7 Science-Backed Speed Reading Tips

Just starting your speed reading journey? Not sure where to begin?

Use the 7 tips below!

Disclaimer:

Reading is like juggling—it's a complex activity that not everyone naturally excels at. With reading, multiple cognitive processes occur simultaneously. To become a more efficient reader, you need to train one skill at a time—like learning to juggle one ball before adding more.

Man throwing books upward
When you properly train your reading muscle, you'll see incredible improvements in reading speed, comprehension, and memory!

1. Use a Pacer as You Read

Guide your eyes from left to right using your pointer finger or a pen. Scientific studies reveal that proficient, fast readers are rhythmic readers—your reading should flow smoothly across the page.

Guiding your eyes makes a difference.
Before trying this, did you know your brain may have been tricking you? (If you haven’t noticed yet) Your eyes don’t glide smoothly across the text—they jump around! With this technique, you'll begin training basic to advanced hand movements to guide your reading.

2. Stop Reading Out Loud

It's time to stop reading out loud, avoid sounding out each word, and quiet that voice in your head.

Note: You don’t have to completely eliminate inner speech.

Subvocalization is the habit of mentally pronouncing every word as you read. Reducing this allows for faster processing since understanding doesn't always require internal vocalization. Psychologists like Edmund Burke Huey, Keith Rayner, and Alexander Pollatsek observed this trend in skilled readers.

Researchers explore the brain’s connection between reading and vocalization. According to The Psychology of Reading (page 190):

“...we can read silently much faster than we can read aloud.”

Sample Electromyographic Recordings

Scientists use EMG (Electromyographic recording) to measure how much a person vocalizes while reading. More EMG activity means more vocalization.

“Beginning readers show more EMG activity than skilled readers.” (Psychology of Reading, p. 192)

“...the amount of EMG activity decreases as reading skill increases.” (Edfeldt, 1960)

“Poor readers also show more EMG activity than good readers.” (Edfeldt, 1960)

3. Learn “Chunking”

Instead of reading one word at a time, speed readers absorb groups of words. This method, called chunking, allows more text to be processed at once, significantly increasing reading speed.

Chunking demo

4. Expanding Peripheral Vision

To improve chunking, many speed readers train their peripheral vision to capture more words per glance. Just as athletes develop peripheral vision for better gameplay, readers can use similar techniques for enhanced reading.

Peripheral Vision demo

5. Reducing Fixations

Fixations are brief pauses when your eyes stop to focus on a word. Speed reading techniques aim to reduce these pauses, helping your eyes move more efficiently across the text.

Fixations demo

6. Read Ahead

Want to boost comprehension, speed, and engagement? Begin by scanning what you’re about to read. Flip through the pages, glance at chapter headings, graphs, and images. This previewing creates curiosity—your brain begins forming questions it now wants answered. This technique represents the "P" in the PQRST reading method: Preview.

Just like a race car driver studies the track before the race—anticipating turns and aiming for the finish—you'll do the same with your reading material.

7. Stop Backtracking

Avoid unnecessary regression or re-reading. Reducing this habit leads to better reading speed and focus. If you must go back, revisit bolded or structured points that reinforce comprehension, rather than rereading entire sections.

— David Kirkpatrick