That means every 10 minutes, you will read 100 more words than you normally would. Just think about the amount of time that will save you in the long run… No matter how small, every little improvement makes a big difference!

This is a very straight-forward technique, so you’ll have no problem implementing it. Here we go!

Try highlighting parts of the text as you read. This will improve your comprehension Don’t highlight everything; just the most important stuff. You’ll usually find one important thing per paragraph. That’s what you should highlight.

The best way to think about it is that you should highlight the most important 10% of the material. You’ll usually find that the cold hard facts account for about 10% of the material. Ninety percent of the material is devoted to explaining the facts in extra detail, and showing how it is all relevant to the material as a whole. You obviously still need to read and understand 100% of the text, but the simple act of highlighting that special 10% will give you a huge improvement to your understanding overall.

The higher your comprehension, the higher your reading speed will reach. The more comfortable you are with the text, the faster you’ll be able to read it. It’s that simple.

If you follow this simple trick – highlight the important parts of the text while reading – your rate will jump by approximately 10 WPM right away. Guaranteed.

Firstly, you need to really make good use of your textbook. Don’t worry about resale value, or whether or not it will look pretty when you’re done. The textbook is for you to use during the semester – that’s why you have it.

Underline, circle and make margin notes as you read along. I don’t mean highlighting the whole page; just the few key phrases that can help the main concepts “stick out” on the page, and thus “stick in” your mind. This helps direct your focus to the most important things, while also making those things easier to recall.

Get some sticky-notes and mark the important pages. In a textbook with 500 pages there would probably be about 50 pages worth marking. Skimming through these pages in those last few precious seconds before the exam can make a big difference to your performance.

Transfer important notes to the front of the book. Use the covers to scribble away new facts or ideas. This helps to cement the concepts in your mind. Also, making notes helps you to understand concepts more clearly; just because your mind is re-absorbing the information in a different format. And, of course, the better your understanding of the material, the more likely you’ll be able to recall it correctly when a test comes along.

Finally, when you finish with the book, re-read the marked pages. If you want, you can make a mind map of the content; some people say that mind maps can greatly improve your memory. In any case, mixing up the format of the information will make it easier to digest.

Try using these tips for the courses you’re taking now, and see if you can’t turn the tables on those students that always beat you on tests!