READING STRATEGIES

Skimming and scanning

WHAT IS SKIMMING?

Skimming is a reading technique that can help you

to:
read more quickly

decide if the text is interesting and whether you

should read it in more detail

Skimming is a fast reading technique. Use it to obtain

the gist of a piece of text (i.e. to quickly identify the
main ideas in the text).
HOW IS 'SKIMMING' DIFFERENT FROM 'SCANNING'?

The term skimming is often confused with

scanning. Remember:
Skimming is used, for example, to get the gist of a
page of a textbook to decide whether it is useful
and should therefore be read more slowly and in
more detail.
Scanning is used to obtain specific information
from a piece of text and can be used, for example,
to find a particular number in a telephone directory.
 Sometimes you can use both reading methods.
After you have skimmed a piece of text to decide
whether the text is of interest, you may wish to use
scanning techniques to locate specific information.
HOW TO SKIM:
Read the title, subtitles and subheadings to find out
what the text is about.
Look at the illustrations to give you further

information about the topic.

Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph.
Don't read every word or every sentence.
WHAT IS SCANNING?

Scanning is a fast reading technique. It's a way of

reading to look for specific information in a text.
Scanning can be used to read through the ads in a
newspaper, or for browsing TV schedules, timetables,
lists, catalogues or web pages for information. For these
tasks you don't need to read or understand every word.
Scanning is also useful when studying or looking to
find specific information from a book or article quickly
as there is not always time to read every word.
HOW TO SCAN:
Don't try to read every word. Instead let your eyes move
quickly across the page until you find what you are
looking for.
 Use clues on the page, such as headings and titles, to

help you.
 If you are reading for study, start by thinking up or

writing down some questions that you want to answer.

Doing this can focus your mind and help you find the
facts or information that you need more easily.
CRITICAL READING
CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
 1. Annotating
 One of the first strategies to begin with is annotating a text.
 When you annotate, you underline important parts of the text, such as the thesis statement, topic
sentences of body paragraphs and explanatory material.
 Annotating may also include circling key words and writing comments or questions you have about
the material in the margins.
 This is also a very good way to mark material that needs to be studied for exams.
 2. Contextualizing.
 When you contextualize a text, you place it within its original historical or cultural context. As a
reader you should try to identify this context and consider how this context differs from your own.
In order to do this, you need to consider the following:
 a. Language or ideas that appear foreign or out of date.
 b. Your knowledge of the time and place in which the work was written.
 c. The effect these differences have on your understanding and judgment of the reading.
 3. Reflecting on challenges to your beliefs and values.
 Sometimes our beliefs about an issue are difficult to express because they are so ingrained. In order
to discover these beliefs it is important to explore how a text challenges you. Does it make you feel
disturbed, threatened, ashamed, or inspired? Many of you may have a strong reaction to some of the
essays you read. This reaction is a good example of an occasion when this type of reading strategy
can be used. In order to do this, you might try the following:
 a. Identify the points in the text where you feel your beliefs are being challenged.
 b. Choose one or two of the most troubling challenges and analyze your feelings about them.
 4. Paraphrasing.
 When you paraphrase a text, you put it into your own words. This can be helpful in understanding a
difficult or ambiguous passage. It is also one of the three ways to incorporate other people’s ideas
into your own. The other two are quoting directly and summarizing. Unlike a summary, a
paraphrase contains all of the original information. The purpose of a paraphrase is to simplify
without changing any information. You are not changing what is said, but how it is said.
 5. Outlining.
 This can be used as a preliminary to summarizing. Outlining allows you to identify the basic
structure of a text and the main ideas of the text.
 In an outline you are listing the main ideas and supporting evidence of a text.
 It is especially important to be able to distinguish between the two. Use your own words when
outlining a text.

 6. Exploring the figurative language.

 Similes, metaphors and symbols are all examples of figurative language. This type of language
helps writers illustrate their points and get the type of reaction they want from the reader.
 a. A metaphor indirectly identifies two different things with each other. For example, the ribbon of
road winded endlessly before us.
 b. A simile makes a more direct comparison through the use of connecting words such as like, as, or
appears. The cloud was like a cotton ball.
 c. A symbol makes a comparison by making one thing stand for another. For example, when a writer
refers to the crown to symbolize monarchy.
 7. Evaluating the logic of an argument.
 The two parts of an argument are claim and support. The claim is what the writer wants the reader to
accept. That is, the claim is the idea, opinion, or point of view of the writer. The support is the
reasons and evidence that becomes the basis for that claim. Arguments must pass the ABC test. That
is the argument must be,
 a. Appropriate
 b. Believable
 c. Consistent
 To test an argument for appropriateness you need to analyze it according to logical fallacies, for
instance false analogy, non sequitur etc.
 To test for believability you will apply other fallacies that relate to reasoning, such as begging the
question, generalizations and failing to accept the burden of proof.
 In testing for consistency you are checking to make sure there are no contradictory statements.
 8. Recognizing emotional manipulation.
 Writers are guilty of improper emotional manipulation when they use false or exaggerated appeals.
When a writer acts as an alarmist, uses emotionally loaded words, like racist, or tries to vilify the
opposition, you, as reader, should be suspicious. Some of the following are fallacies of emotional
appeal.
 a. Loaded or slanted language: language meant to get a specific reaction from the reader.
 b. Bandwagon effect: everyone else thinks this is true and so should you.
 c. False flattery: praising the reader to get them to accept the writer’s view.
 d. Veiled threat: alarming or frightening readers into believing author.
 9. Judging the writer’s credibility.
 There are three ways that writers establish their credibility.
 a. By showing their knowledge of subject (using facts and statistics)
 b. By building common ground with readers (base reasoning on shared beliefs)
 c. By responding fairly to objections and opposing arguments (does the writer respond to objections
or ignore them and assume everyone agrees with him or her)
 10. Analyzing the writing in other disciplines.
 Other disciplines have traditional ways of writing about their subjects. As a critical reader, you need
to be aware of these differences.
 a. What is the subject?
 b. What kinds of statements tend to be made about subjects in this field?
 c. What key concepts does the reader need to be familiar with?
 d. What evidence is valued in this field?
 e. How are statistics presented?
 f. How is field research presented?
 g. How much description and narration is normally used? How much interpretation and evaluation?
 h. How are quotations cited?
 i. How are other scholars cited?
 j. How is the author identified in the writing?
 k. Where was it originally published?
 l. Which genres are most commonly used in a particular field?
CRITICAL READING SKILLS