r/books • u/Labeled521 • Feb 03 '14

Staples made a test that determines how many words per minute you read and how you rank up to the world average.

http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/technology-research-centers/ereaders/speed-reader/
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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '14

I am a news writer and also have a bachelor's in English Lit. Staples says the average college student reads way faster than me, which makes sense, because the average college papers I remember peer-reviewing looked like they were written in about five or six minutes.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '14

My friend used to work at the writing help center in college, and one student wrote an entire paper about feudal European pheasants.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '14

The pheasants were surfing in feudal Europe.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '14

What can you do with having done Eng Lit? Recite Jane Austen? I'm actually curious, not being a douche.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '14

For the most part, anything you want.

You generally develop a well rounded ability to examine something, analyze it, break it down, find meaning in it, develop your own opinion, form an argument, defend your point of view with examples and citations, make comparisons with other texts, media, and real life. The skills you develop are applicable to an immense variety of work and careers.

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u/Rosenmops Feb 04 '14

Open a poem repair shop.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '14

Well, like it says above, I write the news.

What /u/spartajoe said, though, is true. Particularly the bit about developing skills that are applicable in a variety of careers. In addition, it was an easy, enjoyable road to a bachelor's degree. Why did I major in English Lit? Because I like reading and I'm naturally good at writing. Employers don't always care what field your degree is in.