First, ask yourself why are you reading and what do you want to get from the read. While you’re reading, learn to extract the main points more efficiently.

In a Harvard Business Review blog post, a speed reading expert was asked what speed reading tips he gives his nephews, he said:

I would see them doing some dense reading such as chapters in a history or science textbook, and would I say: “When you get to the exam in a month or two, what do you want to remember from this chapter? After reading this chapter, please write no more than the one or two paragraphs you want to remember for the exam. Then go back and see how you could read more efficiently to obtain that paragraph or two.”

One of the reasons why some people are slow readers is that they’re reading every word. Instead, they should read the introduction, the conclusions and the tops of the paragraphs to determine if that part of the chapter is really important for them.

But you’ve got to know what you’re reading for. Are you reading for certain facts? Are you reading for new analysis? Are you reading for the author’s general themes or the specific support for these themes? ¹

For most people, it takes a leap of faith to speed read because they are afraid they are going to miss something if they do not fully internalize every single word.

However, reading using this style, may make it harder for you to grasp the overall theme of your book/article/chapter. That’s why it’s crucial to understand your main purpose for reading. When you have a central purpose as your guide, you’ll have a greater focus as you glance over pages. In fact, most people increase their comprehension when they learn this principle.

After you understand the importance of finding your central motive before reading anything, the last part is training your mind to extract this information from as quick as possible. The following video lessons will help you develop the technical skills of speed reading.

Tips to Get Started:

Free Speed Reading Course — 5 Part Video Series:

WATCH PART 1:

WATCH PART 2:

WATCH PART 3:

WATCH PART 4:

WATCH PART 5:

Extra Credit Video:

Extra Credit Video 2:

Extra Credit Video 3:

Works Cited

October, Am Monday. “How to Be a Speed Reader – Robert C. Pozen and Justin Fox – The Conversation – Harvard Business Review.” Business Management Ideas – Harvard Business Review Blogs. Web. 09 Oct. 2010. <http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/10/the_importance_of_knowing_what.html>.

“The Iris Organization.” Speed Reading – Classes, Workshops & Webinars – Tips & Strategies | The Iris Organization. Web. 09 Oct. 2010. <http://www.irisreading.com/speedreadingwebinars/youtube.html>.

What is it about men and directions? Those two words evoke almost as many jokes as the word mother-in-law. Many men just don’t like to give directions, take directions, or ask for directions. The simplicity of using Internet map sites could spell the end of driving around lost. More than just showing street maps, these sites provide complete driving instructions to get you from Point A to Point B, including mileage and time data, whether you’re heading across town or across the country. Just print and go! For a completely different view of the lay of the land, pull up a satellite map view, where you can zoom in on your rooftop, if you so desire. This bird’s eye view shows the topography of an area, and is just plain fascinating, if not useful. Many of these sites include theme maps that give you climate or population information, traffic conditions, and even gas prices for a given area. Internet map sites are interactive, intuitive and so simple to use that getting lost is no longer an option.

• Maps.Google.com (http://www.maps.google.com)
• Maps.Yahoo.com (http://www.maps.yahoo.com)
• MapQuest.com (http://www.mapquest.com/)
• NationalGeographic.com/maps (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps)

• Also check out Sociology Glossary

1 Social Structure

Interlocking relations (social, political, economic) that facilitate some kinds of collective behavior and impede others.  Structural arrangements are external to and impervious to individual will.

2. Economic

A term used to designate collective behaviors involving the production, and distribution and consumption of goods and services.

3. Political

Term used to designate collective behaviors involving the production, distribution and exercise of power and authority.

4. Ideology

Beliefs and convictions held by virtue of membership in a particular group (not systematic research or reasoned argument). World View.

5. Hegemonic (Dominant) Ideology

Beliefs and convictions used to (a) explain natural or social phenomena and (b) legitimate and perpetuate social inequality.

6. Ideologies of Resistance

Beliefs and convictions emerging to collectively oppose dominant ideologies.

7. Science

This term may be understood both as process and effect.  As a process science consists of systematic inquiries based on data collection, the formulation of concepts, and the testing of hypotheses.  The product of such inquiries is scientific knowledge.  In both senses, science is an open-ended process susceptible of further interrogation and refinement.  Because of that, science is antithetical to (but not immune from) ideological convictions.

8. Phenomenon

Any event observable through empirical (sensorial) means (plural: phenomena).

9. Concepts

The building blocks of theory.  Concepts are words used to designate aspects of the empirical world that would otherwise remain hidden and elusive.  Concepts guide observation and research.

10.Theory

A series of logically connected statements in a particular field of inquiry whose purpose is to describe, explain and, in some cases, predict phenomena.

11. Hypothesis

Provisional answer (to a problem or question) subject to confirmation or falsification on the basis of empirical data. A “best guess” according to Michael Burawoy.

12. Datum

Fact.  A discrete element of information used as part of a theoretical argument (plural: data).

13. Heuristic

Useful as a learning tool.

14. Teleological

Imputes a purposive design to natural or social events.

15. Epistemological

Pertaining to the roots of knowledge.

16. Empirical

Detectable through the senses.

17. Methodology

A series of calculated and sequential steps as part of a research design meant to obtain data and test hypotheses.

18. Deductive Method

A manner of reasoning that first formulates a general law and then applies it to particular cases.

19. Inductive Method

A manner of reasoning based on the cumulative observation of particular cases to arrive at generalizations.

20. Quantitative methods

As part of a research strategy, they aim to reduce observations to numerical representations susceptible of mathematical manipulation.  Quantitative operations investigate frequencies and correlations; the extent to which a particular phenomenon is present in a population or universe.  In Andrew Cherlin’s felicitous words, “quantitative methods are a mile long but an inch deep.” Survey research is an example.

21. Qualitative methods

As part of a research design, their object is to investigate (a) the sequence of events that leads to particular behavioral outcomes and (b) the meaning that social actors assign to their own actions.  In Cherlin’s words, “qualitative methods are a mile deep but only an inch long.  Ethnographic research, including face-to-face interviews, and participant observation are examples.

22. Universe

Statistical term designating the totality of events (or entities) being investigated.

23. Sample

A segment of a universe.  When the elements of a sample are randomly selected (stochastic sampling) the findings derived from the study of that sample may be generalized to the universe from which the sample was taken.

24. Random or stochastic sample

A segment of a universe whose components are selected without bias.  In other words, random sampling allows every element in the universe to face an identical probability of inclusion in the sample.

25. Culture

A term to be used with the utmost care.  The anthropological literature identifies nearly 200 ways in which this word has been used.  In the United States, “culture” is generally used to designate (a) a system of values and beliefs shared by the members of a particular group or (b) practices and behaviors distinctive of a particular group.  Way of life.

26. Ethnocentrism

The tendency to view and evaluate other cultures from the narrow viewpoint of our own way of life.  A term antithetical to objectivity.

27. Impressionism

The tendency to judge the total character and behavior of individuals or groups on the basis of  partial and/or transitory information.  A term contrary to objectivity.

28. Anomie

Term developed by Emile Durkheim to designate the “uprooting of the individual.”  Lack of social integration in the absence of accepted rules and regulations. “Declassification.”

29. Typology

An visual representation of the range of variation of phenomena studied.

30. Elective Affinity

Term proposed by Max Weber to designate the “fit” between economic systems and cultural expressions.

Website & Phone Numbers:

SPYWARE is normally installed through either one of two common methods. The first is to hide a spyware component within an otherwise apparently useful program. Often, the program containing spyware is made available for download free of charge, so as to encourage wide uptake of the spyware component. The second common method is to take advantage of security flaws in Internet Explorer.

This guide will help you get rid of all the spyware and adware on your computer.  Bookmark this page — some of the recommended software programs require you to reboot your computer.  By adding this page to your favorites, you can revisit this page with ease.  Also, please tell your friends about this free guide by coping and pasting the following web address in e-mails, instant messages, blogs, live journals, profiles, or your website!

• Never download free smile icon programs, screen savers, fun cursors, graphical skins for Internet Explorer, search toolbars, or peer-to-peer file sharing programs (such as Kazaa or Morpheus).
• Think before you click.  Do not always click ‘yes’ to web alerts while browsing the Internet.  You could be agreeing to install unwanted programs.
• If you have previously installed any of the previously mentioned software programs, consider uninstalling them.
• [To Uninstall: Click the Start Button > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.  Find the program you want to delete, and click 'remove.']
• Browse the list of applications in the ‘Add or Remove Programs’ control panel.  If any programs look suspect, consider removing them.  Below you will find a link to all spyware programs.  If you are unsure a program is spyware, use the list to correctly identify any spyware programs.
• After you remove potential spyware programs from the Window’s Add and Remove control panel you may still encounter problems.  Try to identify the program, by name, that is causing excessive pop-ups.  Perform a web search for: “how to remove blank” (fill blank with the name of the program).  In many instances you will find easy instructions for removing the program from the Google search.  Please remember that free downloadable ’search toolbars,’ ’smiles,’ ’screen savers,’ and ‘internet explorer skins’ are almost always spyware programs in disguise.  Remove these kind of programs.

If you still encounter problems…

• Download and install free Windows Defender Anti-Spyware.  If you suspect your computer is infected with spyware (excessive pop-ups, weird hyperlinks, excessive ads on every web page, etc..).
• In addition, you should also download the Microsoft® Windows® Malicious Software Removal Tool and follow the instructions for installation.