Reading speed

Soldim · 02-11-2014, 05:06 AM

There's a fast and funny test online at Staples where you can access your reading speed:

Reading speed.

Apparently I read at 700-800 words per minute, and it would take me a bit over four hours to read 'War and Peace' -- dunno about that though, since it depends somewhat on a books difficulty.

meeera · 02-11-2014, 06:39 AM

791, though I feel like I had a bit of a false start and had to go back.

Waylander · 02-11-2014, 07:55 AM

I scored around the average college student mark on the first one, and on the following tow tests I scored high level executive and college professor. However, I'm going with the first measurement. Should I be worried that I'm at college and can't read as fast as a high scoring college student?

QuantumIguana · 02-11-2014, 10:49 AM

Don't worry about reading fast, just read at a pace comfortable for you. Reading well and avoiding distractions is better than reading fast while distracting yourself with "multitasking".

faltradl · 02-11-2014, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

Don't worry about reading fast, just read at a pace comfortable for you. Reading well and avoiding distractions is better than reading fast while distracting yourself with "multitasking".

The best answer to this periodic returning subject.

When I´m reading I'm not on an escape.

PurpleStar · 02-11-2014, 11:21 AM

I read 104 words per minute. That makes me 58% slower than the national average. Oh dear...well, I already knew I read slow.

Katsunami · 02-11-2014, 11:41 AM

335 wpm 3/3 on questions, when reading leisurely.

Strange. I count pages at 2400 char/page. The average length per word is (IIRC) 6 characters, so 400 words per page. Using the time to read on the Kindle, I read 30 pages per hour, consistently. That would be 12,000 wph, or 200 wpm.

The Kindle's timing is correct. If I start a chapter and it says 27 minutes, it is, +- 1 minute. I've checked it against the clock, numerous times. Something is fishy here.

crich70 · 02-11-2014, 12:00 PM

You read 311 words per minute.
That makes you 24% faster than the national average.

Of course I was doing it without my glasses. lol.

AlbertaCowboy · 02-11-2014, 12:07 PM

1003 words per minute, 301% faster than the national average.
(That was my third try on a different excerpt. My first was 1018 wpm, my second was 906)

When I was trying for a different excerpt, I did do the Alice in Wonderland one twice, but I skipped reading and went right to the questions. That one gave me 12,041 wpm. Hmmm I might try to read War and Peace in the 47 minutes it said I could do it in...

And it's fun to see how fast one can read and retain the information properly. No it's not important, no it's not a contest. It's just fun.

peachiekene · 02-11-2014, 02:15 PM

443 the first time when I made a point to just read quickly (didn't realize there was a test!) and got only 2 or the 3 right.

Doing it at a more comfortable pace with a different excerpt I got 369 with all 3 correct.

I think I was reading slower than my normal speed because it felt like I was reading twice - my eyes would be skipping ahead of where I was. I don't experience that sensation when reading normally.

HomeInMyShoes · 02-11-2014, 02:44 PM

I found the text difficult to read on my screen. 346 words per minute. It would take me about 28 hours to read War and Peace. Which isn't going to happen.

Namekuseijin · 02-11-2014, 04:21 PM

I don't dig slurping books one after the other like some McGreasy meatballs.

I take one gulp at a time, along with some wine.

I can read forum posts pretty fast though...

faithbw · 02-11-2014, 04:25 PM

I read 274 words per minute on the first test which sounds about right. I use to use a speed reading program to read faster and despite using the program, I read at that speed. I took it a second time and read 319 words per minute.

Atunah · 02-11-2014, 04:25 PM

I did 3 times just to see. I had a bit of a harder time reading on my netbook screen, but I did get all three answers right each time. I had I think it was 550 or so words the first time and the other two in the 520's.
Of the books I had only read one to compare, Wuthering Heights. It said I think 3 hours and 20 minutes which seems about spot on. I think I might have read it a tad faster.

I read a book in about 4-5 hours at leisure speed. A full book that is with 350-450 pages and so. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. Just depends. Sometimes I plow through one in 3 hours when I just can't stop turning the pages.

I do know that I have a much easier time to read on e-ink with my eyes than on the computer screen. Even such a short text makes my eyes all wonky.

soulfuldog · 02-11-2014, 04:55 PM

I've always thought I was quite a fast reader, though clearly not as quick as some of you guys on here at 560.... if I was reading to study something I'd be a lot slower - if I wanted to take it in properly!

Not quite sure what speed you read at has to do with your "college" education level though?

02-11-2014, 05:06 AM	#1
Soldim Not so important Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10181343 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Zurich Device: Sony PRS-505, Kindle 4, iPad, Kobo Glo 4	Reading speed There's a fast and funny test online at Staples where you can access your reading speed: Reading speed. Apparently I read at 700-800 words per minute, and it would take me a bit over four hours to read 'War and Peace' -- dunno about that though, since it depends somewhat on a books difficulty.

02-11-2014, 11:41 AM	#7
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	335 wpm 3/3 on questions, when reading leisurely. Strange. I count pages at 2400 char/page. The average length per word is (IIRC) 6 characters, so 400 words per page. Using the time to read on the Kindle, I read 30 pages per hour, consistently. That would be 12,000 wph, or 200 wpm. The Kindle's timing is correct. If I start a chapter and it says 27 minutes, it is, +- 1 minute. I've checked it against the clock, numerous times. Something is fishy here. Last edited by Katsunami; 02-15-2014 at 05:52 PM.

02-11-2014, 04:25 PM	#13
faithbw Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1526148 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: A place where the sun always shines Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Mini 2	I read 274 words per minute on the first test which sounds about right. I use to use a speed reading program to read faster and despite using the program, I read at that speed. I took it a second time and read 319 words per minute. Last edited by faithbw; 02-11-2014 at 04:28 PM.

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02-11-2014, 06:39 AM	#2
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,658 Karma: 66417824 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	791, though I feel like I had a bit of a false start and had to go back.

02-11-2014, 07:55 AM	#3
Waylander Fanatic Posts: 594 Karma: 2905052 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 5 SE, Onyx Boox Poke 3	I scored around the average college student mark on the first one, and on the following tow tests I scored high level executive and college professor. However, I'm going with the first measurement. Should I be worried that I'm at college and can't read as fast as a high scoring college student?

02-11-2014, 10:49 AM	#4
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	Don't worry about reading fast, just read at a pace comfortable for you. Reading well and avoiding distractions is better than reading fast while distracting yourself with "multitasking".

02-11-2014, 11:21 AM	#6
PurpleStar Wizard Posts: 1,620 Karma: 11387182 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Clara 2E	I read 104 words per minute. That makes me 58% slower than the national average. Oh dear...well, I already knew I read slow.

02-11-2014, 12:00 PM	#8
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,306 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	You read 311 words per minute. That makes you 24% faster than the national average. Of course I was doing it without my glasses. lol.

02-11-2014, 12:07 PM	#9
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	1003 words per minute, 301% faster than the national average. (That was my third try on a different excerpt. My first was 1018 wpm, my second was 906) When I was trying for a different excerpt, I did do the Alice in Wonderland one twice, but I skipped reading and went right to the questions. That one gave me 12,041 wpm. Hmmm I might try to read War and Peace in the 47 minutes it said I could do it in... And it's fun to see how fast one can read and retain the information properly. No it's not important, no it's not a contest. It's just fun.

02-11-2014, 02:15 PM	#10
peachiekene Fanatic Posts: 572 Karma: 1972282 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Hampton Roads, VA, USA Device: kobo aura one, htc 10, kobo glo hd	443 the first time when I made a point to just read quickly (didn't realize there was a test!) and got only 2 or the 3 right. Doing it at a more comfortable pace with a different excerpt I got 369 with all 3 correct. I think I was reading slower than my normal speed because it felt like I was reading twice - my eyes would be skipping ahead of where I was. I don't experience that sensation when reading normally.

02-11-2014, 02:44 PM	#11
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	I found the text difficult to read on my screen. 346 words per minute. It would take me about 28 hours to read War and Peace. Which isn't going to happen.

02-11-2014, 04:21 PM	#12
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	I don't dig slurping books one after the other like some McGreasy meatballs. I take one gulp at a time, along with some wine. I can read forum posts pretty fast though...

02-11-2014, 04:25 PM	#14
Atunah Wizard Posts: 1,817 Karma: 23400001 Join Date: May 2012 Location: USA Device: K1/K3/BasicK Voyage/Oasis1/Oasis3	I did 3 times just to see. I had a bit of a harder time reading on my netbook screen, but I did get all three answers right each time. I had I think it was 550 or so words the first time and the other two in the 520's. Of the books I had only read one to compare, Wuthering Heights. It said I think 3 hours and 20 minutes which seems about spot on. I think I might have read it a tad faster. I read a book in about 4-5 hours at leisure speed. A full book that is with 350-450 pages and so. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. Just depends. Sometimes I plow through one in 3 hours when I just can't stop turning the pages. I do know that I have a much easier time to read on e-ink with my eyes than on the computer screen. Even such a short text makes my eyes all wonky.

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02-11-2014, 04:55 PM	#15
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	I've always thought I was quite a fast reader, though clearly not as quick as some of you guys on here at 560.... if I was reading to study something I'd be a lot slower - if I wanted to take it in properly! Not quite sure what speed you read at has to do with your "college" education level though?