Can you really learn to speed read? What science says
Speed-reading apps and courses promise you can read a book in an hour with full understanding. With piles of homework, that sounds amazing. But what does the science say?
The big review
In 2016, psychologists Keith Rayner, Elizabeth Schotter, Michael Masson, Mary Potter and Rebecca Treiman reviewed decades of research on how reading works and whether speed reading delivers what it promises. Their main conclusion was a trade-off between speed and accuracy: you can read faster, but you understand less.
Why there's a limit
Reading isn't limited mainly by how fast your eyes move. It's limited by how fast you can recognise words and understand language. Your eyes take in only a small area in sharp focus at a time, and your brain has to process each word and fit it into the sentence.
Many speed-reading methods claim to get around this – for example by not "saying words in your head", or by flashing words one at a time in the centre of the screen. The review found that these approaches don't let people understand text at much higher speeds. Flashing words one at a time also stops you from going back to re-read a tricky bit, which readers often need to do.
Skimming is useful – but it's not reading
Skimming – jumping through a text to get the gist – is a real and useful skill. It's great for deciding whether a text is relevant, finding a specific fact or getting an overview before reading properly. But you'll miss details, so don't skim what you need to understand fully.
What actually helps
- Read more. The best way to become a faster, better reader is lots of reading practice. Familiar words are recognised faster.
- Build your vocabulary. The more words you know, the less often you have to stop. How to learn new words.
- Know your purpose. Are you looking for one fact, getting an overview, or studying for a test? Read differently for each.
- Preview first. Look at headings, pictures and the summary before reading a chapter, so you know where it's going.
- Turn reading into questions. After each section, close the book and recall the main points. Active recall makes the reading stick.
- Reduce distractions. A lot of "slow reading" is really re-reading after your mind wandered. How to focus while studying.
The bottom line
There's no shortcut that lets you read three times faster with the same understanding. But reading regularly, growing your vocabulary and reading with a clear purpose will make you both quicker and better.
The review
- Rayner, K., Schotter, E. R., Masson, M. E. J., Potter, M. C., & Treiman, R. (2016). So much to read, so little time: How do we read, and can speed reading help? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(1).