Skimming

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Skimming is a reading strategy in which you selectively focus on the main ideas of a text. It is often used when you want to get a broad understanding of a text without reading it in great detail. Skimming can be useful when you need to quickly gather information from a long or complex text, or when you want to identify the main points or key ideas in a text.

📖 Read the following article on skimming

📺 Watch the following video to learn more about skimming

Why Should You Skim?

Skimming can be useful for a number of reasons, for example:

  • If you need to quickly gather information from a long or complex text, skimming can help you identify the main points or key ideas without having to read the entire text in detail.

  • If you're not sure whether a text is relevant to your needs, skimming can help you quickly determine whether it contains the information you're looking for.

  • If you're short on time and need to get through a large amount of reading material, skimming can help you quickly identify which texts are worth reading in more depth.

  • If you're studying for an exam and need to review a large amount of material, skimming can help you quickly identify the most important information and focus your study time on the most relevant information.

  • Skimming can also be a useful skill in everyday life, such as when you're scanning a menu at a restaurant or browsing a webpage to find specific information.

When Should You Not Skim?

There are some situations when skimming is not the best reading strategy, for example:

  • If you need to understand every detail of a text, skimming is not a good idea because it may cause you to miss important details or nuances.

  • If the text contains complex ideas or difficult vocabulary, skimming may not be the best strategy because you may not have enough time to fully understand the ideas or vocabulary.

  • If the text is not well-organized or the main points are not clearly stated, skimming may not be effective.

  • If you're reading for enjoyment or to gain a deep understanding of the text, skimming is not the best strategy.

Skimming Strategies

  • Strategy 1: Read the title, introduction, and conclusion of the text. These sections often provide a general overview of the text and can help you understand the main points or key ideas.

  • Strategy 2: Read the first and last sentences of each paragraph. This can help you understand the main points or key ideas in each paragraph and get a sense of how the ideas in the paragraph relate to the overall content of the text.

  • Strategy 3: Scan the text for key words or phrases that are bolded, italicized, or highlighted. These words or phrases are often used to emphasize important ideas, and reading them can help you quickly understand the main points of the text.

  • Strategy 4: Look for headings, subheadings, and other visual cues, such as bullet points, lists, or tables, that can help you quickly understand the organization and structure of the text.

Reading Practice!

📖 Read this, then submit a 100-word summary of the reading in the pallet below.