

On the contrary, when the reader uses scanning he/she wants to find out the specific fact, keyword or information, of his/her need. Skimming technique is used with the aim of taking an insight of what is contained in the study material, without reading it word for word.

While skimming involves reading out the maximum amount of material in the minimum time, scanning is a method of searching out something in a fast manner.Skimming is a quick reading method, whereas scanning is a selective reading method.On the other hand, scanning refers to the reading technique, in which the reader moves his eyes over the entire text in order to locate specific keywords which he/she has in his/her mind. Skimming can be defined as a type of reading in which the reader reads the text quickly to have an idea of the concept, subject matter, main points and gist, without paying close attention to the excessive detail.

The difference between skimming and scanning are discussed here in detail: Key Differences Between Skimming and Scanning Therefore, it can be said that scanning is a search-oriented reading process, which is used to find out answers to the specific questions, and once the answer is found, the reading process is stopped.īasically, when you perform scanning, there is a specific purpose or question at hand, and you go through with the given text so as to find the answer to that question and thus avoid reading the text which is irrelevant to your purpose or question.įor effective scanning, the reader should, first of all, understand the way in which the material is organized/presented and discern whatever is read, to easily identify the required information. It has more to do with searching, rather than reading. It involves rolling the eyes over the study material until you locate the keywords or information of your need. when you scan some material you already know what are you looking for, you just have to spot and swoop it down. Scanning refers to a selective reading method generally used by the reader when he/she is in search of some specific information or text, contained in the passage, without reading the text thoroughly. Skimming can be used, to take the overview of the chapter while revising for an exam or to take an overview of a book to decide if it is read-worthy or not. However, it is also possible that when you skim a reading material you skip the relevant points, or misunderstand something. But, this technique should not be applied every time, except you are in a hurry. With skimming a lot of time of the reader is saved, because you don’t have to spend hours to read the entire material in full. Skimming is said to be effective when the reader is able to grasp the main information correctly and clearly. This technique is generally used while reading newspaper, mails and messages.

The reader mainly reads the introduction, summary, bold/italic words, bulleted points, names, heading and subheadings, dates, figures, etc. In other words, skimming does not require intimate reading but it should be focused. In skimming, the text containing unnecessary details, stories, examples or other data is purposefully skipped. Skimming can be understood as the technique of speedy reading wherein the reader pays attention to the main point or essence within the passage only, so as to get a general concept of the content. ‘To skim’ means ‘to take a quick glance’. The reader knows what he is searching for. The reader is not familiar with the text. Reading out the maximum content in minimum time. Scanning means to look carefully and quickly at the written material so as to locate something. Skimming is a way of reading something in a fast manner so as to grasp the main points. However, when we have to read and make a research of something from a voluminous material in a limited amount of time, a person either goes for skimming or scanning, depending on the purpose.Īs the two reading skills involves a very quick eye movement over the text, it becomes difficult for the students to distinguish the two, but their difference lies in the purpose itself. Reading not just helps a person to improve vocabulary but also increases basic knowledge.
