Reading modes: full text, guided reading, or word by word
Compare full text, guided highlighting, and word-by-word reading in Fastreader. Follow a short example and switch modes without losing your place.
In Fastreader, “Text”, “Guided”, and “Word by word” share the same position. You can begin by looking over the paragraphs, try moving highlights or sequential word display, and then return to a difficult idea. You do not have to use one mode for an entire article.
The full text for overview and comparison
Start in “Text” when you need to understand the structure, see several conditions together, or find a particular passage. Click a sentence to reveal actions for reading from it and displaying its words. The selected sentence becomes the starting point for the switch, so check its beginning before starting.
When to choose guided reading
Choose “Guided” when you want an external pace while keeping the full text visible. Once you start, the highlight moves through the words at the selected pace and the page follows your position. Scrolling manually or selecting a sentence pauses reading. Start reading separately when you are ready to continue.
Word display for a passage you want to read in sequence
Turn on “Word by word” when you decide to read straight through. The arrival of the next word sets an external rhythm, and the pause button brings back the context. You can try this interface with a note on a familiar topic while keeping the option to stop.
First check the source data. If the values refer to different periods, align them to the same interval. Only then compare the results.
- Add the example and read it fully in “Text”.
- Select “Guided” and start reading. Pause at the second sentence and look at the neighboring lines.
- Switch to “Word by word”, start the display, and pause again.
- Switch to “Text”: the current word stays highlighted. Compare the condition with the next action, then choose the mode that suits you. Reading remains paused until you start it.
Signs that it is time to switch
Have you noticed a term you need to revisit, lost track of what a pronoun refers to, or decided to check an exception? Pause the display. One paragraph of context may be enough. If it is not, read the neighboring paragraphs in ordinary text mode.
A list of conditions or a comparison of several numbers calls for seeing them together. If the text copy has lost a table or diagram, consult the original document. The reader does not reconstruct a layout from plain text.
Switching does not assess comprehension
A shared position helps you navigate, but it does not confirm that you understood the preceding sentences. After a difficult passage, put the conclusion into your own words. The study by Schotter and colleagues supports the importance of rereading in the task studied; it does not establish a universal schedule for switching modes.
Source: Schotter and colleagues, 2014.
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