Reading speed question..reading mechanics for LSAT Forum

[nosleeptillsuccess]

Does anyone find it helpful to retain information as you start reading faster?

Is this an effective method for the LSAT? and when you read where do your eyes fixate??

I know speed readers read in groups of words or what not... I'm trying to adjust my reading mechanics

[Kimikho]

I don't think any of that is really necessary. I mean...obviously retaining information is nice. But I don't think changing how you read will do much, and it might hurt.

I'm a very slow reader with a bad memory. When I tried to speed it up, my scores dipped. I kept to my own pace and my own notetaking strategies, and just used the other practice stuff--mostly in the LSAT Trainer--as a way to train how I thought. Still went -1 on test day.

[BPlaura]

In the words of Woody Allen, "I took a speed-reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia."

Scoobers is exactly right. Trying to read faster on RC is counterproductive. Instead, you need to get a better understanding of how RC on the LSAT works. Understanding the structure of a passage is more important than trying to memorize everything in the passage - I have my students stop after each paragraph and identify the role of that paragraph as briefly as possible (e.g. background info, critics, scientists' viewpoint, drawbacks, etc.).

[jmjm]

I think OP is referring to finding a technique that works for him. If reading fast works for him, as long as he doesn't skim or skip, then no reason why he shouldn't give it a try.

I'm a very slow reader with a bad memory.

Still went -1 on test day.

If the latter statement is true, the former is highly unlikely.