How to Read Faster and Retain More

Slow readers are at a distinct professional and academic disadvantage. However, you can learn the technique to read faster and retain more information. Give yourself a head start at work and in life with these simple steps.

Instructions

1. READ FASTER BY DUMPING FILLER. The difference between a slow reader and a fast reader is the ability to recognize what is important information and what is simply filler. For instance, you can save time reading by skipping the author's biography and going straight for the information you need. Prologues are often written to set the tone for a book, rather than providing the information you desire.

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. The quickest way to access the information you need and to read faster, is to go to the table of contents and find out where, specifically, the information you need is. If the table of contents is too vague, look for the index in the back of the book. Look up terms that relate to your interest and follow the page numbers to the information you want. Read faster by reading less.

3. READ THE EPILOGUE. Unlike the prologue, the epilogue is often used to summarize information in a book. It is also used to add information to later editions of a book. The epilogue is a great way to find out what the whole book was really about and what you stand to learn from reading it. Knowing what to read and what to skip will help you read faster.

4. SECTION HEADINGS. When you open to a chapter that is indicated to have the information you need, skim over the section headings for the chapter. A chapter may be 50 pages long, but by viewing the section headings, you may find only one of those pages is relevant to you.

5. SKIMMING PARAGRAPHS. This is something we do automatically as children. Teachers often warn students not to read fast by skimming. However, when you have work to do and you need the information to do it, skimming paragraphs is an excellent way to cut out the filler. The first sentence of the paragraph usually tells you what information the paragraph provides. The last sentence, or the one before, usually provides a conclusion about the information in the paragraph. Read faster by skimming to see what each paragraph has to offer. If it's not information you need, move on to the next. If you do need the info, read the paragraph in full.

6. RETAINING INFORMATION. The best way to retain information when you read fast is to review the information quickly. If you read the information the night before, review the section headings and most important bits of info the following morning. This will take very little time since you have already narrowed down the areas of the book you need to focus on. The more frequently you review the information, the better you will retain what you have read.