Reading Assignments: Crash Course Study Skills #2

Summary

In this Crash Course Study Skills video, Thomas Frank addresses the challenge of managing extensive reading assignments by suggesting strategies to prioritize and selectively read. He debunks the myth of speed reading beyond 400 words per minute, given human visual and cognitive limitations. Frank recommends practicing reading, setting time goals, and using the 'Morse Code Method' for note-taking. He also introduces active reading techniques like SQ3R to enhance comprehension and retention.

Takeaways

• 📚 It's impossible to read all assigned pages, and that's okay.
• ⏱️ Focus on boosting your reading speed and remembering more of what you read.
• ❓ Not all assigned readings are necessary; prioritize based on importance.
• 📖 Use Cal Newport’s framework: prioritize main textbook readings over supplemental ones.
• ⚖️ Learn to skim and identify key concepts and vocabulary to save time.
• 🚫 Speed reading claims are mostly myths; human reading speed has limits.
• 👀 Understanding how the eye processes text helps explain reading speed limits.
• 💭 Working memory constraints affect reading comprehension and speed.
• 🏃 Practice reading frequently to improve speed and comprehension.
• 🖊️ Highlighting selectively and using the Morse Code Method can aid in remembering key ideas.
• 📝 Active reading (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review) enhances retention.
• 📑 Summarizing and taking notes are effective for retaining big concepts and details.

Q & A

What is the bad news that Thomas Frank starts with in the video?

The bad news is that the little voice in your head telling you it's impossible to read all the assigned pages is correct, implying that the task of reading extensive material can be overwhelming.

What is the good news Thomas Frank offers as a counterpoint to the bad news?

The good news is that the video will provide strategies on how to maximize the efficiency of reading assignments by boosting reading speed and improving memory retention.

What is the first question Thomas Frank asks viewers about their syllabus?

He asks whether they actually need to do all the reading assigned on their syllabus.

Why is it not necessary to do all the assigned readings according to Thomas Frank?

It's not necessary because time is limited, and there are other commitments and overlaps between book content and lectures that compete for attention.

According to Cal Newport's framework, how should students prioritize their readings?

Students should prioritize readings from the class's favored source, typically the main textbook, and be more selective with supplemental readings, prioritizing arguments over descriptions and context.

What are the physical limitations of the human eye that affect reading speed?

The limitations include the small size of the fovea, which requires quick jerky movements called saccades and pauses called fixations to process text, setting a speed limit for visual text processing.

What is the average reading speed for skilled, college-level readers?

Skilled, college-level readers can expect to read between 200-400 words per minute.

Why are some speed reading techniques ineffective according to the video?

Techniques such as increasing the amount of text processed during each fixation, RSVP, and eliminating subvocalization have been scientifically tested and found to be ineffective due to physical and cognitive constraints.

What is the 'Morse Code Method' suggested by Cal Newport for note-taking while reading?

The Morse Code Method involves drawing a dot in the margin next to a sentence that presents a significant idea and a dash for an example or explanation that supports the previous idea, allowing for efficient note-taking and review.

What does the acronym SQ3R stand for and how does it relate to active reading?

SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. It is a system for active reading that involves pre-reading, formulating questions, reading, taking notes or summarizing, and reviewing to enhance understanding and retention.

What is the main advice Thomas Frank gives for improving reading skills?

The main advice is to practice reading often and widely with suitably difficult material, set time goals to stay focused, and use techniques like the pseudo-skimming method and SQ3R for better comprehension.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Reading Assignments: Selectivity and Efficiency

Thomas Frank introduces the video by addressing the overwhelming nature of academic reading assignments. He acknowledges the difficulty of reading extensive material and suggests that not all assigned readings are equally important. Frank references Cal Newport's framework for prioritizing readings, dividing them into 'favored source' and 'supplemental readings.' He advises that while all readings from the main textbook are crucial, supplemental readings can be selectively approached based on their argumentative or descriptive nature. Frank also emphasizes the importance of understanding class-specific needs, suggesting that sometimes skimming for main concepts and vocabulary is sufficient. He debunks the myth of extreme speed reading, explaining the physical limitations of the human eye and the constraints of working memory on reading speed.

05:07

🚀 Enhancing Reading Speed and Comprehension

The second paragraph delves into the mechanics of reading, describing the roles of the fovea, parafovea, and periphery in the eye's visual range and the process of saccades and fixations. It explains the inherent speed limit set by these eye movements and the working memory's role in processing text. The paragraph also touches on the common practice of regressions and the natural tendency to skip certain words while reading. It clarifies that, despite intelligent word skipping, the average reading speed for skilled readers is between 200-400 words per minute. Frank dismisses popular but ineffective speed reading techniques such as increasing fixation size, RSVP, and eliminating subvocalization, emphasizing the importance of practice, avoiding daydreaming, and using time goals to improve reading efficiency. He introduces the 'pseudo-skimming' technique for non-essential texts and highlights the first and last sentences of paragraphs as key areas for identifying main ideas. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the effectiveness of highlighting and introduces Cal Newport's Morse Code Method for note-taking during reading.

Keywords

💡Reading Speed

Reading speed refers to the number of words a person can read and comprehend in a minute. In the video's context, it is central to the theme of efficient reading strategies. The script mentions that while 'speed reading' techniques claim to increase this rate significantly, the actual human capacity is limited to about 200-400 words per minute, with comprehension dropping off beyond that threshold.

💡Saccades and Fixations

Saccades are the quick, jerky eye movements that allow us to read text, while fixations are the brief pauses when the eye focuses on 1-2 words at a time. These concepts are fundamental to understanding the physical limitations of reading speed. The script explains that the small size of the fovea, the part of the eye responsible for detailed vision, and the time taken for saccades and fixations, set a natural speed limit for reading.

💡Working Memory

Working memory is the cognitive system responsible for temporarily storing and manipulating information. It is crucial for reading comprehension. The script points out that working memory constraints limit reading speed because it can only process about 4-7 'chunks' of information at a time, which necessitates frequent pauses during reading to allow for processing.

💡Regressions

Regressions are instances when the eyes move backward to re-read text, which can be due to oversight or a need for comprehension. The script notes that even skilled readers spend about 15% of their reading time on regressions, which is an important factor in reading speed and comprehension.

💡Function Words

Function words are the 'glue' words in a sentence, such as 'the,' 'and,' 'if,' etc., that provide grammatical structure but do not carry the main ideas. The script explains that our brains naturally skip more of these words during reading, focusing instead on content words, which helps to increase reading speed without losing comprehension.

💡Comprehension

Comprehension in reading refers to the understanding and interpretation of the text. It is a key theme in the video, as it discusses the balance between reading speed and the ability to understand the material. The script emphasizes that reading too quickly can lead to a drop in comprehension, which defeats the purpose of reading.

💡Supplemental Readings

Supplemental readings are additional materials that support or provide context to the main textbook or favored source in a course. The script uses this term to discuss the hierarchy of readings, suggesting that students can be more selective with these readings compared to the main textbook.

💡Active Reading

Active reading is the process of engaging with the text, rather than passively reading. It involves techniques like note-taking, summarizing, and asking questions to improve understanding and retention. The script introduces the SQ3R method as a way to practice active reading, which includes Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.

💡Highlighting

Highlighting is a common method used by students to mark important information in a text. The script discusses the potential pitfalls of over-highlighting, which can lead to a false sense of remembering the material. It suggests being selective when highlighting to avoid confusion between recognition and recall.

💡Morse Code Method

The Morse Code Method, as described in the script, is a note-taking strategy proposed by Cal Newport. It involves using dots and dashes in the margins of a book to mark important ideas and supporting details, respectively. This method allows for efficient reading and focused note-taking during review, as opposed to highlighting.

💡SQ3R

SQ3R is an acronym for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review, a systematic approach to active reading. The script explains that this method helps to prime the brain for important information, encourages note-taking and summarization, and aids in retention of the material. It is presented as a way to engage more deeply with the text.

Highlights

Reading all assigned materials is often impossible due to time constraints.

It's okay not to read everything assigned by teachers.

Cal Newport's framework categorizes readings into favored source and supplemental readings.

Favored source readings are usually from the main textbook and should be prioritized.

Supplemental readings can be selectively read based on their importance in making an argument, describing events, or providing context.

The class context may require different approaches to reading assignments, such as skimming for main concepts or in-depth reading.

The human visual system has limitations that affect reading speed, including the fovea's size and the need for saccades and fixations.

Cognitive science suggests a working memory constraint of about 4-7 bits or 'chunks' of information during reading.

Regressions, or re-reading text, are common and necessary for comprehension.

Intelligent word skipping can increase reading speed without significantly impacting comprehension.

The average skilled reader's speed is between 200-400 words per minute, with comprehension dropping beyond this range.

Speed reading techniques, such as increasing fixation size or RSVP, have been scientifically proven ineffective.

Eliminating subvocalization can impair comprehension, especially for difficult texts.

Practice, reading often and widely, is the key to improving reading speed and comprehension.

Setting time goals can help maintain focus and increase reading efficiency.

Pseudo-skimming technique involves skimming for main ideas and slowing down to read entire paragraphs when important points are found.

Highlighting should be done selectively to avoid confusion between recognition and recall.

The Morse Code Method, introduced by Cal Newport, is a more effective note-taking strategy than excessive highlighting.

Active reading involves engaging with the text using strategies like SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review).

Surveying a text before reading helps prime the brain for important information.

Questioning before reading aids in identifying key points and maintaining focus.

Reciting involves note-taking or summarizing, with different strategies suitable for different types of readings.

SQ3R is a system for active reading, but it's not the only way to engage with text effectively.

Transcripts

Hi, I’m Thomas Frank, this is Crash Course Study Skills, and I’ve got some bad news for you.

You know that little voice in the back of your head that’s telling you it’s impossible to read all 847 pages your teacher assigned you last week?

It’s right.

To counter that with some good news, though: that’s ok!

Today we’re going to be diving deep into how you can make the most out of the time you spend on reading assignments,

both by learning how to boost your reading speed and how to remember more of what you read.

[Theme Music]

First, I want to jump right in and ask the same question that you probably ask yourself every time you look at a syllabus:

“Do I actually need to do all this reading?”

While some of your teachers might object, the answer is no, and that’s because your time isn’t limitless.

In a perfect world, you’d be able to pour over every detail of every book in the world and become smarter than Jimmy Neutron.

But in this world, you’ve got other things competing for space in your schedule, like homework, extracurriculars, and marathoning Jimmy Neutron.

There are other reasons, as well – like, sometimes you’ll see a lot of overlap between what’s in the book and what you’ll hear in lectures.

So, how do you know what reading to actually do?

Cal Newport’s book How to Become a Straight-A Student provides a pretty good framework for answering that question.

He divides assigned readings into two groups; assignments from the class’s favored source, which is usually the main textbook, and supplemental readings.

You should generally do all the readings from each favored source, but you can afford to be a bit more selective when it comes to the supplemental readings.

Cal provides a hierarchy for prioritizing them, where readings that make an argument take precedence over descriptions of events or people,

which in turn are more important than anything that provides context – like press clippings or speeches.

What I’ll add to that, though, is that every class is different.

Sometimes you’ll find that everything in the textbook is mirrored in the lecture slides,

and other times you’ll still need to look through the reading assignments, but skimming for important main concepts and vocab terms will suffice.

And, of course, some classes will require you to barricade yourself in your room with 6 week’s rations and those freaky eye things from A Clockwork Orange to hold your eyes open.

But by carefully paying attention and gauging each one, you’ll be able to make smart decisions about what to read, skim, or skip.

Now, aside from doing some triage on your reading assignments, the other main way to get through them faster is to learn how to read more quickly.

We have to be careful here, though, because this is where the term “speed reading”

starts getting thrown around and you get people claiming they can teach you to read 1000 words per minute or more.

Sadly, that just isn’t possible.

As much as I’d love to be able to plow through an entire book over my morning coffee,

we humans have some hard-wired limits on how far we can push our reading speeds.

On to the Thought Bubble!

Let’s have a look at the eye.

Your visual range is made up of three areas, the fovea, parafovea, and periphery.

Of these, only the fovea has a high enough density of cones, the type of photoreceptor cell in your eye that can perceive small details, to make out text on a page.

Since the fovea is pretty small, your eyes read text by making quick jerky movements called saccades.

In between each of these saccades is a small pause called a fixation,

and this is when the eye intakes the 1-2 words it’s currently focused on and sends them to your prefrontal cortex for processing.

Both saccades and fixations take time to do, which essentially sets a speed limit on how fast you can visually process text.

And that’s just for recognizing the actual letters and words;

there are other factors that contribute to a lower speed limit for how quickly you can read text and comprehend it.

The main one is your working memory constraints.

Just like the RAM in a computer, your working memory can only process so much at once.

Right now, cognitive science quantifies that at about 4-7 bits or “chunks” of information,

which we’ll talk about more in the next video on how your memory works.

For now, it’s enough to say that you need to give your working memory time to deal with each chunk that comes in before feeding it another one,

and you do this by pausing frequently while you’re reading.

Additionally, even skilled readers spend about 15% of their reading on regressions, in which the eye moves backwards to re-read text.

That time is split between small regressions due to saccades that went too far the first time, and larger ones that are needed for comprehension.

Thanks, Thought Bubble.

Now, your speed is helped by the fact that you naturally skip words when reading,

and your brain is incredibly good at knowing which ones to skip while still retaining good comprehension.

Studies have shown that while reading, your eyes fixate on about 85% of the content words

– the words that carry the actual ideas – and only about 35% of the function words,

which are the “glue” words like “the, and, if,” etc.

But even with the speed boost that comes from this intelligent word skipping, research has shown that skilled, college-level readers can expect to read from anywhere between 200-400 words per minute.

For the vast majority of us, anything beyond 400 is getting into skimming territory, where your comprehension starts dropping real quick.

“But what about speed reading techniques?” you might ask.

The people that run those speed reading seminars and claim they can read at 2,000 words per minute say that there are techniques out there for breaking past that normal speed range.

Like increasing the amount of text you process during each fixation, flashing words in one spot rapidly,

and eliminating “subvocalization” – that voice that reads “aloud” in your head when you read silently.

Sadly, each of these techniques has been tested scientifically and shown to be ineffective.

For one, increasing the size of each fixation through “training” would be pretty tough,

since you would literally have grow more cones in your eyes.

And if you figure out how to do that, I recommend not telling anyone unless they say they’re from the X-men.

Additionally, this idea still wouldn’t do anything about your working memory constraints,

which is the main problem that also plagues Rapid Serial Visual Processing, or RSVP, a technique that involves flashing words rapidly in one spot.

The idea here is to eliminate the need for saccades, but it breaks down because it doesn’t allow the brain to intelligently skip function words or to do any regressions.

This has the dual effect of overtaxing your working memory and not allowing you to go back over a line you didn’t understand the first time.

And finally, eliminating subvocalization is a misguided idea because that inner voice is actually quite important.

As the researcher Elizabeth Schotter noted:

“Attempts to eliminate inner speech have been shown to result in impairments in comprehension when texts are reasonably difficult

and require readers to make inferences.”

At this point it might seem like I’m the bad guy, and that your only hope is to get on Amazon and buy those Clockwork Orange eye things, but there is hope.

Like any other skill, you can become better at reading.

The main way to do this is to simply practice.

Read often, read widely, and make sure the material is suitably difficult.

Those dense chapters in your psychology textbook aren’t going to get any easier if you practice on One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish – though that is a great book.

Another problem that might bring down your reading speed is daydreaming.

When I’m reading, I’ll sometimes get lost thinking about a specific sentence and end up staring into space, which wastes a ton of time and makes the other people around me wonder if I’m dead.

If you have this problem as well, you can set a time goal for the chapter;

when I do this, I don’t always finish on time, but it does help me stay focused.

Finally, when you’re reading books that don’t require you to comprehend every word, you can speed things up with the pseudo-skimming technique.

Skim the text while keeping an eye out for main ideas, vocabulary terms, and anything else important.

When you notice one, slow down and read the entire paragraph that encompasses it.

A good way to spot these is to pay special attention to the first and last sentence of each paragraph, as well as any bolding, italics, or other formatting.

Looking out for those little bits of formatting will also help you to remember what you read, which is what we’re going to shift our focus to now.

One of the most common ways that students attempt to remember what they read is through highlighting – which, to be fair, is useful if done right.

The problem is that it’s really easy to highlight too much since everything seems important when you’re first reading it.

And this works against you because it’s easy to believe that you “know” the things you’ve highlighted.

When you look back through your book later on, you’ll see them, think, “Oh yeah, I remember highlighting that!” and you might decide that you’ve memorized it.

But there are two ways to remember something: You can recall it, or you can recognize it.

The danger with highlighting is that it becomes very easy to mistake recognition –

which requires a cue – with true recall, which involves pulling the memory from the depths of your brain’s archives all on your own.

The more you highlight, the greater this danger becomes.

So if you do decide to highlight your book, be very selective about what gets highlighted.

A better idea might be to adopt what Cal Newport calls the Morse Code Method.

Here’s how he explains it:

First, if you come across a sentence that seems to be laying out a big, interesting idea, draw a quick dot next to it in the margin of the book.

Secondly, if you come across an example or explanation that supports the previous big idea, draw a quick dash next to it in the margin.

This lets you avoid slowing down while reading, which enables you to smoothly move through and comprehend the whole text before going back to review.

Once you do, the dots and dashes will allow you to take smarter notes on what you’ve read.

Speaking of notes, it’s finally time to talk about active reading.

This is the process of truly engaging with the text instead of passively just running your eyes over it, which will help you retain a lot more of what you read.

Lots of study books and teachers explain active reading in terms of a system called SQ3R,

which stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.

Surveying is essentially pre-reading.

Before you start an assignment, skim over the whole thing quickly.

Look over the beginning overview, the headings, and any review questions at the end of the chapter.

Doing this primes your brain in advance, which will help the most important information stick out later.

You can actually see how well priming works right now.

Close your eyes for a few seconds and concentrate on a specific color.

When you open them, you’ll easily notice that color in the environment around you.

Surveying does the same thing with text.

Questioning simply involves writing out some questions that come to mind before starting the reading.

I actually do this quite often before researching my video topics, as it helps to – again

– prime my brain to pick out the important bits and not spend too much time off in the weeds.

Reading...well, that’s reading.

That leads into reciting, which is a catch-all word for either taking notes or summarizing what you’ve read.

Now, if you had infinite time, you could do both, but since you probably don’t,

I’ll note that summaries will be more useful for big concepts you need to understand intimately,

and more detailed notes will be better for fact-heavy readings.

We’ll cover effective review strategies in a future video.

For now, I’ll wrap up by mentioning that I don’t think you need to follow SQ3R perfectly in order to get the benefits of active reading.

In fact, I don’t recommend many rigid, acronym-based systems at all.

Except for, maybe, SCAR: Stop Complaining And Read.

Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time.

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