Usually, people read the newspaper to learn about the world. Which current events do you want to know more about? Which events and news items are not important to you? Knowing what you want helps you read efficiently, and therefore faster. If you’re not interested in entertainment news, you can skim reviews of recent movies. If you’re eager to learn more about international news, read the section covering this slower.
Think about how much you will learn. There is so much going on in the world, and reading the news will inform you about facts and events you would not learn about otherwise. Think about any benefits to reading the newspaper regularly. For example, maybe there’s an election coming up. You can see reading the newspaper as an opportunity to become a more informed voter.
Look for the sections that most interest you. Keep them in mind as you read, as you’ll know to pay closer attention when you read those sections. You can also choose to start with the sections that are most important to you, so you can give them the most attention while your mind is fresh. For example, maybe you’re looking for news about the upcoming election. The section on politics runs from page five to seven. This is the section you should read most closely.
Some articles will be less important than others. There may be articles about topics you already know about, or articles that aren’t personally important to you. It’s okay to skip or skim the less important articles. To most effectively read a newspaper, you should pay attention to the content that will best educate you.
Some articles can be skimmed or read very quickly. A local interest story about a new restaurant, for example, is probably not very complex. You can breeze through this article quickly and still learn most of the necessary information. An article that’s covering, say, a recent political debate is probably more complex. You will have to slow your pace to read articles of this nature. Even though you are reading slowly here, you will still get through the paper faster having skimmed less complicated articles.
If you start reading something that sounds familiar, skim or skip over the paragraph. If an entire article seems like information you already know, it’s okay to skip it. If you read news online or watch the news, information in a newspaper may be repetitive.
Pay attention to your mouth when you read. Try to be aware of mouthing the words out loud. If you catch yourself whispering or talking, stop. You will finish the paper quicker if you’re not talking out loud. You may also find you’re talking to yourself silently in your head while you read. You may be repeating the words in your head a second time or adding commentary. Try to silence your internal monologue when you’re reading.
Keep asking yourself what each article is about. Remind yourself why you’re reading the paper periodically. You can pause and think things like, “Why is this story important?” and “What are the implications of this for the larger world?”
If there’s any information you really want to remember, you could jot it down somewhere or take a note using your phone.
The what is the basic information behind the event. Make sure you know the basic facts of what occurred. The why is why the article is important. Think about why this story matters to you, and why someone is reporting on it. The how involves all the technicalities. It details any background information or circumstances that allowed the event in question to occur.
For example, an article that starts off detailing a recent election may contain information about unexpected results. You can assume the article will be about these results, why they were unexpected, and the possible consequences. Go into the article with that information in mind.
Make sure the area has good light. It can be hard to read if you’re struggling to see. Avoid reading at night, especially in your bed. This can cause you to become drowsy.
