Speed Reading: Learn to Read a 200+ Page Book in 1 Hour (Mental Performance)

by Kam Knight

A great time to practice recall and review is after returning from breaks. When you return to a book after putting it down, quickly recall what you’ve read so far before moving ahead. For example, if you read two chapters of a novel during the morning commute, the next time you pick up the novel, take a minute to review what you read that morning before reading further. Doing so will not only refresh memory of the previous material, but segue smoothly into the new content.

After finishing a book, article, or any other piece of writing, take a moment to reflect on it. Try to recall as much as possible, and when you can’t recall anything further, quickly review the material to ensure that what you recalled is accurate and complete. This will cement the information into long-term storage.

If reading a story or novel, think about the events that occurred in the story since you last read—what happened to the characters and what did their dialogue reveal? Were new characters introduced, did old ones leave, or were there major twists and turns in the plot? See if you can recall the scenery or elements of scenes that were important to the story or that stood out.

non-fiction,

Can you recall the points the author made? What details did the author provide to support his or her claim? Think about any information that was fascinating, though don't assume that because a fact is fascinating that you will automatically remember it. Also, keep in mind that what you find so captivating may not be the main point!

The problem is that daydreaming, like many processes inside the mind and body, is not under our conscious control. It just happens. An idea in a sentence triggers a thought or image in the mind, and without consciously realizing that daydreaming has started, we are carried away. We may not realize that we are lost in the dream until much later.

Though, instead of creating random scenes, you sketch images the words you’re reading describe. With a novel, for example, that involves visualizing the characters, scenery, and everything that happens, just as the author describes. If reading about a process, visualize each step or phase of the process from beginning to end. If, on the other hand, the material is a tutorial or instruction manual, visualize exactly how each step should be performed. This is the essence of visualization during reading.