Glossary
Speed reading glossary
The key concepts behind reading faster, explained simply.
- Fixation
- A brief pause your eyes make on a word or group of words while reading; fewer, wider fixations mean faster reading.
- Perceptual span
- The amount of text you can take in during a single fixation. A wider span means fewer stops per line and faster reading.
- Regression (reading)
- The unconscious habit of moving your eyes backward to re-read text you already covered, which can waste up to a third of reading time.
- RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation)
- A speed-reading technique that displays words one at a time in a fixed position, so your eyes don't have to move across the page.
- Saccade
- The rapid jump your eyes make between fixations while reading. You're effectively blind during a saccade.
- Schulte table
- A grid of scrambled numbers used as a drill to widen peripheral vision and improve concentration for faster reading.
- Subvocalization
- The habit of silently pronouncing words in your head as you read, which limits reading speed to roughly talking speed.
- WPM (Words Per Minute)
- The standard measure of reading speed. The average adult reads 200–300 WPM; trained readers often reach 400–600 WPM with good comprehension.
