to increase you reading speed then you have to learn new reading techniques. It can be achieved though participation in a speed reading course, which can be either a classroom or on-line course. Alternatively you may study on your own from a book or using computer software for that. These new skills have to be hardened, so you have to practice speed reading for at least one month.

Some people think that speed reading does not work, because they have hoped that it is possible to become a super fast reader just in one day (or even faster). It is not true. At the same time, exercises you have to perform for increasing you reading speed are not so difficult. And 45 minutes a day is enough. So it takes patience and consistence, but practically everyone can do it.

But what happens afterwards? You have become a fast reader and what next. Will you forget these skills? Could it be that after six month you are slow as you were before?

If you have practiced enough and acquired correct techniques for speed reading then you will not forget it. In that sense speed reading is a life time skill. It can be compared to learning to ride a bicycle or learning to swim. You can’t forget it.

But at the same time if you do not apply these skills regularly then your reading speed will decrease to some extent. For example, if you have managed to increase you reading speed from 250 words per minute to 550, then it can be that you can manage to read only at 425 words per minute six month after completing the course if you have not worked on yourself later. It is like practicing sports, you will not forget the basics, but in order to achieve a good result you have to be in top form.

Fortunately, it is not so difficult to apply speed reading techniques everyday. For example, reading with out moving your eyes backwards is something you can always follow. Or the principle, that you have to concentrate while reading and avoid distractions.

If you have learned techniques for fast reading then you can always take it up and practice in order to increase you reading speed. But actually you do not have to be a superfast reader. It is beneficial if you can read 2 or 3 time faster then average person does, but reaching speeds 1000 words per minute and above, will not give you so much additional advantage. If you want to work efficiently, then your ability to prioritize texts and select your reading material is more important. You have to read wisely not just fast.

In the speed reading courses you will learn how to preview texts, set goals for reading, read selectively and improve your comprehension. You will benefit from these techniques even if you do not actually read at very fast speed. And you will not forget these skills even if you reading speed drops to some extent.

kristjan Speed Reading reading speed, reading techniques, speed reading course

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The information available to us increases every day. And we consume more of it every day. How many e-mails do you receive? Many people get 100 or more mails in a single day. How many newspapers do you read? Many people follow 3 or 4 daily newspapers although they read the same news from them. What about journals? How many web pages and blogs you follow? How many RSS feeds do you have? And do you have time to read any books? Isn’t that all too much? And the amount of information available to us will grow everyday.

What could be the solution to that kind of information flood? Many people dream of being able to read faster. They think:”If I could only read faster then I could handle my information flows”. But is it all that simple?

Learning to speed read will allow you to consume information faster. It means that you will be able to read more text per time unit. For example, most people are able to double their reading speed by learning speed reading techniques. So after learning new reading methods the can read twice as many blog posts, e-mails or journal articles in an hour. If they could read 25 pages in one hour in the beginning then they will end up with read in 50 pages per hour.

Will it help you to cope with the information flood? Without any doubt if you can read faster then you will spend less time on reading a given amount of text. The question is that if it will be enough. If the information you want to consume doubles then doubling your reading speed will put you in to the same situation where you were before. But soon the amount of information will double again. Well, if you train yourself really hard then it is possible to increase your reading speed 4 times faster than it was initially, but soon the amount of information will double again. You cannot increase your reading speed without any limits. It is not possible to read 3 pages in one second, but if you still will not be able to read all the texts in the world even if you read at that high speed.

Being a super fast reader is not enough for dealing with the information flood. The question is how to select what to read. You have to admit that you cannot read everything. You have to be selective with reading. Read wiser, not only faster.

Actually speed reading is not only about mechanically increasing your reading speed. Although all speed reading courses focus on increasing your reading speed for completing a given text, many of them will teach you how to select your reading material. There are many techniques how to preview texts, how to set goals for reading and decide quickly what to read and what to skip. Even if you make a decision to read a text then you do not have to read it from the beginning to the end always. Actually there are not so many texts, which are worth reading completely.

It may seem to us that there is so much to read out there, especially if we think about web pages or blogs. But in fact, many of them do not contain so valuable information. Reading more does not make you automatically wiser. Think how people were living 100 years ago. They consumed much less information, but were they so much less educated then? I do not think so, they just consumed smaller amounts, but more valuable information. Nowadays there is too much fluff out there, especially on the web.

kristjan Speed Reading blogs, information flood, reading speed, speed reading techniques, texts, web pages

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Every day we read different types of texts. If you are an office worker then many of your work tasks are related to reading. For example, you may have to read reports, manuals, e-mails, invoices, product documentation, memos and so on. When you study at collage then you have to read books, scientific articles and lecture notes. During our leisure time we spend time on reading newspapers, books and blog posts.

What is the objective of reading? While in some cases we may read purely for fun then in the most cases we are looking for some kind of  information. We want to get to know something. We read news about the stock market for getting overview of the situation and making investment choices. We read meeting notes, for knowing what was decided there and which actions we are supposed to take. We read e-mails for getting information about next week’s work schedule or new price lists.

In case of work related reading we search for the information for practical matters. We use that information for making some kind of decisions. It is actually not so important how we get that information but that we get it and that it is correct.

When we have to read a book or an article then many people have developed an attitude: “I will sit down and read it from beginning to the end. After I have finished it I will know more about on this subject”. We spend much time on reading texts in that kind of manner. A typical office worker spends at least 2 hours on reading.

But when we are looking for information for putting it into use in practice then it is not necessary that we read text in a linear way from beginning to the end. In many cases not all parts of the text contain useful information for us. Spending time on reading those parts is a waste of time.

If we read texts selectively and more actively then we can acquire information faster and spend less time on reading. Whenever you face a text then you should not start reading it immediately. Instead of that use should look through the material and see what it is about. Which parts of it contain useful information? We can decrease our reading load by not reading parts of the texts, which do not give us valuable information.

It is not a sin to read only some parts of the text. It is totally ok if you read only two and a half chapters from a book, which has ten chapters. It is ok if you read only the one third of a newspaper article. It is important that you will read the right parts of the text.

There have been developed many techniques for selective reading. When you learn speed reading then you will learn how to use them. They all have in common that before reading the text you will make a preview of it. That means that you will look the text quickly through before actually reading it. The point is that you have to get to know what it is about in short time. It will help you to not to waste time on reading texts which you will not benefit from.

So feel free to handle your texts freely. Keep in mind that you are search for information (think beforehand what kind of information you need) and be selective. If you find that a text or part of it is not useful for you, then do not waste time on reading it.

kristjan Speed Reading information, office worker, preview, selective reading

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A common argument against speed reading is that it is not possible to remember the content of the text when you are reading too fast. It comes from the experience of many people who have noticed that if they read too fast then they will not remember much of what they have read. Therefore they think that there is no point in increasing your reading speed. It just cannot be that you can comprehend well at fast reading speed.

It leads to an argument that the slower you read the text the better you will understand it. So if you want to remember the text then you have to be slow and careful when reading. Many people were also taught at school that if you need to understand the content very well then you should not rush when reading.

However, in the most cases poor comprehension is not caused by too fast reading speed but low concentration. In order to obtain information from the text you have to keep your mind focused to it. If you let your thoughts wander away from the text then your brain has difficulties in memorizing that information.

It may sound unbelievable but reading faster will help you to focus better. If you make a conscious decision to read at fast pace then it keeps your thoughts concentrated to the text. If you want to read fast and at the same time still be able to follow the text then you just do not have time for thinking on other issues except the content of the text.

You are more likely to get bored when reading at slow pace. Reading faster will create excitement and make you happier. In addition, if you are reading too slowly then it is more difficult to keep a stable reading pace.

Can we improve our comprehension if we decrease our reading speed? It is difficult to do although our reading speed should depend on the difficulty of the text. If you read deliberately slowly then it is more difficult to focus to the text. You thoughts will tend to drift away.

It is natural that for more difficult text your reading speed will be somewhat slower. For example, it is ok, if you read newspaper articles at 300 words per minute and in case of scientific text you decrease your reading speed to 200 words per minute. But you are not likely to comprehend better if you decrease your reading speed to 100 words per minute.

If you want to remember the text well then it is more useful to read the text repetitively than to read if very slowly. In the previous example you will remember the text better if you read it twice at 200 words per minute in comparison to reading it at 100 words per minute only once. In many cases you will only need to read the text partially for the second time as you will only look over the most important parts of it.

For improving comprehension you will also benefit from knowledge activation. When you are reading the text twice then ask yourself questions about the text or write down keywords between to readings.

kristjan Speed Reading comprehension, concentration, reading speed, speed reading

Dr. Frey with Micro Fa micro chip, which protects against radiation from mobile phones

Every day I am getting more and more involved in business activities. Besides this blog and speed reading course, I run two companies. One of them Dream Capital Ltd. is an investment and insurance broker company and MICRIM  is selling health products.

In a previous post I have discussed how speed reading has helped me to defend my PhD thesis. Today I am going to share my thoughts about how does it help me to do business better.

First of all I would point out that if I had not taken up speed reading then I would probably had not got involved in business. I was a 100% academic and working at the university provided a nice and stable career with decent income. Learning to speed read somehow opened my eyes and showed me that there is more inside me. While I was quite a bright student in high school then at the university I was really not giving my best. I studied economics, but I did not aim at the business career. I wanted to be a politician instead. But soon I realized that I did not like politics and after I graduated MA studies I was out of ideas what to do with my life. Then I was offered a position at the university and at the same time I entered a PhD program. From that on I saw my life as a scientist and I did not believe that I was capable of having a business career.

But after I learned to speed read I started seeing the academic life slow and unproductive. Suddenly I wanted to do something more practical, efficient and I wanted to make more money too. Then I started teaching speed reading classes as self-employed in addition to holding a position at the university. From that point on I was doing business and afterwards I started my other projects.

Besides giving me the attitude of being fast and efficient speed reading itself allows me to save a lot of time on reading. In business you have less time for making decisions than in academic career and you need to find and work through right information fast. The number of emails I receive every day must have at least tripled in last 2 years. I need to read more reports, internal documents than before. If I were a slow reader then it would be very difficult to handle this.

I use a lot more internet resources due to my business activities. I browse more websites, read more blogs and company resources. For doing business you have to know what is going around at the market and what are you competitors doing.

Being an entrepreneur means that you have to continuously educate yourself. The world is changing fast and you just have to keep up with it. Therefore you have to read a lot. It is especially important for me as a beginner entrepreneur as I have to gain knowledge in management and marketing. In my academic career I was oriented towards economic theory and therefore I did not have much interest in management or marketing. But for being a practical businessman you have to be familiar with these subjects So I think I have to read even more than an ordinary businessman as I have to work more on my weaknesses.

While I have to read a lot for business, reading texts alone will earn no money. There are many other activities which take up my time. If I were a slow reader I would end up with working for 12 or 14 hours a day. It would generate lots of stress and I would burn out sooner or later. I definitely do not want that. So I just have to read faster to save time. Speed reading gives me a possibility to have time for resting and leisure activities.

kristjan Business, Speed Reading academic career, academic life, blogs, Business, business career, doing business, speed reading, speed reading course

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Pretend that you got pissed off with your colleague. You argued with him loudly and that made you really angry. How can anybody be so stupid and why I have to work to together with such an idiot? You feel like your are about to punch him, but this time it will not happen. Your colleague will leave and bang your door.

Now you are alone and there is time to get back to work. Before that conflict you we reading a some materials for preparation for the seminar next week. You still feel very angry. How it is going to affect your reading performance. Can the adrenaline from the hanger help you to read faster?

Unfortunately, anger will not do any good. In order to read efficiently, which means both fast reading speed and good comprehension; you have to concentrate to the text. You have to think only about the text you are reading and you have to avoid all irrelevant thoughts. In the previously described situation it is not likely that you can fully concentrate to reading.

Full concentration means that you have to throw all kinds of irrelevant thought out of your mind. So you should not think on that colleague while reading, but it is difficult to achieve after the previous events.

Being angry will hurt your reading comprehension most. You cannot focus to the text and therefore you will have difficulties in memorizing what you have read. Your own emotional are not letting your brain to receive and store information. You reading speed is also to be affected as when you thoughts are wandering away from the text then you are making small pauses in reading, which are wasting your reading time.

If you want to read and work efficiently then the best option is to avoid that kind of conflicts. You should not let other people to destroy your working mood. Every time you argue with other persons then think how you will benefit from it. Many conflicts are actually pointless and they will give no benefits in the long-run.

What should you do when you get angry? Then you should relax before you will start reading. You have to calm down. Although it takes some time, your reading efficiency will be higher when you are calm. You can relax by forcing yourself to breathe deeply

For doing it sit straight on your chair and then inhale slowly and deeply. At the same time, relax the belly muscles. Feel that your belly is filling with air. Inhale as long as possible. Then hold your breath for a moment or two and then begin to exhale slowly. As air is slowly let out, relax your chest and rib cage. In you have exhaled completely then start inhaling again. While concentrating on breathing, throw all negative thoughts out of your mind.

Now you are ready to start with your reading. Calmly take out the text and concentrate on it. Start reading at once and do not waste time on it. This will help you to read fast and to remember what you have read.

kristjan Speed Reading concentration, conflict, reading comprehension, reading speed, reading time