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.
Exercise
Using these descriptions, how would you read the
following? Match the different types of reading with the
categories below. Decide which one requires you to skim or to
scan the text. Which one needs detailed Intensive reading?
What type of text do you read Extensively - for pleasure?
Write down your answers - then click on the
“answer” to check them.
The ‘What’s On’ section of the local
paper:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is: Scanning
A novel:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is:
Extensive (or Intensive for revision,
perhaps)
A newspaper:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is:
Skimming, Scanning for specific
information, Intensive if we find it.
A text in class:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is:
Intensive
A poem:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is:
Extensive
The telephone directory:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is: Scanning
A postcard:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is:
Intensive
A train timetable:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is: Scanning
A recipe:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is:Intensive
A travel brochure:
- Skimming
- Scanning
- Extensive
- Intensive answer
The correct answer is: Skimming
for interest, Scanning for particular resort,
Intensive for detail.
You might have had other answers, but you can see there
are different ways in which we take in written
information.
Now, what use is this to us? - It
can help to save us time.
Learn which material needs which skill and you can
get through more work.
For example, you can scan an index or contents page to
search for one particular item in a theoretical book to help
with an assignment. When you find the term, look at the
chapter and scan it - you should soon be able to see if it
will help in your assignment.
What about the other meanings of different ways to
read ?
This may be different depending on the subject you are
studying, so please click on the appropriate page:
For LCM students
For SPS students
For NHE students
For ITO students
Correct answers to the quiz above:
The ‘What’s On’ section of the local
paper:
The correct answer is: Scanning
A novel:
The correct answer is: Extensive (or
Intensive for revision, perhaps)
A newspaper:
The correct answer is: Skimming,
Scanning for specific information,
Intensive if we find it.
A text in class:
The correct answer is: Intensive
A poem:
The correct answer is: Extensive
The telephone directory:
The correct answer is: Scanning
A postcard:
The correct answer is: Intensive
A train timetable:
The correct answer is: Scanning
A recipe:
The correct answer is:Intensive
A travel brochure:
The correct answer is: Skimming for interest,
Scanning for particular resort, Intensive
for detail.