Maximize Your Reading Efficiency: The Power of Strategic Skimming
Reading doesn't have to be a slow, tedious process. With the right strategy, you can speed up your reading while still retaining key information.
One effective method is to start by reading the entire introductory paragraph to get a sense of the context and main ideas. Then, for each subsequent paragraph, focus on the first and last sentences to grasp the main points. Scan the middle of the body paragraphs for any additional relevant details.
Finish by reading the full conclusion of your long-form content. If it’s an essay, online source, or news article, this is likely the last paragraph; if you’re reading a scholarly publication or book, the conclusion is likely the last several paragraphs, sometimes even the whole last chapter.
Here are a few more ways to increase your reading power:
👉👉Once you’re done with skimming and annotating (**which is only a good technique for nonfiction writing, NOT fiction**), condense the main idea into a concise sentence or two. Try to locate and underline the thesis of what you’ve read. If the thesis is only implied by context, however, put it in your own words. 
👉👉 Search for and take notes on the author’s attitude, purpose, and intent. Is the passage meant to entertain? To provoke controversy? To inform? To inspire or enlighten? Does the author have a bias or a motive? 
👉👉 Analyze the structure of the piece. Which ideas come first? Second? Third? Is there a reason for this sequence? How are the ideas linked? Compare and contrast? Cause and effect? Problem and solution? 
👉👉 Examine how the author creates an effect on the reader. Study word choice, sentence syntax, order of ideas, figurative language, and use of rhythm and sound. Does the author use logos, pathos, or ethos to keep you interested? And what is the writer’s overall tone?
👉👉 Consider the author’s qualifications to write on the topic. Does the writing reveal his or her authority and credentials? Footnotes can also be a place to refer to additional resources. 
👉👉 Become an annotator. Mark up passages by writing in margins and underlining key ideas. With regular practice, you will increase your reading power, able to read smarter and faster.
Follow my step-by-step How-To video below to practice for yourself.
