Reading Skils: Scanning

 

Scanning is a reading technique that involves quickly looking through a text to locate specific information or details. It is more focused than skimming, as it involves a systematic search for particular keywords, phrases, or data. Scanning is especially useful when you have a specific question or information goal in mind and want to efficiently find the relevant content within a text.

 

Here are the key aspects of scanning, along with examples:

 

1. Define Your Purpose:

   - Example: If you are scanning a newspaper for information about a specific event, your purpose might be to find details like the date, location, and key people involved.

 

2. Know What You're Looking For:

   - Example: In a job advertisement, you might scan for specific qualifications or requirements, such as "Bachelor's degree," "3 years of experience," or "proficient in Microsoft Excel."

 

3. Use Headings and Subheadings:

   - Example: When scanning an article, you might look specifically at the headings or subheadings to find the section that addresses your topic of interest, like "Market Trends" or "Case Studies."

 

4. Focus on Keywords:

   - Example: When searching for information on a historical figure, you might scan a biography for keywords like birthplace, significant achievements, or key events in their life.

 

5. Look for Numerals and Data:

   - Example: If you are scanning a report for statistical information, you might focus on numerical data, percentages, or figures that relate to your research question.

 

6. Use Formatting Cues:

   - Example: When scanning a manual for instructions, you might look for bulleted or numbered lists, as these often contain step-by-step procedures or key points.

 

7. Ignore Irrelevant Information:

   - Example: If you are looking for information about a specific product in a product catalog, you might ignore details about other products and focus solely on the section that pertains to the item you are interested in.

 

8. Read the First and Last Sentences of Paragraphs:

   - Example: When scanning a legal document, you might read the first and last sentences of paragraphs to quickly grasp the main points without delving into the finer details of the text.

 

9. Use Visual Elements:

   - Example: When searching for information in a map, you might scan for key landmarks, cities, or geographical features without reading the entire map legend or description.

 

10. Scan for Synonyms or Related Terms:

    - Example: If you are researching a topic online, you might scan for synonyms or related terms to ensure you capture a broad range of relevant information.

 

11. Electronic Search:

    - Example: When using electronic documents or web pages, you can use the "find" function (Ctrl+F or Command+F) to quickly locate specific words or phrases within the text.

 

Scanning is a valuable skill when you need to quickly extract specific information from a large amount of text. It allows you to focus on the details that are most relevant to your purpose while ignoring extraneous information.