Touch Typing - What Are Your Suggestions to Improve SPEED and ACCURACY? Any Tips/Suggestions Appreciated!

Bargainbag on 05/03/2017 - 21:07
Last edited 05/03/2017 - 21:08

Hi there,

I have been working with computers for some 20 years and my touch typing is pretty bad :-(
I don't have to look at my keys (I'm not "hunt and peck") and my speed is OK (30-50wpm) but my accuracy and technique is terrible, my left hand types many keys my right hand is meant to do, I make mistakes a lot and have to delete and redo etc. it's all a bit of a mess.

I've been reading up on increasing my productivity at work, and I believe being able to accurately touch type at a fast 50wpm plus speed would be the most effective way to achieve this.. and I know for some people 50wpm is not fast! Problem for me is I have spent years working with this sloppy technique! I practice on websites like typing.com and www.keybr.com, and I get somewhere…. but as soon as I have to pump out the typing at work I go back to my bad habits. I attempt to type properly but this cripples my overall speed and I find it very frustrating!

Have any of you made the jump from "sloppy self taught" typer to uber-quick-100%-accurate-typing-GUN?

How did you do it? Software? Classes? How long did it take?

Any suggestions/help appreciated! I really want to achieve 100% accuracy 50wpm typing this year! It's my goal.

Computing

Comments

  • shmoney on 05/03/2017 - 21:19
    +4

    Have any of you made the jump from "sloppy self taught" typer to uber-quick-100%-accurate-typing-GUN?

    Yes, I switched to touch typing about 3 years ago. I just followed this diagram. I didn't use any software, I just tested myself occasionally on 10FastFingers.

    Don't worry about typing slow at the beginning, focus on being accurate and using the right fingers. Speed will come with time, it's all about muscle memory.

    • BrewerHaHa on 17/03/2017 - 16:04

      Probably the best idea. I'm at around 100WPM on 10fastfingers but I was originally using very poor technique only managing around 60? I think getting the right fingers to the right keys is the most important thing. Eventually you'll unconsciously develop patters which allow you to type certain combinations of letters faster and effortlessly without thought which will also boost your typing speeds.
      REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR FINGERS ON THE F AND J KEYS (that's why you have those little bumps on them) when they're at rest so you always know where you are and keep on practising as people have said! Goodluck!
      My 1st attempt at a quick type test I just completed below :)
      https://i.imgur.com/z4BzPys.png

      • Tnetennba on 18/03/2017 - 12:17

        I find 10 fast fingers is a bit misleading, as there is no punctuation, sentencing or anything like that. It's just a bunch of words strung together.

        In my opinion, typerracer is much more accurate of a speed than 10ff.

        • BrewerHaHa on 18/03/2017 - 21:32

          You're definitily right. 10FF is very easy to get high numbers on but is also a good practicing tool since it only picks the most used words for the test on their main page.

  • Savas on 05/03/2017 - 21:21
    +3

    Yoi just hsve to ekeo prajct9jg, ggood lkch!

  • Ughhh on 05/03/2017 - 21:24
    +2

    It's like playing piano, you need to practice. 50wpm isn't fast at all.
    Maybe start try to start fresh, forget about speed and focus on accuracy- hitting the right letters/keys with the right finger. Get rid of the bad habbit, then work on speed.

  • psyren89 on 05/03/2017 - 21:32
    +1

    Pretty much just a matter of practise - slow and deliberate.
    Although, seeing as you've spent 20 years in this field and not really gotten any better…
    Your best bet is to go back to basics - memorise the layout of the keyboard, practise one hand exercises (there are lots of websites that offer these drills).

    Or, for something completely different, change your keyboard layout to Dvorak and give that a go.

    EDIT: for the record, my typing speed is ~100WPM @ >90% accuracy.

    • Cheapascents on 05/03/2017 - 23:05

      wow, 100wpm is way too quick, i get about 72 wpm and i though that was pretty quick

  • scrimshaw on 05/03/2017 - 21:33
    +2

    Mavis Beacon Typing Tutor.

    I'm serious. That's how I got gud.

    • jaybmate on 05/03/2017 - 23:03
      +2

      Pretty sure my dad got me that like 20 years ago. helped me a bit but MSN Messenger was the best teacher.

  • captobvious on 06/03/2017 - 00:41
    +1

    MS Ergo keyboard and mIRC

    • alvian on 06/03/2017 - 07:15
      +1

      MS ergonomic keyboard is okay but for the bloody "6" key that is located on the wrong side. Completely ruined my speed and accuracy whenever the 5, 6, and 7 keys are used.

  • garetz on 06/03/2017 - 02:35
    +1

    Practise makes perfect, but its also important to do the right thing from the start, so you dont need to unlearn bad habits.

    you ca easily do 30 wpm @ 100% accuracy with very little practise, 50 wpm might take 2 months or so, but after 5-6 months you can get to 100 wpm @ 98% accuracy.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/03/2017 - 09:25
    +1

    buy a mechanical keyboard

    • BrewerHaHa on 17/03/2017 - 15:55

      How does that help him? A mechanical keyboard only provides a better feel and allows you to type faster because you're not bottoming out on every press of a key.

      I've had mine for over 5 years (before every manufacturer started to make them) and I can type just as fast now as I could when I got it.

  • scupper on 06/03/2017 - 09:45
    +3

    Typing of the Dead, but get your typing habits correct first.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/03/2017 - 23:15

    Start typing in the dark.

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