Am I a slow reader or a fast reader?
When I use some tools to speed up my reading speed, such as different RSVP software, I can read at about 650 words per minute (WPM) with decent comprehension. That is fairly fast when compared to the 250 WPM that is the average reading speed of adults. I use RSVP software every now and then when I want to read up on ideas that I am already familiar with.
At other times I end up “reading” at a far lower speed than even the average 250 WPM. The quotation marks are there because that is not the de facto reading speed but rather the time I take to digest what I read.
My point is that how fast I can read different stuff, with good comprehension, is in fact dependent on the context.
If I read about ideas that I am already familiar with, then I can use some RSVP software to bump up my reading speed without losing much regarding comprehension in the process. I do try to enhance up my reading speed when I get really comfortable with a specific speed (that is how I have built up to 650 WPM).
If I, on the other hand, read about some ideas that are fairly new to me, and that I want to learn more about, then I want to take the proper time to digest the ideas and chew on them thoroughly.
So am I a slow or a fast reader? It depends on the context.
The good thing is that over time, what was once new ideas, do become familiar ideas, and I can then read content involving them faster than I could before.
