I think that speed reading is not talked about enough in the context of Law. It is either dismissed as a sort of productivity pseudo-science or said to cause people to miss out on key detail. After all, attention to detail is key to a lawyer’s craft. However, speed reading in truth is not about skimming.
Speed reading isnโt just about getting things done faster AND about truly understanding and enjoying what you read. Speed reading done properly achieves the best of both worlds, efficiency and detail. So how do we speed read?
Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
- ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ: Why are you reading? Are you studying for an exam or enjoying a good novel? This changes everything. For textbooks, focus on key ideas. For fun reads, balance speed with pleasure. The common denominator is we are always reading to find something out. Our purpose should be centered around that.
- ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐: Take a quick scan to know what you’re dealing with. Check out headings, summaries, and any bold or italicized text. This will give you a roadmap. Also, do not forget the original roadmap that is the Table of Contents!
- ๐๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐ฑ: Speed reading means keeping it quiet. There is a danger in what we call subvocalization which greatly slows down our reading speed. Instead, when we read in our heads, it’s naturally faster than speaking every word to ourselves.
- ๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ: This can be a finger, a pen, or even your mouse cursor. Leading your eyes with a pointer helps keep your focus and speed up your tracking. Let your eyes move naturally down the lines of the text with your pointer as a guide.
- ๐๐ต๐๐ป๐ธ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐, ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐: Train your eyes to group words together rather than focusing on individual letters. Humans have the capability to read blocks of words together. Youโll zoom through each line quicker this way.
- ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: Like any skill, practice makes perfect. Set aside some time daily to practice speed reading and gradually increase your pace. I did it since my first year of Law school to help me stay up-to-date with the large content available.
- ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฑ๐ท๐๐๐: Check your comprehension. If youโre not retaining the info, slow down and try again. Itโs not a race, but a skill to refine.
Incorporate speed reading in your daily routine. Maybe start with articles or chapters that are short. Soon, youโll find yourself reading twice as fast, all while actually understanding the content.
I also incorporated the benefits of speed reading into tutoring students for the LNAT which I have done for the past three years. In short, speed reading LNAT Section A grants you better understanding of the passage in a shorter time which you will need in a test as time-pressured as the LNAT. My full blog is here https://frameworkeducation.org/test/
Ready, set, read!
#SpeedReading #ReadingTips #Productivity #LearnFast #StudyHacks #LawStudents #LNAT
