READING SKILLS
Skimming and Scanning
Skimming and scanning enable you to select
material(s) which should be read and/or discarded
When to Use
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To quickly determine main idea.
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To locate facts quickly.
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To answer test items.
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To answer chapter questions.
How to Use
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Fix intent for reading (or facts sought) clearly
in your mind.
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Scan table of contents, chapter headings and subheadings.
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Quickly move eyes over reading material-focusing
upon page headings and sub-headings, discarding information that is obviously
not related to reading intent.
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Skimming reading rates should be twice as fast
as average reading speed.
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Selectively omit portions of reading material.
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Locate as quickly as possible the key or topic
sentence of each paragraph (usually, but not always, the first sentence).
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Practice skimming and scanning to locate information-
repeated practice will increase speed.
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Read carefully the last paragraph for summary
information.
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Carefully review tables, charts and any side boxes.
The SQ3R + Reading Method
Survey
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Preview the assignment or material to be studied
by scanning the text quickly to discover the author's central concept.
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From your preview, formulate an overall picture
and the purpose of what you're going to study.
Question
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What you need to learn in terms of: what, why,
how, when, who and/or where to support the central concept.
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Write these questions in the margins of your textbook
or at the top of your lecture or study notes.
Read
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Read specifically to answer the questions.
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Most paragraphs contain one or more main ideas
in support of that concept.
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Locate and highlight them with a marker. Make
notes in the margins summarizing key points. Pay special attention to bold
or italicized type and to tables, graphs and illustrations which may explain
an idea more powerfully than the text.
Recall
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Pause periodically (every 15 minutes or so) to
recall in your own words a summary of what you have read: what the important
ideas or concepts are and how the text, examples, graphs, charts or illustrations
support them.
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Write on note-paper as much as you can recall
about what you have read and learned! Each mini-review is a knowledge builder
and memory reinforce.
Review
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Did you answer your questions, understand the
new material and accomplish your goal?
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Reread difficult parts, work a few more problems.
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Recalling and reviewing the same material several
times over a period of several days in the best way to fully absorb and
remember it!