I have always been a good reader, and by that I mean I can read out loud well, i can pronounce words properly, understand them, read fast and clearly.... but that doesn't at all mean I can see whats on the page. In fact, I don't remember the last time I read anything that I actually 'read', if that makes sense. I can see the words, even read them out loud, but I have NO IDEA what the words on the page are saying. This is hell when trying to research for an essay or understanding a text book. I just see right past them and even if I do manage to slow myself down and read the words sentence by sentence, my mind isn't there. And normally if what I am trying to read is a short sentence or two, I will look at the first word, hurry to the last couple, realize I have no way of connecting that and read the middle and I read it all jumbled up and never do get the jist of it. I just don't have the patience to read from beginning to end or something, I don't even know why. But the major trouble is that I am in university, HOW is one to get through that when you can't even read!!!!!!!! I am really struggling with this, is this a pretty standard problem?? Any pointers???

I am an fast reader also - read a lot, fiction, non-fiction, everything. I don't read word for word, rather just skim over a paragraph and on to the next. Sometimes I skip quite a bit and have to back up to figure out where a new character came from or why the characters are suddenly on a boat when a minute ago they were in a house.

But I used to have a job where I did research reading legal documents. I would have to use a ruler to read sentance by sentance. I often had to read things over and over to understand them. I found that summarizing a paragraph or section in my own words helped me understand it and remember it.

If I had to single out one area that has been my downfall, it would be this. I simply cannot make myself read the grotesque amounts of material required of postgraduate level education. I have made do, but I have not excelled to my full potential, as most texts are not designed in such a way as to reinforce in small parts what you have just read. Try reading an organic chemistry text for a class, for instance, where every line is chock full of very important material which must be understood before moving on. Then combine that with having to read multiple chapters per day or every other day - the task becomes painful at best.

You definately have my sympathy. I can still remember being under that kind of pressure and stress. Even the memory of it makes me feel a little sick.

At a time when I was having a lot of difficulty studying History, I was given some really good advice from a friend who is a Philosophy professor. He said that I should take notes on what I was reading. When it came time for a quiz or a test, just recopy my notes. It worked like a charm! Taking notes on the reading kept me from floating away. And rewriting my notes as a method of study, imprinted the material in my brain much better than my hopelessly going over and over it. I had to do a lot of writing, but remembering the material became easy. All I had to focus on, was my pencil. Everything else seemed to happen automatically. It's a great trick that I still use. I only wish that I had learned it sooner.

I have tried that...in fact I take notes on everything and put them on cue cards. I find though that after writing a bit if I am copying my eyes and pencil do the work and I dont even know what Im writing. When I write notes off the board too, I have no idea what I have written. I have to skim over them later just to know what went on that class. I do find that method works, when I can focus on it.

re: #1

Have you tried Text-To-Speech software that reads your reading aloud to you?

Your University's Special Needs Office can [likely] help.

I have always been a good reader, and by that I mean I can read out loud well, i can pronounce words properly, understand them, read fast and clearly.... but that doesn't at all mean I can see whats on the page. In fact, I don't remember the last time I read anything that I actually 'read', if that makes sense. I can see the words, even read them out loud, but I have NO IDEA what the words on the page are saying. This is hell when trying to research for an essay or understanding a text book. I just see right past them and even if I do manage to slow myself down and read the words sentence by sentence, my mind isn't there. And normally if what I am trying to read is a short sentence or two, I will look at the first word, hurry to the last couple, realize I have no way of connecting that and read the middle and I read it all jumbled up and never do get the jist of it. I just don't have the patience to read from beginning to end or something, I don't even know why. But the major trouble is that I am in university, HOW is one to get through that when you can't even read!!!!!!!! I am really struggling with this, is this a pretty standard problem?? Any pointers???

Here, you are speaking of books, in which information is presented in a linear fashion. Do you have the same problem with the Internet (here, I am referring to short texts filled with links as opposed to longer, linear texts)? If this is not the case, you may want to do research on the Internet about the particular subject before attempting to read the text in question. Short, link-filled documents help me chunk and relate information much better.