Chapter 2: Assessing your current skill level

Now that you understand the science behind typing speed, it's time to determine your starting point. An accurate assessment serves several crucial purposes:

• It establishes your baseline metrics for measuring progress
• It identifies specific weaknesses to target in your practice
• It helps set realistic goals based on your current abilities
• It provides motivation as you witness improvement over time

In this chapter, I'll guide you through a comprehensive typing assessment and help you interpret the results.

The baseline test

Before starting any practice, you need to know where you stand. The following assessment will measure your current typing speed, accuracy, and specific pain points.

Test instructions

1. Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted for at least 10 minutes.
2. Visit TypeTest.io and select the standard typing test option. If you prefer, you can use another reputable typing test site, but make sure it measures both speed and accuracy.
3. Complete three 2-minute typing tests with a short break between each. This provides a more reliable average than a single test, which might be unusually good or bad.
4. Use normal content for your tests—not programming text or specialized vocabulary unless that specifically matches your typing goals.
5. Type naturally at a comfortable pace. Don't try to push beyond your normal speed for this baseline test—I want an accurate picture of your current abilities.
6. Record your results for each test, noting:
   • Words per minute (WPM)
   • Accuracy percentage
   • Any specific letters or combinations that caused errors

Alternative assessment method

If you don't have immediate access to TypeTest.io or another online typing test, you can create a simple assessment using any text editor:

1. Find a passage of moderate complexity (a news article works well)
2. Set a timer for 2 minutes
3. Type as much of the passage as possible in the allotted time
4. Count the total words typed and divide by 2 to get your WPM
5. Count errors and calculate your accuracy percentage: (correct characters ÷ total characters) × 100

While less precise than a dedicated typing test, this method still provides a useful baseline.

Understanding your WPM score

Words per minute (WPM) is the standard measurement of typing speed. But what does your WPM actually tell you?

WPM skill ranges

The following ranges can help you contextualize your current speed:

• 0-30 WPM: Beginner level. Typically indicates hunt-and-peck typing or very early stages of touch typing.
• 31-60 WPM: Intermediate level. You likely know where most keys are but still look at the keyboard occasionally. This range is adequate for personal use but may limit professional productivity.
• 61-80 WPM: Proficient level. You can handle most typing tasks efficiently. This range represents solid touch typing skills that serve most professional needs.
• 81-100 WPM: Advanced level. You type without thinking about the mechanics. This speed is sufficient for nearly all professional typing requirements.
• 101+ WPM: Expert level. You've developed exceptional typing efficiency. This speed is common among professional transcriptionists, certain programmers, and competitive typists.

Remember that these ranges are generalizations. The "right" typing speed depends on your specific needs and goals. A casual computer user might be perfectly content at 45 WPM, while a data entry professional might need to reach 80+ WPM for optimal productivity.

Speed vs. sustained speed

There's an important distinction between peak speed and sustained speed. Many typists can reach impressive WPM in short bursts but struggle to maintain that pace over longer periods.

Your baseline test measures relatively short-term performance. As you progress through this program, we'll also work on developing typing stamina—the ability to maintain high speeds during extended typing sessions without increased errors or discomfort.

Identifying your specific weaknesses

Raw speed numbers only tell part of the story. To improve efficiently, you need to identify the specific aspects of typing that are holding you back.

Common typing pattern issues

Review your test results and typing habits for these common patterns:

Keyboard awareness issues

• Do you look at the keyboard while typing?
• Are certain areas of the keyboard (like number keys or punctuation) particularly challenging?
• Do you use proper finger positioning, with each finger responsible for specific keys?

Rhythm and consistency issues

• Is your typing speed consistent, or do you type in bursts with pauses?
• Do you slow down significantly for certain words or letter combinations?
• Do you hesitate before less common punctuation marks or symbols?

Physical limitations

• Do you experience hand fatigue during or after typing?
• Is your typing posture comfortable and sustainable?
• Do specific fingers feel less coordinated than others?

Error pattern analysis

Errors in typing generally fall into several categories:

1. Transposition errors: Typing letters in the wrong order (typing "teh" instead of "the")
2. Adjacent key errors: Hitting a key next to the intended key (typing "tume" instead of "time")
3. Systematic errors: Consistently mistyping certain letters or combinations
4. Rhythm errors: Making mistakes when typing quickly, but not when typing slowly

The TypeTest.io assessment provides an error analysis that highlights which specific keys and key combinations caused you the most trouble. Pay close attention to this data—it reveals the exact areas where targeted practice will yield the greatest improvements.

Setting your personal goals

With your baseline established, it's time to set specific, achievable goals for the 5-week program.

Short-term goals (end of Week 2)

• Improvement of 10-15 WPM from your baseline
• Elimination of looking at the keyboard for standard alphabet keys
• Reduction in your most common error patterns

Mid-term goals (end of Week 4)

• Improvement of 20-30 WPM from your baseline
• Comfortable touch typing of numbers and common symbols
• Development of typing stamina for 10+ minute sessions

Long-term goals (beyond Week 5)

• Reaching your target WPM based on professional needs
• Maintaining high accuracy (98%+) at your comfortable speed
• Specialized typing skills relevant to your specific use cases (coding, data entry, etc.)

Creating a SMART goal

For maximum effectiveness, frame your primary typing goal in SMART terms:

• Specific: "I will increase my typing speed from 45 WPM to 75 WPM"
• Measurable: "I will measure my progress with weekly tests on TypeTest.io"
• Achievable: Set a challenging but realistic target based on your starting point
• Relevant: Connect the goal to your personal or professional needs
• Time-bound: "I will reach this goal by the end of the 5-week program"

Write your SMART goal in the progress tracking template provided in Appendix B. Seeing this goal written down—and eventually achieved—provides powerful motivation throughout your typing journey.

Your typing profile summary

Before moving on to the mechanics of efficient typing in Chapter 3, take a moment to create a brief "typing profile" that summarizes:

1. Your current WPM and accuracy
2. Your most common error patterns
3. Your physical typing habits (posture, keyboard awareness, finger usage)
4. Your SMART goal for the program

This profile will serve as a reference point throughout the program and help you appreciate your progress as you develop your typing skills.

With your baseline established and goals set, you're ready to learn the proper mechanics that will form the foundation of your improved typing technique.