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 isn’t 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:
- 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: 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.
- 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: 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!
- 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱: 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.
- 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿: 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.
- 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗸 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Train your eyes to group words together rather than focusing on individual letters. Humans have the capability to read blocks of words together. You’ll zoom through each line quicker this way.
- 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆: 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.
- 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁: Check your comprehension. If you’re not retaining the info, slow down and try again. It’s 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, you’ll 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!
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