Review of Mechanical methods for increasing the speed of reading. An experimental study at the third grade level

Abstract

Reviews the book, Mechanical methods for increasing the speed of reading. An experimental study at the third grade level by Eloise Booker Cason (1943). This monograph is a complete report of an experiment set up to answer a specific question for a specific group of subjects. Does intensive training in correct eye movements improve measurable reading skills to a greater extent than would the use of the same amount of time for free library reading? The experiment is admirably designed to produce an unequivocal answer. There are a few places where the statistical explanations are a little obscure, but there seem to be no errors in procedure which would cast doubt on the dependability of the results. The findings of the study as a whole will lend support to the arguments of those who hold that mechanical and motor skills are less important aspects of reading than are intellectual and motivational factors. Since free reading is much simpler and less expensive than the mechanical methods, the results should have definite practical application. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)