This document discusses strategies for skimming, scanning, and summarizing texts. It defines skimming as quickly reading titles, headings, and first/last paragraphs to get the main ideas. Scanning is selectively reading to find a specific fact or answer. When summarizing, the key is to state the main points and thesis in your own words in a condensed form, accurately representing the author's intent and argument. Skimming and scanning help identify useful information efficiently, while summarizing is useful for supporting arguments and providing context.

1. Skimming, Scanning &
Summarizing
Prepared & Presented by: SADIA KHAN
Lecturer English, INS,KMU
BSN 3rd, English III

2. Introduction
Skimming & Scanning is a style of reading and information processing. There are some who
argue that skimming and scanning is more of a searching technique than a reading strategy.
But it all depends on the purpose for reading.
 For example, one could read for pure enjoyment, while in another situation, one could read
for inquiring about information or to successfully complete a proposed activity/task.
 What is "skimming?“
Generally, skimming is used to get through text very quickly. Consequently, skimming has also
been used as a when students have a lot of reading material to get through, or have been
assigned a task in an activity that requires some quick reading first, prior to completing the
task. Skimming has also been used as a strategy in research when the student wants to
determine if a text/article is a resource than can be used.

3. How is skimming done?
 When seeking specific information related to a topic/theme or an answer to a
question or a prompt, it is best to employ skimming. The skill of skimming allows
for you to read the headings, titles, subheadings and illustrations with captions, as
well as reading the first and last paragraph of a text/article. Indeed, skimming
works well to identify dates, names, places or specific items. It also allows for the
reader to quickly review charts, tables and graphs.

4. How Do I Use Skimming?
 Read the title. If it is an article, check the author, publication date, and source.
 Read the introduction. If it is very long, read only the first paragraph completely. Then, read only the first
sentence of every paragraph. That sentence will usually be the main idea of that paragraph.
 Read any headings and sub-headings. The headings, when taken together, form an outline of the main topics
covered in the material.
 Notice any pictures, charts, or graphs: they are usually included to emphasize important dates or concepts. If
you do not get enough information from the headings, or if you are working with material that does not have
headings, read the first sentence of each paragraph.
 Glance at the remainder of the paragraph.
a. Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases. These are key terms.
b. Look for lists of ideas within the text of the material. The author may use numerals, Such as (1), (2), (3) in the list,
or signal words such as first, second, one major cause, another cause, etc.
 Read the summary or last paragraph.

5. What is "scanning"?
 Scanning is a method of selective reading, when searching for a particular fact or
answer to a question. Scanning can best be described as a looking rather than a
reading process. It allows students to search for key words/concepts/ideas. More
often than not, the student knows exactly what he/she is looking for. So, the
assigned task is finding out specific information, such as finding the name of an
individual in a telephone directory or looking for a word in a dictionary.

6. How is scanning done?
 When a student is asked to employ scanning in a task, this process involves moving the
eyes quickly through the text (or down a page) looking for specific words and/or phrases.
Scanning can also be used in a research project, where the student can scan the text to
determine whether it will provide the information, he/she is looking for. It is important to
note, once you have scanned a text, you might go back and skim the text to identify the
main ideas. Remember to emphasize with your students that scanning involves using the
author's use of organizer's (i.e., numbers, letters, steps, or the sequence words of First,
Second, third...You can also encourage your students to look for words that are bold faced,
italicized or in a different font size, style or color. It is also important to point out that
authors can place important information in the text's margin.

7. How Do I Use Scanning?
 State in your mind specifically the information for which you are looking. Phrase it in
question form, if possible. Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you
might use to help you locate the answer.
 Determine the organization of the material; it is your most important clue to where to
begin looking for information. Especially when looking up information contained in charts
and tables, the organization of the information is crucial to rapid scanning.
 Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might contain
the information for which you are looking.
 Selectively read and skip through likely sections of the passage, keeping in mind the
specific question you formed and your expectations of how the answer might appear.
Move your eyes down the page in a systematic way.
 When you have found the needed information, carefully read the sentences in which it
appears in order to confirm that you have located the correct information.

8. Summarizing
Definition
 Buckley (2004), in her popular writing text Fit to Print, defines summarizing as
reducing text to one-third or one-quarter its original size, clearly articulating the
author’s meaning, and retaining main ideas.
 A Canadian Writer’s Reference, explains that summarizing involves stating a work’s
thesis and main ideas “simply, briefly, and accurately” (p. 62).
Purpose
The purpose of summarizing is to briefly present the key points of a theory or work in
order to provide context for your argument/thesis.

9. Process of Summarizing
 Read the work first to understand the author’s intent. This is a crucial step because
an incomplete reading could lead to an inaccurate summary.
 In your own words, write the thesis and main ideas in point form. Decide which
points are crucial to an accurate summary of the author’s work. It is very important
that the summary does not misrepresent the author’s argument.
 Edit the summary by deleting extraneous descriptors, details, and examples. Reread
the original work to ensure that you have accurately represented the main ideas in
your summary. Opposite to solid essay writing, the goal is to be brief and general
rather than supporting all statements with facts, examples, or other details.

10. When Summarizing is useful
 Summarizing is useful in many types of writing and at different points in the
writing process. Summarizing is used to support an argument, provide context for
a paper’s thesis, write literature reviews.
 In addition to the advantages of summarizing for the reader, as a writer you gain a
better sense of where you are going with your writing, which parts need
elaboration, and whether you have comprehended the information you have
collected.

11. You can summarize:
 Results of studies you are reporting on methods or approaches others have taken
in an area you are describing various researchers’/authors’ viewpoints on given
issues.
 Points you have made in an essay in a conclusion contents of a text you are
reviewing issues peripheral to your paper but necessary for providing the context
for your writing historical events leading to the event/issue/philosophy you are
discussing.