Skimming and Scanning

Purpose

• "What do I need to find out?" Be aware of your purpose in research before you start reading.

Efficiency

• You can’t read everything on a topic, so develop efficient reading skills – good reading speed and good comprehension.

Scanning

• Before reading, you need to scan the book or article. This involves looking at contents, chapter headings, graphics, diagrams and introduction. Look quickly to gain an overall impression.

Skimming

• This is a quick reading or skimming of certain sections: the opening paragraph, the first sentence in a paragraph, sub headings and the final paragraph of the article.
• Let your eyes roam down the page, concentrating on the centre section, searching for important words or key terms. "There are three reasons why …" Train your eyes to roam down the page reading and anticipating groups of words. Practise moving your hand or finger down the page to train your eye to move more quickly.

Selecting

• Don’t read one word at a time. The rate of skimming should be at least twice as fast as your normal reading. Vary your reading rate to suit your purpose and type of text. Slow skim information that looks important to select and take notes or fast skim information that is not relevant.