To read extensively or to read intensively  

I think that we could read a lot of the same pieces of work and not really know what they mean. Reading is a key point of learning,knowledge, and understanding. I think we should read both extensively and intensively, there are some really great books out there and there are books on every topic known to man out there. Books also give us ideas to contemplate and then reform our own.

I guess by your definitions I would rather read extensively to learn about a great many things.

I'm currently doing some computer reading and reading about Hull House. I've just been going through a list of available e-books in alphabetical order and randomly picking some to read.

It depends on what we do and why we do. i don't accept the phrase "we are not allowed to read word by word". i am against that thought. nobody is against us doing something except our mindset.
lets accept the world has not changed. even today we eat three times a day and sleep 8 hours a day. so no excuses.
When we have to learn something new (to us) we need to spare that long time to read slowly and steadily so that we understand the basic concepts. here intensive reading is very important. when you know a subject and are reading more articles on that then you can read extensively by reading fast. only points that you may find new may be read intensively.

Bathed in so many worthy books!!! That is my frustration in life. It helps me to maintain a balance of extensive and intensive reading. By nature I tend to read every word and savor things that sounded good to me. But I have learned to enjoy skimming-type reading of things I read for pure pleasure, like some magazines.

without extensive readin we miss out the most important parts of the books
so i thnk in this time n age where ppl have very less time to read .. we shud read carefully wht ever we read

i dont know how i will read i will first read all the important questions and then try to read the other questions i follow the same for all subjects

Since most of my reading these days comprised mainly of fiction, I have been reading extensively. I feed my current reading addiction with 2-4 books a week. I'm a fast reader, and the books are mostly light in content, mainly designed to be enjoyed, not to be studied, I can finish them quite fast.

I rarely do intensive reading these days. I'm no longer in school, and I don't really have anything I really want to study. So yes, for me, its more books to read, the better.

I tend to read more extensively than intensively, considering I do not study a lot as of late. However, I do understand that to truly absorb information I must read intensively. One can learn more by truly paying attention to one book than by halfheartedly reading a hundred. I tend to really pay attention to whatever I am reading, but usually what I am reading is fiction so it is pretty much discounted from this discussion entirely. :)

Good, interesting, unique topic!

I believe in reading extensively rather than reading intensively. Our knowledge would certainly widen. This can help us understand about many things and widen our minds and perceptions.

As for understanding text to a greater depth it has something to do with how our brains work. Reading slowly will slow down our rate of understanding. Many who are used to slow reading would probably defend themselves and say by reading word by word we would understand better. True, but only if we increase our reading speed.

For some reason faster reading leads to better understanding of the text being read. Most of the population read at around 200 wpm with some slightly more and some less. Our reading speed should exceed 600 wpm. I had students who disagreed because they were comfortable with reading slowly and sometimes repeating sentences in order to remember or understand better. Fortunately they agreed to be tested. Memory and understanding tests proved they were wrong.

Basically the brain works in a holistic manner. The more information given to it the better it will in analysing the data. Since the neurons move at a fast speed then the information should be given together within a short time frame.

- rosdimy -