How to Improve Typing Skills
Most workplaces feature the full spectrum of typists, from those who use finger at a time to speed demons who type 60 or more words per minute (wpm). If you're interested in becoming a faster typist, learn how to make typing second nature, which will free your mind to concentrate on the piece you are writing instead of each individual letter.
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Instructions
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Gauge your speed. A speed of 40 to 60 wpm is considered acceptable by most employers according to the University of Maryland. Increasing your speed increases productivity and saves a substantial amount of time if you spend several hours a week typing.
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Understand how to improve your accuracy by learning touch typing. Using the "hunt-and-peck" method over several years may have rendered you somewhat of an expert on the technique, but accuracy issues often overshadow even fast typists who use this inferior method. Poor accuracy leads to lost time spent correcting those mistakes. Improve your accuracy and watch your productivity and overall typing skills improve dramatically.
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Use free, online typing tutorials. These widely available programs cover everything from the basics of touch typing for beginners to speed and accuracy tests for advanced typists. Locate programs you enjoy and feel comfortable using to brush up on your skills.
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Practice regularly to see improvement. It can be fun to get online and try out your typing skills, but not so much fun to work on it continually. Commit to frequent, scheduled practice sessions and you will soon notice a marked difference in your typing ability.
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Test for improvement and change your methods if needed. Most online typing tutorial programs provide an area for testing speed and accuracy. Test yourself on a monthly basis and record your scores. This will motivate you to continue working hard on your typing. If you see no significant change, reevaluate the situation. If you are really putting in the time on a regular basis and still not seeing results, you may have the wrong program. Consider switching to another program for more significant improvement.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid getting in the habit of looking down at your fingers as you type. This slows down your ability to memorize the location of each key. It encourages continued reliance on the same hunt-and-peck method you may be trying to leave behind. Your speed will probably suffer in the beginning as you learn touch typing, but it will ultimately increase far more than would be otherwise possible.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit keyboard image by Fyerne from Fotolia.com
