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From: norman@sdcsla.UUCP (Donald A. Norman)
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Speed Reading
Message-ID: <910@sdcsla.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 22-Jun-85 09:40:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcsla.910
Posted: Sat Jun 22 09:40:16 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Jun-85 07:33:56 EDT
References: <1573@orca.UUCP> <292@ucdavis.UUCP>
Reply-To: norman@sdcsla.UUCP (Donald A. Norman)
Organization: UC San Diego Institute for Cognitive Science
Lines: 52
Summary: 

>> When I was an under-grad at U.C.S.D. I saw a program demonstrated that
>> would print text. One word at a time. In the center of a vdt. At a
>> constant rate specified by the user. 
>> 
>
>The device you referred to is, I think, called a tachistiscope (sp?).

OOPS, time for me to jump in.  The reference is NOT to tachistiscopic
presentation but to a completely different concept called RSVP (Rapid
Serial Visual Presentation).  The demonstration was probably seen in my lab
(a program written by Craig Will).    We did not invent RSVP -- that was done
elsewhere.  There have been about a dozen psychological papers published
on the topic.  I can retrieve references for anyone who wishes to follow up
on the technique (try searching Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human
Perception and Performance: go back at least 8 years).

The technique is to open a window 1 character high and about 39 characters
wide.    Then, take the text to be read and present it one word at a time,
centered, in the window.  Present it fast.  600 words/minute = 100
msec./word.   That's a good starting point.  The ideal method gives the
reader a control of speed.  A knob (joystick -- mouse) can be used. Or you
can use a key.  Space = speed up; non-space = slow down.

You can indeed read much faster this way, with comprehension.  It demands
intense concentration on the part of the reader (which is typical of all speed
reading methods).  I find it quite unsatisfying: subjectively, I feel that the
spatial arrangement on the page is useful, and I miss it.   It is no good for
figures, of course.

Speed reading versus RSVP: Anyone can learn to speed read at roughly the
same speed.  A difference is that to do speed reading you have to force
yourself to concentrate, to avoid retracing material ("regressions"), and
to force yourself to keep up the speed.  Most people give up speed reading
after a few months.  The RSVP method  makes the control of speed external,
which makes it easier for many people to keep using it.   With RSVP, eye
movements are eliminated, whereas in speed reading, you have to learn how to
control them.

With the sample program we had running I tried reading my mail with it for a
while (it would be great for plowing through the AI digest on USENET).
But you can't skip ahead -- you have to plow through everything at the same
rate.

So, if you want to (approximately) double your reading speed, try it.   But you
may not like it.

 Donald A. Norman
 Institute for Cognitive Science C-015
 University of California, San Diego
 La Jolla, California 92093
 UNIX: {ucbvax,decvax}!sdcsvax!sdcsla!norman
 ARPA: norman@nprdc	CSNET: norman%nprdc.arpa@csnet-relay