SKIMMING &
SCANNING
WHAT ARE SKIMMING & SCANNING?
Skimming and scanning are very rapid reading methods in
which you glance at a passage to find specific information.
These reading methods make it easier for you to grasp large
amounts of material, especially when you are previewing. They
are also useful when you do not need to know every word.
WHAT ARE THEY?
• Skimming is the action of reading quickly to get an overview of the
text.
• Scanning is reading quickly to find a particular word or fact.
A skilled reader can:
• Skim a text quickly to get a general idea of what the text is
about, while ignoring the details.
• Scan to find a specific word, answer or fact, and know
questions that you are scanning to find an answer for.
WHY DO WE USE THEM?
As we become better readers we have the ability to process
information quicker. By skimming and scanning, we can get a
quick impression of a text and quickly locate answers or
keywords that will help us.
This then leads us to becoming more effective researchers,
readers and writers.
SKIMMING
• We skim read when researching, especially on the Internet.
Also, when selecting a book, looking at a chapter before
reading, or sorting through messages before replying. We ask
ourselves, ‘Is this the information we require?’
• Skimming is used to quickly gather the most important
information or ‘gist’. It is not essential to understand each word
when you are skimming.
SKIMMING
• Run your eyes over the text, noting important information.
• Use skimming to quickly get up to speed on a current business
situation or to get a general idea of a situation.
• For example, you are looking for a Airbnb to stay in when on
holiday with your family, you can get a good overview of how
suitable the property is by skim reading.
EXAMPLES OF SKIMMING
• The Newspaper – to quickly get the general news of the day.
• Magazines – to quickly discover which articles you would like to
read in more detail.
• Business and Travel Brochures – to quickly get information.
HOW TO SKIM?
Working quickly…
Read the title if there is one.
Read the introduction or the first paragraph if there is one.
Read the first sentence of every body paragraph.
Notice any pictures, charts, or graphs.
Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases.
Read the summary or last paragraph if there is one.
HOW TO SKIM?
QUICK TIP
Skim read twice, as being familiar with the text will help you get a
better understanding of it. Skimming often happens before you
read the questions.
SCANNING
• We scan when we are trying to find a specific word or answer
to a question. Fixed in our mind, we have what we are looking
for. It could be a question and we are scanning for the answer.
• For example, you want to find a house which can
accommodate your family of five, you will be scanning with
‘five beds’ fixed in your mind
EXAMPLES OF SCANNING
• A Google search list on the Internet
• A bus / airplane schedule
• A conference guide
• A graph
HOW TO SCAN
State the specific information you are looking for.
Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues
you might use to help you locate the answer. For example, if
you were looking for a certain date, you would quickly read
the paragraph looking only for numbers.
Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify
which sections might contain the information you are looking
for.
Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage.
THEREFORE…
Skimming and Scanning is used when reading all types of
documents.
We skim to get the idea of what a document is about and
typically skim all documents before we actually begin to read.
As we skim, we…
Think about the topic
Think about what we already know about the topic
Start to guess or anticipate the details we are going to read about
We scan for specific information.
We work quickly when we skim and scan.
CONTEXT CLUES
VOCABULARY
WHAT ARE CONTEXT CLUES?
• Hints that the author gives to help define a difficult or unusual
word.
• The clue may appear within the same sentence as the word to
which it refers, or it may be in the next (more common) /
previous sentence.
Most of your vocabulary is gained through reading, so it is important that you
be able to recognize and take advantage of context clues.
TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES
• Definitions / Explanations
• Synonyms / Restatements
• Antonyms / Contrasts
• Inference
• Examples
DEFINITION
• Unknown word is defined
immediately following its
use Haberdashery, which is a
store that sells men’s
• “Be” verb clothing, is becoming more
(is/are/am/was/were) common today.
shows the two ideas are
the same. X = Y
EXPLANATION
• Similar to a definition clue
It was a martial parade:
Generally longer than a
signs of the military were
•
definition
everywhere. Everyone
• Usually found in one or more
different sentences
was in uniform; guns,
NOTE: Sometimes the explanation is
cannon and tanks were
presented first. on display, and jets flew
The puppy was a complete bother and an overhead.
annoyance to all the neighbors. It was a
continual nuisance.
SYNONYM
• A synonym is when the writer
uses another word that has The annual bazaar is
the same meaning as the scheduled for the last day
unknown word. of school. It is always a
• It is usually near the unknown fun festival.
word.
RESTATEMENT
• Close to a synonym, The village was
restatement differs in that a depopulated, most of the
difficult word is usually residents dead or moved,
restated in a simpler form — but the livestock
usually set of by commas.
remained untouched.
ANTONYM
• Antonym is a word of
opposite meaning which is
provided somewhere near to The gentleman was portly,
the unknown word. but his wife was thin.
• Sometimes clue words like
but help you figure it out.
CONTRAST
• This is similar to antonyms.
Contrast context clues uses
I know she said she
dissimilar elements to show
meaning. could reconstitute the
dried fruit, but a soggy
• Contrast clue words: but,
raisin just is not a grape.
however, in contrast to, on
the other hand
INFERENCE
• Use reasoning and prior His alibi was upheld when
knowledge John’s friends offered
• Your experiences provide personal testimony, letters
common-sense clues to the of documentation, and
meaning of a word three videotapes
• This context clue is often a showing that he was
little harder to spot present at the party.
EXAMPLE
• Examples that the reader may Legumes, such as peas
know to help explain a new and beans, produce pods.
and unfamiliar concept or term
• Note the punctuation clues:
commas or hyphens Forest floors are frequently
• Signal words — such as, for covered with fungi —
example, for instance, to molds, mushrooms, and
illustrate, specifically mildews.
LIMITATIONS TO CONTEXT CLUES
1. Context clues only give the immediate definition for that
particular context.
2. Context clues seldom lead to a precise, complete definition.
3. Sometimes the passage will not contain clues to the meaning
of the unfamiliar word.