If you don't subscribe to Stand To Reason's daily podcast, you should. In the 9/5 podcast, Greg summarizes his approach to reading. The podcast is called How To Read Less More, and Twice as Fast. The essay that the podcast is based on is here (you will have to be a registered user at the site).
How does this system compare to the Reading Continuum (RC)?
It is very similar.
Greg Koukl has a skim step that takes about 10 mins. You read the dust jacket, the preface, the conclusion, the table of contents and look through the book at a high speed ( 2 seconds a page ). Then you make a go-no go decision.
The next step is a preview step. Take 10 seconds a page. Go through the whole book. Try to pick up the structure, outline, and key facts. Then write a quick summary on the title page in pencil (because you may revise this after you read it).
The next step is reading. Follow this routine for each chapter. Preview (skim the chapter at a rate of 10 seconds per page). Then read every word at your fastest comfortable speed using a pointer (to avoid distractions). Make a mark in the margin when you sense you are hitting important material. Don't underline or highlight the text (it slows you down). Write a 1-4 sentence summary in the beginning of the chapter in pencil.
The next step is post-viewing. Go back and read where you marked the margins. Write down margin notes. Refine your chapter summary if necessary.
This approach is a somewhat abbreviated version of the reading continuum. The scan / ransack step is condensed into the "skim" step. There is no browse option, however. Browsing gives you guilt-free permission to drill down into one chapter or even one section of a chapter if that is all you need.
The pre-read (RC) step equates to the "preview" (STR) step. The "in depth" read (RC) equates to the "read" step (STR). The "study" step (RC) has no counter part in the STR system.
The "post view" step in the STR system looks very, very good. That concept is missing from the RC system. I plan to merge the RC system with the STR system. Both systems are excellent approaches to getting more out of your reading.
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