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Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:40 am
by uh1999
I find speed reading courses gimmicky at best. Nevertheless, has anyone attended a course or used speed reading techniques for law school to get through the reading material quicker?

I would think that the reading precision that is required for law students and future lawyers would run counter to said technique.

Re: Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:06 pm
by Scotusnerd
Don't use speed-reading techniques for law material. Skimming over the law is the antithesis of what lawyers should do. The RC sections of the LSAT are more in line with the type of reading you need to do than any speed-reading.

One sentence in one paragraph can change the whole meaning of an opinion.

Re: Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:39 am
by uh1999
Felt it wasn't a good idea, but I didn't know why specifically.

I think what I need to do is increase my reading endurance/stamina.

Thanks.

Re: Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:51 am
by 03121202698008
uh1999 wrote:Felt it wasn't a good idea, but I didn't know why specifically.

I think what I need to do is increase my reading endurance/stamina.

Thanks.
I suggest mastering the reading of old opinions. E.g. Marbury v. Madison.

Re: Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:25 pm
by ahduth
What you want are speed typing courses. That's the special sauce right there.

Re: Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:43 pm
by r6_philly
ahduth wrote:What you want are speed typing courses. That's the special sauce right there.
Or if you can speed remembering every special phrase in the books.

Re: Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 4:57 pm
by sarahg
Speed reading courses are neither a matter of skimming nor are they gimmicky. I'm sure some are, but that is not to say that speed reading itself is. Good speed reading courses teach techniques that are aimed more at eliminating some common bad habits acquired during early learning and replacing them with more efficient reading strategies. The result is much faster reading and with greater retention. For example, it's not totally uncommon for someone with a 150-200 wpm reading rate to achieve a rate of 500-750+ wpm rate with 95-97% retention. That's a huge improvement. Of course, as with anything, it does require lots of practice, but it is definitely doable--and any law or grad student could benefit tremendously from that!

Re: Speed Reading Course and Law School

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 6:20 pm
by Mack.Hambleton
Good necro. Speed reading is a flame, just say you're skimming it