How I Read Faster Using Science (Use These 3 Tips)
Boost your word per minute (wpm) rate by 100%
Reading fast is a superpower.
It enhances knowledge, comprehension, and productivity. While many strategies and methods claim to improve reading speeds, I was very skeptical about them. So what did I do?
Of course, read scientific articles.
This is how I found a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Memory and Language by Brysbaert (2019). There, he analyzed 45 papers to study how to read faster in more detail.
This is what he found.
What’s the Standard Reading Speed?
Well, 300 words per minute (wpm).
Brysbaert (2019) found that this figure is cited across studies and textbooks as an average adult rate. However, he was curious about the origin of this estimate and how this applies to any reading.
He found factors like text difficulty and individual differences influence wpm.
For example, comprehension tests reveal lower average rates. College students read an average of around 212 wpm, which challenges the standard 300 wpm.
Also, short versus long reading tasks gave different results.
Think about these results as running pace. Short sprints (like fast reading bursts) don’t reflect the real and sustainable pace one could maintain over longer distances.
In short, there are many variables influencing wpm.
What factors influence fast reading?
Brysbaert (2019) highlights many:
Eye movements: better visual processing leads to faster reading rates.
Word length: texts with longer words and complex sentence structures slow reading speed.
Text type: fiction is easier to read than non-fiction.
Individual differences: experience, cognition (working memory, for example), and familiarity with the material influence reading speed.
Reading rates are diverse.
Considering these variables and longer test assessments, Brysbaert (2019) calculated the average wpm in 45 studies. He found that it is 238 wpm for non-fiction and 260 wpm for fiction.
Moreover, individual differences are very significant, with ranges from 175–300 wpm.
4 Tips for Improving Reading Speed
Note that improving your wpm could be tough.
Also, there’s no specific strategy to do so.
However, based on the results of Brysbaert (2019) and the importance of individual differences, there are 4 things you can do to improve your fast reading without sacrificing comprehension:
Skimming and Scanning: locate key information without full comprehension of every detail. This is the default reading for articles and newspapers.
Efficient Eye Movement: some reading apps train you to minimize unnecessary eye movements to boost reading speed.
Expand Vocabulary: this enhances recognition, which leads to efficient reading. More vocabulary reduces time spent decoding words (this is now one of the reasons why non-native speakers read and listen slower than native speakers)
Practice: Simply read more. Pay attention to how you process information.
Believe me, they worked!
Skimming and efficient eye movements are crucial to processing and locating key information. However, note that I use this type of reading when consuming non-fiction information. I pay more attention (and therefore read slower) to fiction content.
In the end, reading faster is all a matter of practice.
Read, read, and read.
Conclusion
Fast reading is variable.
It depends on many factors, such as experience, text type, knowledge, eye movements, cognition, and individual differences.
This is why there’s no magic method to improve it.
However, working on skimming, expanding vocabulary, efficient eye movement, and practice can improve your wpm. Personally, reading more books and learning English in detail improved my reading.
What worked for you? :)
Ultra-learning saved my career.
It helped me learn anything without overstudying or overworking. But remember, each person has a different life. Perhaps you work full-time and also study. Or maybe you have a family, etc.
Be reasonable, and don’t fall into toxic productivity.
Here are some last recommendations:
Don’t compare yourself with others. Take your time.
This is not a competition. This is about you. Make it fun and healthy.
Please take care of yourself. That’s the most important thing!
Now it is your turn.
What are you going to learn next?
Until the next time,
Axel
