How fast can you type?

jane_says · 08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

On the other meesage board I frequent, someone asked for help learning to do "homerow" typing to improve his speed, as he uses the two-finger method. Someone suggested learn2type.com, and I went there to take a test (registration is free, if you want to try it yourself). I have always listed my typing speed at 45 WPM, because that's what my keyboarding instructor told me my first year of college. On the short test I just took, it said my accuracy was "impressive", which I guess means no errors, because I looked at it and couldn't find any. But it said my speed was 37 WPM, which I know can't possibly be right. I know my typing speed has increased since college. Admittedly, it was an extremely short test and it was text I wasn't familiar with. I think I do better over a longer period of time, and when I'm typing my own words. Then again maybe I'm just not as fast as I thought I was.
What's your speed?

lookout123 · 08-23-2004, 08:16 PM

when i was a head hunter i tested (on proprietary software) all admin type applicants. people get faster the more familiar they are with the text or even simply the subject of the text. makes sense. generally you are much faster when putting your own thoughts on screen.
i was told that typing speeds have (total words adjusted for accuracy) have decreased greatly in the last 10 years because we all have computers with spellcheck and no longer have any penalty for grammar and spelling as we had with typewriters.

all that to say this - when you go to take a test you will generally have to think more about what you are typing now than you would have, say 10 years ago.

Undertoad · 08-23-2004, 08:47 PM

It gave me a 48. But I think that test is bogus. They give you all kinds of words that you wouldn't normally use, in orders that you wouldn't normally use. So it isn't measuring your typical speed.

As an programmer/sysadmin sort I can type the words "print" "exit" "strtok" and "cellar crash messages lost sorry" with a much higher rate.

TheSnake · 08-23-2004, 09:05 PM

Thanks to Instant Messanger, we are all faster at typing.

TheSnake · 08-23-2004, 09:06 PM

but apparently it didn't improve our spelling....*Messenger*

elSicomoro · 08-23-2004, 09:46 PM

I last had my speed checked in early 2003...60 wpm, 99% accuracy. Probably hasn't changed much since then.

Radar · 08-23-2004, 11:24 PM

This is the first test I've taken is a lot of years. I got 71 wpm after the adjustment for errors. In college I typed 85 wpm. I had a job working at Western Union and my speed increased typing telegrams. I wonder if they adjust for the time it takes to click on the box to start the timer and to click on it again when you're finished. That could seriously be another 3 or 4 words.

lookout123 · 08-23-2004, 11:26 PM

keep in mind that we don't exactly represent most of america. we are online holding detailed discussions that must be typed. although much of what we post is just nyuk nyuk stuff, we do have some pretty in depth conversations that we are choosing to type - conversations that most americans don't even hold verbally. for us to be able (and willing) to do that, we are generally going to have better typing skills than the average individual.

08-24-2004, 04:41 AM

Yeah, we're great. I don't have the foggiest how fast I type. When I was in graduate school I had a professor who actually encouraged his woman students to not worry about their typing. "You will be professionals," he said, "and have your own typist." Don't let anyone dump typing work on you because you're women. You will have more important things to do." I enjoyed his attitude and advise and my typing speed has gone downhill every since!

Cyber Wolf · 08-24-2004, 07:06 AM

The last time I tested for typing speed I had about 63 wpm when allowed to go backspace and delete errors and 72 when not allowed to make corrections. Of course, it helps to be a good speller to start with. A friend of mine can type as fast as I can, but his accuracy sucks because he's a horrible speller. I wonder if any of those typing tests take that into account...?

garnet · 08-24-2004, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marichiko

Yeah, we're great. I don't have the foggiest how fast I type. When I was in graduate school I had a professor who actually encouraged his woman students to not worry about their typing. "You will be professionals," he said, "and have your own typist." Don't let anyone dump typing work on you because you're women. You will have more important things to do." I enjoyed his attitude and advise and my typing speed has gone downhill every since!

Here here! That's great!

Lady Sidhe · 08-24-2004, 08:20 AM

64 wpm, no mistakes.

Considering how many papers I did in college, and that I worked for an order center doing data entry, that sucks.

Sidhe

glatt · 08-24-2004, 09:15 AM

35 wpm, no mistakes. I never took typing. I type with six of my ten digits.

Radar · 08-24-2004, 09:50 AM

That's how I started. I used my thumbs, index fingers, and middle fingers and was doing about 40-50 wpm when I used to do a lot of programming. My friends said I'd be super fast if I learned how to use all of my fingers. When I started learning how to type, my speed dropped to almost nothing and gradually got faster. I found that if I didn't think about it, I actually typed faster. It's funny I get much slower if I look at the keyboard than if I don't. It's like I trip over myself.

I've surprised a few secretaries when I've typed faster than they do. They don't expect to see a fairly large man typing so fast.

breakingnews · 08-24-2004, 10:26 AM

I got 93 wpm, with "impressive" accuracy.

I know, I'm a total computer dork, but after a) all that instant messaging in college, and b) working in journalism for a few years (4 years at the college paper, coming on 2 years in the real world), I've become accustomed to typing at breakneck speeds. I also think good dexterity runs in my family - nearly everyone has been successful at things like art and music.

Oh, I think I learned most of my typing skills from those typing games we were forced to play back in 5th or 6th grade. Then we got a new computer at home (a Mac Classic) and I guess I spent a lot of time on it. Probably much more so than now, and that was pre-Internet. Which raises another question: What on earth do you do with computers if they are not connected to the Web?

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM	#1
jane_says Colonist Extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: SW VA Posts: 200	How fast can you type? On the other meesage board I frequent, someone asked for help learning to do "homerow" typing to improve his speed, as he uses the two-finger method. Someone suggested learn2type.com, and I went there to take a test (registration is free, if you want to try it yourself). I have always listed my typing speed at 45 WPM, because that's what my keyboarding instructor told me my first year of college. On the short test I just took, it said my accuracy was "impressive", which I guess means no errors, because I looked at it and couldn't find any. But it said my speed was 37 WPM, which I know can't possibly be right. I know my typing speed has increased since college. Admittedly, it was an extremely short test and it was text I wasn't familiar with. I think I do better over a longer period of time, and when I'm typing my own words. Then again maybe I'm just not as fast as I thought I was. What's your speed?

08-23-2004, 08:16 PM	#2
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	when i was a head hunter i tested (on proprietary software) all admin type applicants. people get faster the more familiar they are with the text or even simply the subject of the text. makes sense. generally you are much faster when putting your own thoughts on screen. i was told that typing speeds have (total words adjusted for accuracy) have decreased greatly in the last 10 years because we all have computers with spellcheck and no longer have any penalty for grammar and spelling as we had with typewriters. all that to say this - when you go to take a test you will generally have to think more about what you are typing now than you would have, say 10 years ago. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

08-23-2004, 11:24 PM	#7
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	This is the first test I've taken is a lot of years. I got 71 wpm after the adjustment for errors. In college I typed 85 wpm. I had a job working at Western Union and my speed increased typing telegrams. I wonder if they adjust for the time it takes to click on the box to start the timer and to click on it again when you're finished. That could seriously be another 3 or 4 words. __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

08-23-2004, 11:26 PM	#8
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	keep in mind that we don't exactly represent most of america. we are online holding detailed discussions that must be typed. although much of what we post is just nyuk nyuk stuff, we do have some pretty in depth conversations that we are choosing to type - conversations that most americans don't even hold verbally. for us to be able (and willing) to do that, we are generally going to have better typing skills than the average individual. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

08-24-2004, 07:06 AM	#10
Cyber Wolf As stable as a ring of PU-239 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: On a huge rock covered in water, highly advanced moss and 7 billion parasites Posts: 1,264	The last time I tested for typing speed I had about 63 wpm when allowed to go backspace and delete errors and 72 when not allowed to make corrections. Of course, it helps to be a good speller to start with. A friend of mine can type as fast as I can, but his accuracy sucks because he's a horrible speller. I wonder if any of those typing tests take that into account...? __________________ "I don't see what's so triffic about creating people as people and then getting' upset 'cos they act like people." ~Adam Young, Good Omens "I don't see why it matters what is written. Not when it's about people. It can always be crossed out." ~Adam Young, Good Omens

08-23-2004, 08:47 PM	#3
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	It gave me a 48. But I think that test is bogus. They give you all kinds of words that you wouldn't normally use, in orders that you wouldn't normally use. So it isn't measuring your typical speed. As an programmer/sysadmin sort I can type the words "print" "exit" "strtok" and "cellar crash messages lost sorry" with a much higher rate.

08-23-2004, 09:05 PM	#4
TheSnake Resident President Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 83	Thanks to Instant Messanger, we are all faster at typing.

08-23-2004, 09:06 PM	#5
TheSnake Resident President Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 83	but apparently it didn't improve our spelling....Messenger

08-23-2004, 09:46 PM	#6
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	I last had my speed checked in early 2003...60 wpm, 99% accuracy. Probably hasn't changed much since then.

08-24-2004, 04:41 AM	#9
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	Yeah, we're great. I don't have the foggiest how fast I type. When I was in graduate school I had a professor who actually encouraged his woman students to not worry about their typing. "You will be professionals," he said, "and have your own typist." Don't let anyone dump typing work on you because you're women. You will have more important things to do." I enjoyed his attitude and advise and my typing speed has gone downhill every since!

08-24-2004, 08:20 AM	#12
Lady Sidhe That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.... Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Hammond, La. Posts: 978	64 wpm, no mistakes. Considering how many papers I did in college, and that I worked for an order center doing data entry, that sucks. Sidhe __________________ My free will...I never leave home without it. --House Someday I want to be rich. Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be. -Rita Rudner

08-24-2004, 09:15 AM	#13
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	35 wpm, no mistakes. I never took typing. I type with six of my ten digits.

08-24-2004, 09:50 AM	#14
Radar Constitutional Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 4,006	That's how I started. I used my thumbs, index fingers, and middle fingers and was doing about 40-50 wpm when I used to do a lot of programming. My friends said I'd be super fast if I learned how to use all of my fingers. When I started learning how to type, my speed dropped to almost nothing and gradually got faster. I found that if I didn't think about it, I actually typed faster. It's funny I get much slower if I look at the keyboard than if I don't. It's like I trip over myself. I've surprised a few secretaries when I've typed faster than they do. They don't expect to see a fairly large man typing so fast. __________________ "I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death." - George Carlin

08-24-2004, 10:26 AM	#15
breakingnews Q_Q Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: somewhere in between Posts: 995	I got 93 wpm, with "impressive" accuracy. I know, I'm a total computer dork, but after a) all that instant messaging in college, and b) working in journalism for a few years (4 years at the college paper, coming on 2 years in the real world), I've become accustomed to typing at breakneck speeds. I also think good dexterity runs in my family - nearly everyone has been successful at things like art and music. Oh, I think I learned most of my typing skills from those typing games we were forced to play back in 5th or 6th grade. Then we got a new computer at home (a Mac Classic) and I guess I spent a lot of time on it. Probably much more so than now, and that was pre-Internet. Which raises another question: What on earth do you do with computers if they are not connected to the Web? Last edited by breakingnews; 08-24-2004 at 10:29 AM.

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