1.Scanning:
Definition: Scanning involves quickly moving through a text to locate specific details or keywords. It’s less about understanding the whole passage and more about finding particular pieces of information.
Example 1: Imagine you’re in a library looking through a thick book on history to find information about the year the French Revolution began. You would quickly scan through the index or contents to locate the relevant section without reading the entire book.
Example 2: You’re browsing a phone manual to find out how to reset the device. Instead of reading all the instructions, you focus on headings like "reset" or "troubleshooting" and then jump to that part directly.
2. Skimming:
Definition: Skimming is used when you want to get the general idea of the content. You go through the text quickly, reading only key elements like titles, headings, and the first or last sentences of paragraphs to grasp the main points.
Example 1: Suppose you’re preparing for a class presentation and have a textbook chapter to cover. To get a quick overview, you skim through it, focusing on the main headings, bullet points, and bolded terms, so you can discuss the central ideas without diving deep into the details.
Example 2: You’ve received a long email from a colleague about an upcoming project. Instead of reading every line, you skim through the email to catch the main tasks or deadlines mentioned, then decide whether a closer reading is needed.