L et’s say you’re working on a written assignment, and you’ve got to go through a mountain of books and research papers. Does the prospect of reading each and every one plunge you into the depths of despair? Well, this may be cold comfort, but you’re not alone. Like most students, you’re likely used to “burn the midnight oil,” night after night. You might even forgo sleep altogether, and resort to drinking lots of coffee or energy drinks just to stay awake and study some more.
The truth is you don’t have to adopt such desperate measures each time you have to get through a tough assignment or when exam season comes around. What most students don’t realize is that just reading in itself—even if you do it over and over again—isn’t going to be very useful in helping you remember important facts. There are better ways to get the most of the material you have at hand, and one of the most effective methods is speed reading.