1- Check your eyes. Many people who read particularly slowly do so because they have an undiagnosed vision problem. Even if you think you have perfect vision, if you haven’t had an eye exam recently, there’s no time like the present.

2- Time your current reading speed. It’s important to find out how fast you read now so that you can track your improvement through subsequent timings. Not only will timing help you to tell if you’re improving, but it will also keep you motivated.

a-You can break out a book and a stopwatch and either time how long it takes you to read a certain number of words on a page or find out how many words you read in a given amount of time.

b-An easier way to time yourself is to take an online reading speed test. There are a plethora of these available: just enter “reading speed test” in your search engine. Many of these have reading comprehension tests, as well, so you can see how well you’re understanding what you’re reading.

c-Regardless of how you decide to time yourself, be sure to read at your normal speed during the timing, and time yourself on a few different pages–the average of your times should approximate your average reading speed.

3-Get rid of distractions. Even if you think you read better when you have music playing or when you’re in a crowded coffee house, you can probably increase your speed if you reduce distractions to a bare minimum. Try to find a solitary place to read, and turn off the TV, radio and cell phone. If no solitary place is available, try using earplugs to drown out the distractions. In order to maximize comprehension while reading quickly, you’ll need to focus on the material as closely as possible.

4-Adjust reading speed depending on the material. Often, we must trade off comprehension for speed, so an important part of increasing reading speed is deciding how thoroughly you need to comprehend a particular piece of writing. So before you even start reading, decide how fast you intend to go. If you’re reading a newspaper article, chances are you just want to get the main ideas, and you can skim through the passages quite rapidly. If, however, you’re reading a math textbook or a demanding philosophical treatise–and you need to fully understand the material–you don’t want to rush.

5-Learn to separate the wheat from the chaff with pre-reading. No matter what you’re reading, there is frequently a lot of “filler” that you can read quickly through or even skim over. With practice, you’ll be able to identify the most important parts of a book as you skim through it. When you get to such a passage, slow down. Before you begin a chapter or book, look over the entire piece very quickly. Try to find patterns of repeated words, key ideas, bold print and other indicators of important concepts. Then, when you actually do your reading you may be able to skim over large portions of the text, slowing only when you come to something you know is important.

6-Train yourself not to reread. Most people frequently stop and skip back to words or sentences they just read to try to make sure they understood the meaning. This is usually unnecessary, but it becomes a habit, and many times you will not even notice you’re doing it. One exercise to help you avoid rereading is to take a sheet of paper or index card and drag it down the page as you read, covering each line once you’ve read it. Try to drag the card in a steady motion; start slowly, and increase your speed as you feel more comfortable.

7-Stop reading to yourself. As you read you probably subvocalise, or pronounce the words to yourself. Almost everybody does it, although to different degrees: some people actually move their lips or say the words under their breath, while others simply say each word in their heads. Regardless of how you subvocalise, it slows you down. (You are concerned with speed reading here, not reading to practice communicating the material verbally, which can be done later if you find it necessary.) To break the habit, try to be conscious of it. When you notice yourself pronouncing words to yourself, try to stop doing it. It may help to focus on key words and skip over others, or you may want to try humming to yourself in order to prevent subvocalising. One exercise to stop your lips from moving is to put one of your fingers or a long but safe object (e.g a pencil) into your mouth and keep it there while you read.

8-Read with your hand. Smooth, consistent eye motion is essential to speed reading. You can maximize your eyes’ efficiency by using your hand to guide them. One such method is to simply draw your hand down each page as you read. You can also brush your hand under each line you read, as if you are brushing dust off the lines. Your eyes instinctively follow motion, and the movement of your hand serves to keep your eyes moving constantly forward. However, many Speed Reading Instruction books indicate that using a tracking member in speed reading inhibits the process. Try not to become dependent on using your hand or fingers.

9-Practice reading blocks of words. Nearly everyone learned to read word-by-word or even letter-by-letter, but once you know the language, that’s not the most efficient method of reading. Not every word is important, and in order to read quickly, you’ll need to read groups of words–or even whole sentences or short paragraphs–instantaneously. The good news is you probably already do this to some extent: most people read three or four words at a time. Once you make an effort to be aware of your reading style, you’ll discover how many words you read at a time. Now you just need to increase that number. Using your hand as a guide may help, as may holding the book a little further from your eyes than you usually do.
Practice and push yourself. While you may see some gains in speed the moment you start using these tips, speed reading is a skill that requires a lot of practice. Always push yourself to your comfort level and beyond–if you end up having to reread a section, it’s not a big deal. Keep practicing regularly.
Time yourself regularly. After a week or so of practice, time yourself as in step two. Do this regularly thereafter, and keep track of your improvement. Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back every time your reading speed increases!

Tips

-Try books with large font to start. A book with small letters might be hard to start out with because it is easy to skip lines by mistake.

-Start by reading a book or article that you have already read. It will be easier to skip words and keep up a smooth flow if you’re familiar with the material.

-When using your hand or finger to guide your eyes, start slowly, but at a challenging pace. Even if you don’t think you’re keeping up with your hand, keep going for a page or two and then test your comprehension. With practice, you’ll be able to move your hand–and hence read–faster.

-Take frequent breaks. Your comprehension and focus will be better if you take a five-minute break every hour or half-hour. Taking breaks is also important to keep your eyes healthy and avoid eye strain.

-You may not want to read some things quickly, even if you can. Fiction for example, is usually relatively easy to read quickly, but you can miss out on a lot of the nuance and beauty of the fiction writer’s craft, even if you understand everything that’s going on in a story. The same is doubly true for poetry. If you’re reading for enjoyment, it may be best to savor the words.

-An index card, bookmark, or other page-width item might help increase speed more than a finger. By obscuring surrounding text, a card prevents your eyes from wandering.

Warnings

-While faster reading can actually improve your comprehension by making you a more active, focused reader, reading too fast can also lead to decreased comprehension. You read in order to get important information; if you’re reducing your comprehension dramatically, you might as well not read at all.

-Beware of expensive speed reading products. Try the tips above before you spend money on a speed reading book or kit. If you’re still not making progress after a few weeks of regular, serious practice, you may want to consider paying for a product, but do some research and compare your options before you do.

-Sleep well! You won’t be able to have a good understanding of the text if you don’t. It will make you spend a lot more time on reading, and even like that, the comprehension isn’t going to be as high as you may wish.
Things You’ll Need

Reading material
Good eyesight
Patience
Earplugs

I. Basic Outline Format for Essay

** Say what you want to do … do it … say what you have done **

A. Introduction and thesis statement (Say what you want to do)

1. Before writing an essay you must have a thesis statement. This is one sentence announcing the central idea of the paper. It must be specific. This statement should sum up the basic meaning of the essay and signal to the reader what to expect.

2. The first sentence is the most important one because it get’s the reader’s attention.

3. The first paragraph (introduction) is very important. It should “hook” the reader, i.e. make him or her want to continue reading.

B. The body of the paper (Do it)

1. Each paragraph should deal with one central idea. This idea is introduced early in a topic sentence, telling the reader what to expect in the paragraph. Several ideas in one paragraph will only confuse the reader. If the central idea has several supporting points, break it into several paragraphs rather than having one very long paragraph.

2. It is not enough to simply state ideas, you must support them. By giving evidence, you convince readers of the truth and accuracy of your ideas. If you successfully prove your statements, the reader should agree with your conclusion.

3. As a writer, you must structure the sequence of ideas carefully and logically. You are mapping a course, leading the reader through the points that support your thesis. You do not want to confuse the reader. Transitions between paragraphs link them together logically. These “connecting sentences” keep the paper flowing smoothly.

Ex. The man was sick, and my father was mortified that he could not help him because he did not speak English. Due to my father’s experience, I vowed to learn a foreign language fluently.

C. Conclusion (Say what you have done)

1. Restates the thesis and main points supporting it. In the conclusion, the writer should give some new ideas or information to challenge the reader to think further.

II. Writing the Statement of Purpose

** “Graduate schools and competitive undergraduate programs want students who are able to think clearly, without confusion. The statement of purpose will demonstrate, fortunately or unfortunately, whether you possess that quality. When one reads a proposal that is poorly organized, filled with EXTRANEOUS details, and foggily focused, one gets the immediate impression that the mind that produced such confusion can never be disciplined enough to regard facts objectively and present them logically.” **

A. Step One: Know Yourself

With the statement of purpose you can persuade the admissions committee to accept you. In order to convince them, you must be convinced yourself. You must be sure of what you want, why you want it, and why that particular program can help you. Why should the school select you over someone else? YOU MUST KNOW YOURSELF. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Before beginning to write, think. Review your intellectual and personal development over your academic career. When you can clearly articulate the history that led you to decide to apply to a particular American program, you are ready to begin writing.

B. Step Two: An Outline

1. This does not need to be written in complete sentences. The outline below is just an example. The points you want to discuss can be in a different order, as long as you have an introduction, body, and conclusion. You need to decide what order of ideas is the best for your essay. You want the strongest and most logical essay that you can write.

2. EXAMPLE

I. Introduction: State your goals

II. Body of the Paper

A. Explain background (Prove that you are academically prepared for this study program)
1.Where and what studied
2.Past research/diploma project
3.If applying to a program in a different field of study, explain how skills learned in earning your degree can be applied to the new field.

B. Description of professional goals

1.Why that field of study interesting/what influenced you to choose that field
2.Any related experience/research after university
3.Future plans after receiving degree

C. What and why study in graduate school

1.What your specific interests are in your field
2.Why this program is needed for your professional development
3. Why U.S.
4. Why that particular university — courses, faculty, research projects/facilities

III. Conclusion

A. Summing up the main points
B. What you can contribute to the program

Ex. Growing up in Siberia during the period of perestroika has given me first hand exposure to the transition from a command to a capitalistic economy.

C. Step Three: Writing the Statement

If you have done a good job with steps one and two, the writing should come easily. Keep the following points in mind:

1.The first sentence is the most important one. You want the reader’s attention.

2.Cut out any sentences that are not absolutely necessary. Every sentence should be important and clearly stated. Most points can be made without a lot of necessary background.

3.Be self-confident. Frame everything positively. Use phrases such as “actively participated in” rather than “although I was only an assistant”. Even if your English is horrible, do NOT tell them. Your TOEFL scores will indicate your English ability. Do not write any negative statements.

4.They are looking to see if your background and expectations match with what they offer. The more specific you can be with each institution you are applying to, the more convincing you will be.

5.If written correctly, the statement of purpose should show that you are goal-oriented, that you can identify what you want, and that you have taken steps to obtain those goals.

III. Different Programs

The emphasis in your statement of purpose depends on where you are applying.

A. Undergraduate Program

Put emphasis on you as a whole person, not just academic ability. They are looking for a well-rounded person who will adapt well into the school’s social as well as academic community. Be sure to mention sports, volunteer activities, dance or music lessons, hobbies, etc.

B. Graduate School

The emphasis here is on scholarship and your research interests. While you want to come through as a person, you want to focus on those aspects of your personality that relate to your intellectual and academic interests and goals.

C. Grants, Fellowships, and Scholarships

What you include in your essay should depend on the purpose of the scholarship. Whom does the organization want to support?
a. If it is a women’s organization, emphasize how your goals relate to you as a woman.
b. If it is a scientific organization, explain your scientific achievments and future goals.
c. If the fellowship is for a business program, your work experience in the business world will be more important than your university coursework.

D. Internships

a. Emphasize practical work experience. You want to include your academic accomplishments, but this is secondary. It does not have to be paid work; organizations, committee work, and classroom projects at the university are also important.
b. Demonstrate how that internship will help further your professional goals.
c. Highlight the qualities that make you right for that job. If the job involves sales, you want to stress your ability to get along with people. If the job involves research, emphasize your powers of concentration and persistence.

IV. Final Comments

A. Be honest. Be confident and positive without being pushy or demanding.

B. There is a saying, “Nothing good is ever written, it is re-written”. No one ever writes a perfect first draft.

C. Do not be discouraged if you are not accepted. Be constructive and analyze the possible reasons for your rejection. Could your statement of purpose have been stronger? Are your academic qualifications strong enough for that program? Maybe it really is not the right program for your goals.

D. Another saying is, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”. If you really want to study in the U.S., look into other programs. If you were rejected from a school that you feel is really the best for you, improve your weak points, work on new projects that show you are serious about your goals, and reapply, do this.