The Reading Habits of Superior College Students

Abstract

This investigation aims to determine to what extent a group of college students with supe rior scholarship ratings possess efficient reading habits. By efficient reading is meant ability to read rapidly and with rhythmic, continuous eye-movements. Efficient reading is frequently pre sumed to be necessary for successful reading and scholastic success. Thus Bowen writes: Care ful selections and rapid reading are essential to adult who aspires to be 'well read' today. She cites 325 to 425 words per minute as a criterion by which to judge an individual's (college student's) rate.1 Cole, in comparing eye-movements of a good reader with those of a poor reader, concludes, in part, that the good reader is good because he uses few fixations, rarely makes a regression, and hits beginning of each line accurately.2 A manual for college stu dents states: There is a definite relationship between scholastic aptitude and reading efficiency'.'3 How definite is this relationship?