Big Question: Is Speed Reading Actually Possible? - Deepstash
Managing Perfectionism

Learn more about problemsolving with this collection

How to manage anxiety and self-doubt

Strategies for setting realistic goals

The importance of self-compassion and self-care

Managing Perfectionism

Discover 60 similar ideas in

It takes just

8 mins to read

Research Backed Methods For Faster Reading

Research points to speed reading being a form of skimming, which is appropriate for short text but not for longer ones.


For long texts, reading more to increase vocabulary or read things you already know a lot about are the only scientifically backed methods to increase speed and comprehension.

115

630 reads

Measurements Of Speed Reading And Comprehension

Although there is an academic consensus that speed-reading decreases comprehension,

On the other hand, the same can’t be said for comprehension measurement techniques, as we can process text differently according to context.

84

514 reads

Woody Allen

"I took a course in speed-reading...and was able to read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It's about Russia."

WOODY ALLEN

80

526 reads

Elizabeth Schotter

"The software and apps don't know what you're doing, they don't know what your internal representation is, so they can't compensate for a failure in understanding because they don't have access to that knowledge,"

ELIZABETH SCHOTTER

79

422 reads

The Fundamental Flaw On Speed Reading Softwares

Softwares using the RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) method eliminate time-wasting eye movements by presenting you one word at a time.

Again, the science says this tends to have a negative impact on comprehension as the rereading is important for understanding text.

80

372 reads

The Types of Eye Movements

  • Regressions: Quick, unconscious re-readings we do when we don't understand something.
  • Saccades: Jerky, 0.1-second eye movements we use to move our fovea (center of vision) from one word to another.
  • Fixations: Brief, 250-millisecond pauses, each word receives during reading.

97

380 reads

Elizabeth Schotter

"Is this word a food, yes or no?" "If you give them a word that's not a food, say 'MEET,' but the word sounds like an actual food word (M-E-A-T), then they're more likely to say yes even though it's the wrong answer."

ELIZABETH SCHOTTER

75

331 reads

The Impossibility Of Ignoring Your Inner Voice

Proponents of speed reading claim sub-vocalization is a detrimental habit that can be suppressed to increase ones reading speed.


On the other hand, research indicates even using techniques to stop sub-vocalization, the mere visual recognition of words accesses the sounds of those words anyway.

80

309 reads

Elizabeth Schotter

"Because we all learn to speak and listen before we learn to read, almost everyone tends to access the sounds of speech when they read."

ELIZABETH SCHOTTER

81

294 reads

Sub Vocalization

Is the inner speech readers hear in their heads as they read silently.

78

340 reads

The Complexity Of Reading

Unlike speech, reading and writing are "cognitively unnatural."

As a human instinct, speech doesn’t have to be taught to an infant. Writing does, because it is not a purely visual process, both reading and writing piggyback on language and speech

83

272 reads

Reading's Mental Dance

Reading involves the visual acquisition of the symbols by the eye and the cognitive processing that goes on in the background. It's an intricate dance between a number of visual and mental processes highly dependent on language.

80

276 reads

Elizabeth Schotter - cognitive psychologist

"… no human being can read 1,000 or 2,000 words per minute and maintain the same levels of comprehension they do at 200 or 400 words per minute."

ELIZABETH SCHOTTER - COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGIST

78

254 reads

The Average Reader

The Average Reader

Most educated people can read between 250 to 400 words per minute) with good comprehension. For comparison, a normal conversation produces 150 to 160 words per minute.

81

356 reads

Speed Reading Versus Evidence

Speed Reading Versus Evidence

There are different techniques that claim to increase ones reading speed but decades of medical and psychological research indicates that said speed gain comes at the cost of understanding.

83

451 reads

CURATED BY

harzaa

I like movies and books. I eat the pizza crust. Coffee addict.

stash-superman-illustration

Explore the World’s

Best Ideas

200,000+ ideas on pretty much any topic. Created by the smartest people around & well-organized so you can explore at will.

An Idea for Everything

Explore the biggest library of insights. And we've infused it with powerful filtering tools so you can easily find what you need.

Knowledge Library

Powerful Saving & Organizational Tools

Save ideas for later reading, for personalized stashes, or for remembering it later.

# Personal Growth

Take Your Ideas

Anywhere

Organize your ideas & listen on the go. And with Pro, there are no limits.

Listen on the go

Just press play and we take care of the words.

Never worry about spotty connections

No Internet access? No problem. Within the mobile app, all your ideas are available, even when offline.

Get Organized with Stashes

Ideas for your next work project? Quotes that inspire you? Put them in the right place so you never lose them.

Join

2 Million Stashers

4.8

5,740 Reviews

App Store

4.7

72,690 Reviews

Google Play

Shankul Varada

Best app ever! You heard it right. This app has helped me get back on my quest to get things done while equipping myself with knowledge everyday.

samz905

Don’t look further if you love learning new things. A refreshing concept that provides quick ideas for busy thought leaders.

Sean Green

Great interesting short snippets of informative articles. Highly recommended to anyone who loves information and lacks patience.

Ashley Anthony

This app is LOADED with RELEVANT, HELPFUL, AND EDUCATIONAL material. It is creatively intellectual, yet minimal enough to not overstimulate and create a learning block. I am exceptionally impressed with this app!

Giovanna Scalzone

Brilliant. It feels fresh and encouraging. So many interesting pieces of information that are just enough to absorb and apply. So happy I found this.

Ghazala Begum

Even five minutes a day will improve your thinking. I've come across new ideas and learnt to improve existing ways to become more motivated, confident and happier.

Jamyson Haug

Great for quick bits of information and interesting ideas around whatever topics you are interested in. Visually, it looks great as well.

Laetitia Berton

I have only been using it for a few days now, but I have found answers to questions I had never consciously formulated, or to problems I face everyday at work or at home. I wish I had found this earlier, highly recommended!

Read & Learn

20x Faster

without
deepstash

with
deepstash

with

deepstash

Access to 200,000+ ideas

Access to the mobile app

Unlimited idea saving & library

Unlimited history

Unlimited listening to ideas

Downloading & offline access

Personalized recommendations

Supercharge your mind with one idea per day

Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.

Email

I agree to receive email updates