The author discounts the effects of currently promoted speed reading programs as resulting in short-term effectiveness and disregarding a consideration of what constitutes good reading at any speed. He claims that the types and levels of transformations and interpretations, verbal and nonverbal, that must go into good reading are not susceptible…

Topics and practices related to college reading instruction are discussed. Reading is seen as a skill which permeates the entire process of study. Speed reading techniques such as increasing eye span, ceasing vocalizations, and reading vertically down the page are criticized as hampering rather than facilitating the comprehension process. The most…

AN EXPLORATION OF COMPREHENSION AND RAPID READING IS PRESENTED. THE QUALITY OF READING IS DISCUSSED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS. RESEARCH FINDINGS WHICH INDICATE THE LOW COMPREHENSION RESULTING FROM "DYNAMIC" READING, THAT IS, READING DOWN THE CENTER OF THE PAGE WITH NO LEFT-TO-RIGHT EYE MOVEMENTS, ARE CITED.…

A preliminary study is reported which attempted to define gifted rapid readers, authenticate the performances of three subjects who were designated as gifted rapid readers, and explore the relationship of a subject's ability to perceive print eidetically and to read and/or skim. Volunteer subjects were a 15-year-old girl from the Philippines, a…

An integral dimension in the concept of flexible efficient reading is the process of skimming, which is defined as the reading behavior in which information is processed without looking at all or most of the words in continuous printed discourse. Measurement of flexible reading efficiency presents problems which revolve around four major issues.…

After analyzing 40 speed reading texts, a study concluded that in order for these books to accurately reflect the empirical reading research they should recognize the upper limits of genuine reading (300 to 600 wpm) and limit the recommended area of eye fixation to three or fewer words. (SRT)

Part of a section, "4 Reading Techniques that Work.

Describes the results of a preliminary investigation of skapa, a simple, three-step procedure for analyzing cognitive aspects of skimming and speed reading. (Author)

Examines selected research showing how the components of human information processing limit reading rates. Suggests that speed reading is impossible when the intent is to understand the message communicated by the text. Discusses limiting factors in processes of word recognition, working memory, and comprehension. Discusses evaluative and…

Fast and average readers were tested on four tasks. Fast readers appear to pick up more information per fixation on structured textual material, and had a greater span of apprehension for unrelated elements. Results disagree with the view that reading speed depends solely on ability to infer missing information. (CHK)

This study of the cognitive processes of braille reading compared the reading of 23 adult braille readers in 4 different reading conditions: oral reading, silent reading, studying, and scanning. The findings support the idea that braille reading is process driven and that reading rates vary, depending on the purpose of the reading task. (Author)

A study was conducted to evaluate reading strategies by contrasting regression results of 10 fast versus 10 slow readers. At the word level the lag effect was evaluated. At the text level, the few-argument strategy versus the many-argument strategy and the physical and the syntactic strategies were evaluated. The absolute proportion of the lag…

The article describes the monocular performance of two gifted school girls while reading at page at a glance" rates. It also investigated implications for teaching the partially blind to read more rapidly. (MF)

Discusses the origins of the interest in faster reading, oculomotor activity in reading in relation to eye movement and eye span, misapplication of eye movement data in courses designed to promote faster reading, and objections to some of the more common mechanical devices used in faster reading courses. (GT)