Free Tool
Reading Time Calculator
Estimate how long it takes to read your paper, abstract, or presentation script.
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Paste your text to calculate reading time
Dense material, taking notes
Reading Time
0 min
at 150 words per minute
Speaking Time
0 min
at 130 WPM (presentation pace)
Statistics
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Reading Speed Guide
Reading speed varies significantly based on content type and purpose. Academic papers typically require slower reading (100-150 WPM) because readers need to process complex ideas, equations, and take notes.
Typical Reading Speeds
- Technical/academic papers: 100-150 WPM
- General nonfiction: 200-250 WPM
- Fiction/light reading: 250-300 WPM
- Skimming: 400-700 WPM
For Presentations
When preparing a talk, aim for 130-150 words per minute of speaking. A 15-minute conference talk should have roughly 2,000 words of script. Leave time for pauses, audience questions, and slide transitions.