How to Get More Out of Your Reading

by Emerson Roy West

Time yourself as you read the following four paragraphs at your normal rate of speed.

A famous American public opinion pollster, George Gallup, once said, “Persons who read more write better, speak better, and know more. Naturally, then, they are more successful in life.”

But no one really needs Mr. Gallup to tell him that the open door to knowledge is through reading. Nor do any New Era readers need to be told that over 75 percent of all that is learned in secondary schools is acquired through reading.

And certainly everyone knows that reading affects our attitudes, beliefs, standards, morals, judgments, and general behavior. It truly does shape our thinking and actions.

What we want to know is, How can we read better, faster, and remember more of what we read?

Stop! Look at your watch. If it took you more than forty seconds, you are a slow reader; if it took around twenty-three seconds, you’re an average reader; and if you finished in fifteen seconds or less, you’re a fast reader.

Whatever your score, it is doubtful that you are reading as well as you could. You can improve your reading skills if you will develop and then practice good reading habits.

Here are some ideas that can help you become a better reader:

1. Survey. Survey or preview everything you plan to read to get a general overview of the material and to determine the difficulty of the material, your estimated reading time for the material, and your reading rate.

2. Learn to Read Faster. Remove the barriers to fast reading by as much as is possible avoiding re-reading a word or phrase. Also avoid moving the lips or tongue during silent reading, and word-by-word reading.

Always read faster than is comfortable. Push yourself to read as rapidly as you can and still understand the content. Use self-pacing in all your reading, either for studying or for enjoyment.

Self-pacing procedure: (a) Use the hand (the one that is the most comfortable) or a card as a pacer. (b) Practice moving the hand slowly down the page, lightly touching the paper and keeping the fingers spread. Repeat going down the page to the count of ten. Keep your count consistent and rhythmical—not too slow and not too fast. (c) Read easy, interesting material as fast as you can. (d) Read at a table or desk when practicing. (e) Be persistent. This program demands concentration and daily practice—ten to fifteen minutes for several weeks—before it becomes a habit or a skill.

3. Semireading and Selective Reading. This method provides quick and general summary. You read only those parts of the material that serve your purpose. Do not use these methods for novels, plays, short stories, or poetry.

a. Skimming. Survey or preview the chapter, article, or book. Read headings, subheadings, and main ideas. A good skimming gives you a summary of the material.

b. Scanning. Look quickly to get information about something specific in the article, book, or chapter. If you are looking up a particular word in the dictionary, a name in the phone book, a specific TV program in the program log, or a certain type of used car in the want ads, use this method.

c. Key Words—Telegraph Reading. This method uses both the skimming and the scanning processes. Key words are selective words: nouns and verbs. Not all words are equally important; therefore you ignore nonessential words. What do you do when you send a telegram? You use only key words.

4. Study-Reading Formula: SQ3R. This process will help you to learn, concentrate, understand, remember, and do better on exams. Be organized in your studying and try the SQ3R study-reading formula for two weeks.

S = Survey. Preview or survey a chapter or article to get a broad, overall, or general idea. The survey will include checking title, author, editorial notes, the first and last paragraphs, maps, charts, tables, diagrams, pictures, headings, and subheadings.

Q = Question. Ask yourself questions as you survey. Turn all headings or subheadings into questions. Study questions at the end of a chapter before reading the chapter. This gives you a purpose for reading and also stimulates more active involvement.

R = Read. Read in order to find answers to specific questions.

R = Recite. Write down the answers to those questions. Make a summary of the chapter or article. Repeat the important ideas to a friend; this will help you to remember them much longer.

R = Review. Close your book or magazine and put away your answers to the questions; then look at each of your questions and answer them. Review the material, checking for vague details.

Illustrated by Richard Hull