Sunday, December 8, 2013

How to read faster, understand better and retain information effectively


Problems why you read slow:

1. Fixation = focusing on one word for too long
2. Regression = repeating to read the whole paragraph or article
3. Subvocalization = audible mental reassurance (reading in your head)


Human Limitations:

Average speed of speaking --> 200 words per minute
Average speed of reading ---> 200 words per minute


How to read faster, understand better and retain information effectively


Speed Reading

- read first paragraph
- read last paragraph
- read the first sentences of each paragraph
- read the whole article
- time yourself --> 1/2 page per minute
- set deadlines, challenge yourself to read the page in lesser times


Concentrate, Focus

- eliminate distractions
- read group of words
- use hand or pen to point and pace while reading


"A picture is worth 1000 words"

- draw mental pictures
- create mental map where the pictures fit into place
- make outlines in case of sequential information
- visualize what is going on while you are reading
- after reading a paragraph, stop, get the main idea and paint mental pictures
- after reading a paragraph, stop, take notes in your own words


Use the SING technique to improve comprehension:

S - stop, get focus
I - identify main idea, main point
N - nevermind the details
G - get the gist


Use the POPCORN method to improve memory retention:

P - Positive attitude
O - Observation
P - Picture
C - Concentrate
O - Organize
R - Review
N - Natural association

Repetition helps in remembering information.


Top 3 most effective ways to retain information:

1. Teaching other people
2. Practice talking
3. Discussion, dialogues

Why Mental Photography Products 25,000 words per minute are Scam?


Reading Capability of Average Person


reading speed --> 200 words per minute
reading speed --> 4 words per second

reading comprehension --> 50 %

reading memory retention --> 10%

lecture information retention --> 5%


Why Mental Photography Products 25,000 words per minute are Scam?


Here is what these products claim:

 25,000 words per minute --> reading speed ('brain uploads')
 90% retention for life --> retained information throughout lifetime
 natural inborn ability of each person


REALITY CHECK


Letter size paper 8.5 x 11 inches can contain:

400 words
26 lines
16 words per line

if you 'read' at 25,000 words per minute speed:

1 page per second --> 400 words per second -- this is beyond human!
1 page per second --> 26 lines of words per second -- this is ridiculous!

If it sounds Too Good to be True --> it's most likely a SCAM


25,000 words per minute is imposible --> TEST YOURSELF - You can NOT do it
400 words per second is just physically not doable --> NOT practical

Every human being naturally blinks:

Blink of an eye average speed = 100 times every minute
Blink of an eye average speed = 2 times every second

Blinking just naturally prevents you from reading 25,000 words per minute.

Given for the sake of argument, you can read or 'mentally photograph' 25,000 words a minute:

reading comprehension < 1% --> you're basically looking at the page for 1 second then moving on to the next page

reading comprehension < 1% --> how can you understand 60 pages in 1 minute?

They claim you can retain 90% of the information for life:

you can NOT retain 90% of information that you did NOT understand --> this is essentially useless!

We are born with a natural ability to learn extremely fast especially during the ages 1 to 5
but NOT 25,000 words per minute
even a 5 year old child does NOT agree to this!

Conclusion:
DO NOT BE DECEIVED.
DO NOT BELIEVE.
DO NOT BUY.

SCAMS ARE COMPLETELY A WASTE.

Scams are waste of your time, energy, money and... ... your own life.