| Definition of Skimming and Scanning |
Many people consider skimming and scanning search techniques rather than reading strategies. However when reading large volumes of information, they may be more practical than reading. For example, you might be searching for specific information, looking for clues, or reviewing information.
Web pages, novels, textbooks, manuals, magazines, newspapers, and mail are just a few of the things that people read every day. Effective and efficient readers learn to use many styles of reading for different purposes. Skimming, scanning, and critical reading are different styles of reading and information processing.
Skimming is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. When you read the newspaper, you’re probably not reading it word-by-word, instead you’re scanning the text. Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time. Use skimming when you want to see if an article may be of interest in your research.
There are many strategies that can be used when skimming. Some people read the first and last paragraphs using headings, summarizes and other organizers as they move down the page or screen. You might read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations. Consider reading the first sentence of each paragraph. This technique is useful when you’re seeking specific information rather than reading for comprehension. Skimming works well to find dates, names, and places. It might be used to review graphs, tables, and charts.
Scanning is a technique you often use when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. You search for key words or ideas. In most cases, you know what you’re looking for, so you’re concentrating on finding a particular answer. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you first find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions. Once you’ve scanned the document, you might go back and skim it.
When scanning, look for the author’s use of organizers such as numbers, letters, steps, or the words, first, second, or next. Look for words that are bold faced, italics, or in a different font size, style, or color. Sometimes the author will put key ideas in the margin.
Reading off a computer screen has become a growing concern. Research shows that people have more difficulty reading off a computer screen than off paper. Although they can read and comprehend at the same rate as paper, skimming on the computer is much slower than on paper.
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Effective Skimming and Scanning
Before we go further, let’s look into a favorite reference: the dictionary. “The American Heritage Dictionary” defines the terms as follows:
Scan: To look over quickly and systematically; to look over or leaf through hastily.
Skim: To give a quick and superficial reading, scrutiny, or consideration; glance.
The two are similar, but they’re not quite the same. Both scanning and skimming are information-gathering activities. People perform them quickly, usually without thinking much. But they don’t work the same way, and they don’t serve the same purpose.
Think of it this way: You’re on the wild and woolly Western frontier. Your trusty horse crests the hill. Before you is a vast expanse. You don’t know if there’s danger out there. You look around. A thicket to the left… a lake in the distance… a tendril of smoke drifting above a small rise… a wooden fence near you on the right. Your “scan” suggests things look pretty safe. So you spur your horse to a trot. Passing the fence, you notice a piece of paper nailed to a post. It’s a “Wanted Dead or Alive” poster. You dismount, get closer, and “skim” the text for the most salient facts to help decide if you’ll bother with the fine print.
Another example and often happened is when somebody looking for information on the website. A visitor arrives and her eyes immediately begin scoping out the situation to determine if she’s in the right place. First, she’ll scan the visible screen for prominent elements, determining if they mesh with her mental image of her mission. As she scans, in addition to collecting top-level clues such as headlines, she’ll evaluate larger-scale issues, such as legibility, arrangement, and accessibility. This is where more prominent features, including type size, page layout, and color use come into play. You want to help her to minimize the time she spends finding, sorting, and selecting information and to engage her in the conversion process. If she doesn’t find top-level clues she’s in the right place or if she finds the page hard to deal with, she’s back on her horse, galloping to another site.
Skimming is the second, but equally important, activity. It’s reading based, a refinement of the information-gathering process. When a visitor has a fairly good idea of the lay of the land, she’s going to start engaging with the copy. She’s not ready to stop and read anything thoroughly — yet. She’s not sure if it’s worth her while. She’ll start with a superficial skim, looking for highlights and important keywords that help direct further involvement. This is where bold keywords, bullets, short text blocks, strong first and last sentences in each paragraph, legible fonts, and even effective hyperlink use make a difference.
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Difference between Skimming and Scanning
Skimming implies looking for a general overview aimed at identifying the main ideas of a text. In Scanning, you move eyes quickly identifying the main ideas of the text .In scanning, you move your eyes quickly down the page seeking a specific word, phrase, number or idea. Unless you practice scanning, you may waste a lot a time while using reference books. In fact, drill in scanning is an essential part of training in the use of reference books.
Here are four different kinds of reading.
- Skimming – running the eyes over quickly, to get the gist.
- Scanning – looking for a particular piece of information.
- Extensive reading – longer texts for pleasure and needing global understanding.
- Intensive reading – shorter texts, extracting specific information, accurate reading for detail.
Skimming or Scanning requires practice
Enhance your Reading Skills
Unless you practice the art of moving your eyes vertically or diagonally for skimming and gain experience in it, you may not be able to do it effectively. Skimming should not be applied to anything you read. School or college textbooks, serious documents or material that has to be analysed in depth cannot be skimmed or even read rapidly. Every word may be significant. An analogy would help in this context. You know how to walk slowly, walk fast and run. It does not mean that you always run. Reading, rapid reading and skimming can be considered to have some similarity with the modes of locomotion suggested. Francis Bacon, English lawyer and Philosopher (1561-1626), wrote: “some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested“.
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Example of Skimming
The Story of Sangkuriang and Tangkuban Perahu Mountain
Once, there was a kingdom in Priangan Land. Lived a happy family. They were a father in form of dog,his name is Tumang, a mother which was called is Dayang Sumbi, and a child which was called Sangkuriang.
One day, Dayang Sumbi asked her son to go hunting with his lovely dog, Tumang. After hunting all day, Sangkuriang began desperate and worried because he hunted no deer. Then he thought to shot his own dog. Then he took the dog liver and carried home.
Soon Dayang Sumbi found out that it was not deer lever but Tumang’s, his own dog. So, She was very angry and hit Sangkuriang’s head. In that incident, Sangkuriang got wounded and scar then cast away from their home.
Years go bye, Sangkuriang had travel many places and finally arrived at a village. He met a beautiful woman and felt in love with her. When they were discussing their wedding plans, The woman looked at the wound in Sangkuriang’s head. It matched to her son’s wound who had left severall years earlier. Soon she realized that she felt in love with her own son.
She couldn’t marry him but how to say it. Then, she found the way. She needed a lake and a boat for celebrating their wedding day. Sangkuriang had to make them in one night. He built a lake. With a dawn just moment away and the boat was almost complete. Dayang Sumbi had to stop it. Then, she lit up the eastern horizon with flashes of light. It made the cock crowed for a new day.
Sangkuriang failed to marry her. She was very angry and kicked the boat. It felt over and became the mountain of Tangkuban Perahu Bandung.
Question and answer
- The kingdom is in
a) Java.
b) Priangan Land.*
c) Majapahit.
d) Tumang.
- Sangkuriang is
a) King’s son.
b) Dayang Sumbi’son. *
c) A dog.
d) Citizenry’s son.
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- Tumang is
a) A child.
b) A deer.
c) A dog. *
d) A king.
- Sangkuriang shot his own dog because
a) There is no another dog.
b) There is no animal.
c) There is no bird.
d) There is no deer. *
- Dayang Sumbi proposed requirement
a) To make a ship and river.
b) To make apartment.
c) To make lake and boat. *
d) To make mountain.
Example of scanning
Chez Panisse Restaurant
Dinner: Thursday – Sunday
WEDNESDAY: “PUB NIGHT”
FRIED PICKLES
Cornmeal crusted and served with Roasted Garlic Aioli. 9.25 $6
BEER BATTERED STONECAT CHORIZO SAUSAGE
A pure of Kalamata olives and garden herbs
served with our fresh focaccia. 8.00 $10
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OLIVADA
With dried cherries, caramelized walnuts and
our roasted garlic vinaigrette. 7.50 $13
ALL LOCAL PIZZETE
Fresh cherries, Lively Run chèvre, bacon, and beet greens. 11.00 $12
SMOKED WILD ALASKAN SALMON
Served chilled with red onion, lemon, capers
and herbed cream cheese with fresh focaccia. 10.00 $10
HALF CATFISH
Cornmeal crusted and fried then served with
smoked tomato coulis and fresh dill coleslaw. 11.30 $5.5
SHITAKE MUSHROOM RAVIOLI
Finished with Thai peanut sauce then served
with coconut sticky rice and sautéed organic vegetable. 08.30 $7
WITH SHEEP’S MILK RICOTTA
Sautéed with nasturtium greens. 09.30 $5
Question and answer
- What is the name of the restaurant? ( Chez Panisse Restaurant ).
- On what day is Pub Night? ( Wednesday ).
- How many menu on the restaurant? ( 8 menu).
- What is the name of the cheapest menu? ( With sheep’s milk ricotta ).
- What is the name of the most expensive menu? ( Olivada ).
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Summary
Skimming is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. When you read the newspaper, you’re probably not reading it word-by-word, instead you’re scanning the text. Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time. Use skimming when you want to see if an article may be of interest in your research.
Scanning is a technique you often use when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. You search for key words or ideas. In most cases, you know what you’re looking for, so you’re concentrating on finding a particular answer. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you first find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions. Once you’ve scanned the document, you might go back and skim it.
Skimming implies looking for a general overview aimed at identifying the main ideas of a text. In Scanning, you move eyes quickly identifying the main ideas of the text.
Comment
We are greatly facilitated by information like this, because we as students need to learn how to use time effectively and efficiently, in case of understanding a reading. Our paper may be far from the quality of the word, but we hope to become a little help.
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Vocabulary
| No. | Words | Word’s class | Meaning |
| 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 |
Heading
Comprehension Graphs Charts Particular Concern Further Hastily Superficial Scrutiny Crests Expanse Drifting Prominent Mesh Refinement Engaging Legible Essential Gain Rapid Digested |
noun
noun noun noun adjective verb adjective adjective adjective noun noun noun verb adjective noun noun verb adjective adjective verb adjective verb |
Words at the top of a page, as a title.
Ability to understand something. Diagram showing the relationship of two or more sets of numbers. Diagram, graph, etc. giving information. Relating to one individual person or thing and not others. Involve somebody affect somebody. More,additional information. Made or done too quickly. Of or on the surface only. Careful and thorough examination. Top of a hill or wave. Wide open area. Move along in a current of air or water. Important or well known. Material made of threads of plastic rope or wire woven together like a net. Small chance or addition to something that improve it. Succeed in keeping your attention and interest. Clear enough to be read easily. Extremely important, completely necessary. Obtain something wanted or needed. Done or happening very quickly. Change put in your stomach so that it can be used by your body. |
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Bibliography
E. Wishon, George and M. Burks, Julia. Revised edition. Let’s Write English.
http://www.iovs.org/content/28/8/1268.abstract
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/skimming.htm
Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary
Misda Liani 