Reading tips

1. Write anything that seems useful when you read through something, and the next day you can fill out the summary & cues or re-read things that need clarification. I tried taking notes for readings and I feel like it was a step up from my chronic highlighting, but I bet this method would be more effective.

2. Skim the subject matter in the textbook (or wherever) BEFORE the lecture. Don't try to understand or know everything in the book. That's what the lecture is there to help you do. But do get oriented.

3. Break the Back-skip habit.

4. Use your peripheral vision.
Just like you must develop a muscle in the gym, so your mind can be trained to use the eye-gate to take in a broader amount of data. For instance, instead of reading left to right across the lines, pretend there is a line right down the middle of this page and you are following the line. Let your eye take in through peripheral vision the phrases to the right or left. Can you do it? With practice you can train your mind to read on “both sides of the road” even though your eyes are on the center line. To practice this skill most speed readers actually draw lines down pages of a book until they have mastered the skill with an invisible line. Let your mind drink in the information on the page without looking directly at it — just like you “see” the sides of the road when driving an automobile. Eye exercise video for speed reading in Youtube

5. Note-taking while reading

a. Dog-ear important pages.
b. Transfer key notes to front of book.
Got a great point here? The central message? The quote which essentially represents the whole book? Write it down in the front of the book. Why? Generally speaking when it comes to new information you either “Use it or lose it in 20 minutes.” When you discover it, flip the book open to the front and scribble it down; it will cement the notion into your mind. Better yet, link it to something you already know and write that down too. Linked information can be recalled far better than isolated information.

c. When finished, re-read dog-eared pages. 
d.  Now write an “abstract” in the back or front.

http://pianoer.wordpress.com/2006/02/05/speed-reading-techniques/
To be continued….