many adults to switch to scanning. We now know that our cerebrum is incredibly smart and can fill in any missing information.

Scanning involves reading the text quickly to locate specific data. This method is particularly useful with scientific and complex information where you just want the facts and not all the other text that surrounds it. But you need to know what you are looking for, so choose some phrases or keywords to search for.

Tips:

Only search for one keyword at a time.

Scan for each keyword individually.

Read the text around the keyword to get the context.

Read questions before you scan and select the keywords from the question.

Check that the information you found is the answer you were looking for.

How to Skim

Unlike scanning, skimming is used to get a general idea of what the material is about. It gives you generic information in a section and is ideal for previewing the reading material. It’s also useful for reviewing at the end of your reading. With skimming, you don’t read each word, instead of paying attention to characteristics such as different fonts, bold words, bullet points, indenting, lists, and headings.

Tips:

First, read the table of contents then make an overview of the chapter.

Look at the main headings.

Read the introduction.

Then read the first and last sentence of each paragraph.

Focus on those that contain the characteristics mentioned above.

When you find something that could be important, stop reading it.

First and Last

Some people find it useful to only read the first and last sentence in the paragraph. This method is helpful because writers tend to follow a similar formula, where a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph gives clues as to what is likely to develop in the section. You can also focus on the first and last words of the sentences.

Stop Subvocalizing and Vocalizing

Similar to vocalizing, subvocalizing is just as difficult to stop yourself from doing but is essential for increasing your reading speed. So what exactly is subvocalization? Consider if you have ever quietly read a sentence, but you mouthed the words as though you were speaking out loud - this is subvocalization. And it really slows down your reading speed.

To overcome this problem, you need to be able to look and think about words without the need to hear how they sound. Sounds simple, right?

Well, for most people, it’s incredibly difficult, but the more you practice it, the easier it will become. Take a section of text and pick out a word, then look at it without making a sound. It will take a bit to create a new habit, but it will happen. Just persevere, and it will

significantly speed up your reading.

As touched on previously, vocalizing also slows you down as you are paying attention to what the words sound like, as well as what they are. If you are saying each word out loud, or even hearing it in your mind, you are reading at the same speed you talk in when you should be reading at the rate your brain thinks.

To help with both subvocalizing and vocalizing, you need to do something else with your mouth. Try chewing gum, or if that doesn’t work, chew on a pen or pencil. Try thinking about the perception of the work rather than how it looks.

Understanding Topic Sentences

In a paragraph, the topic sentence portrays the main idea of the paragraph. If you develop the ability to spot topic sentences, you can cut down a lot of your reading time without losing comprehension.

You will usually find the topic sentence at the very beginning of a paragraph, with the rest of the sentences expanding on the topic.

However, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and sometimes the topic sentence is hidden further into the paragraph. It could even be the last sentence in a paragraph. So how do you find it then? Well, always read the very first sentence very carefully. Think about what the base characteristic the paragraph is describing, and the sentence that demonstrates the main idea is your topic sentence.

If you know the author well, you will probably find it easier to find the topic sentences as they typically write in the same manner each time.

Each topic sentence will contain a topic and the main idea, which indicates the path the paragraph will take. Examples are as follows: Topic Sentence: Certain characteristics are required to be an effective CEO.

The topic is ‘to be an effective CEO,’ and the main idea is “certain characteristics.”

Topic Sentence: There are a lot of possible contributing factors to global warming.

The topic is ‘global warming,’ and the main idea is ‘contributing factors.’

Topic Sentence: Improved education my help prevent teen pregnancy.

The topic is ‘prevent teen pregnancy,’ and the main idea is ‘improved education.’

Recognizing Word Shapes

Have you noticed that you can read multiple words in one glance? This ability to read up to sixteen words is because you aren’t looking at the letters. You’re looking at the shape of the terms, and experience will identify what the word is by its form. If you have only seen a term a few times, you may find it harder to detect by its shape. But once you have learned the word and used it in your vocabulary, it will become easy.

Nottingham University researcher Graham Rawlinson created an experiment in 1976 to determine what information is gleaned from

words and letters while reading. He wrote sentences where the letters were jumbled up apart from the letter at the beginning and the end of each word.

He discovered that those who were good readers could not only read the sentences but understand them as well as if they weren’t jumbled at all. Readers looked at the word as a whole rather than individual letters.

CHAPTER SIX

How the Brain Learns and How To Do

It Effectively

Every day we are learning new things, most of the time without us even realizing it. But some things take more time to learn, and being able to increase the speed at which you learn can allow you more time for other things. Reading and learning faster go hand and hand, and mastering one will eventually lead to the other.

Once you start learning faster, you will find it hard to stop because you will gain so much more knowledge about a wide variety of topics without it taking you months or years to do so. Often we are put off because it seems it will take too long to study something, but with faster learning, that isn’t an issue, so you can stop procrastinating and start broadening your horizons.

For existing students, this skill is invaluable and will help them wade through the tons of educational material they are handed, especially in college. Learning faster reduces stress and improves productivity. The possibilities and benefits are endless, and in today’s society, the more knowledge you have, the better you can move forward in your day to day life and in your chosen profession.

Benefits of Learning Faster

There are some benefits of being able to learn new information faster and store it for later recall, for your professional life or personal life.