What's your typing speed and technique?

Firefox · 29th June 2003, 14:09

There was another topic about mainly this in rant under a confusing heading, so here's a chance to discuss it where it might be found by other people who are interested.

Mine is about 50 wpm depending on how I am feeling, but that's composition, not copy typing.

Bubba136 · 29th June 2003, 15:32

Laurie's typing - 75 WPM @ 99% accuracy -- it can't get much better. However, accuracy, IMHO, is the most important. Time spent retyping a document isn't productive -- even correcting mistakes and reprinting is time cosuming.

Laurie's good. If I didn't already employ an excellent secretary, I'd hire her.
But then, she's often expressed a fervent desire not to relocate to the USA. :lol:

Laurieheels · 29th June 2003, 15:43

It's Edmonton or nothing from now on. There is no other option for me.

We need someone there to hire me, but not over work me. :)

The accuracy is important, yes. I could have sacrificed a bit of that to hit 80 or even 90 words, but I figure that 75 is pretty good with that high accuracy.

The test has one looking at the top half of the screen and reading a document about the change from typewriters to computers, and the bottom half of the screen has the typing window. It makes it a bit easier than having to glance at a paper, certainly. It's never easy to have to change one's field of vision too much.

As for style, I spend half of the time looking at the keyboard, half of the time looking at the screen, and I use three fingers on my left hand, and generally two fingers on my right hand. Yes, I am self taught.

Now, the test I had before I started my most recent job three years ago had me at 48 WPM. We can see how one's work and a desire to become better at something can lead to impressive results. A gain of over 25 words a minute in those three years.

I can only get better in time. If someone hires me. *sigh*

Firefox · 29th June 2003, 16:01

I prefer to stuff it all down, and correct mistakes at the end, I agree that time spent correcting mistakes is not productive, but then I find it faster overall to do it like that. Especially when you have that red line/right click gadget in "word" where you can whizz through the document correcting spellings etc in an instant.

When copy typing, speed is important, and 75 wpm is impressive, but when composition typing, 40-50 is adquate for me as I have to think while I'm writing and would rarely need speeds like 75 or more.

It's interesting that at work, it's much more productive to type reports myself, as I go along, than to give them to our sec, and spend time correcting them, especially where technical vocabularly is envolved. Since I type much faster than I write, it's a no contest decision.

Laurieheels · 29th June 2003, 19:13

:P

Composition writing, I go anywhere from 90 to 100 wpm. The accuracy goes down a bit, as dyslexia seems to come up, but then, on any other computer I have spell check, so it is never a problem.

Whatever works, and whatever people are happy with, that is what matters.

Me, I like to be fast and accurate, which seems contradictory, but then, it makes me feel that much better about my abilities. :)

Yamyam · 29th June 2003, 19:44

I've never taken an official speed test, but I can type fast enough to keep up with my brain, so that works for me. I think I passed a speed test once at Poly, but that was over ten years ago.

I like to bash all the text in, then format it later too. I think it's fastest, plus you don't lose your train of thought so fast that way.

I was never taught either, I was just a home computer nut in the 1980s, and one day - bazoom - I could type. The copy of 'Dragon Dictate' on my shelf pays silent testimony to my occasional fear that my typing ability could wear off :)

Francis · 29th June 2003, 21:48

last time I was tested I was 45wpm with 98% accuracy and that's using my two finger typing. If I get a roll on I can go much quicker. Too quick and the keyboard suffers from dyslexia. :lol:

I like to get it all down and then check for typos and spelling, that way I'll get what I want to say as I think of it.

azraelle · 30th June 2003, 06:37

About 20 wpm on a good day. I'm SOOO ENVIOUS. :(

jim · 30th June 2003, 11:34

I also "bazoomed," and type just fast enough to get my self into trouble.

jim :)

Julietta · 30th June 2003, 12:29

I touch type and my speed and accuracy depends on how my brain is connecting with my fingers and at the moment my brain is filled with someone I mean something else :o :D

so am having to correct a lot. But on a good day 75 words per minute - I think :D :D :D :D