Scanning and skimming are two reading techniques used to quickly gather information.

Scanning

Scanning involves quickly searching for specific information within a text. This technique is useful when you know what you're looking for, such as a date, name, or keyword.

Example 1: If you're looking for a particular statistic in a research article, you would scan through the text to find that number without reading every word.

Example 2: When checking a schedule, you might scan the list of events to find the time of a specific meeting.

Skimming

Skimming, on the other hand, involves reading rapidly to get a general idea of the content. This is useful for understanding the main themes or arguments without diving into details.

Example 1: When reading a newspaper article, you might skim the headlines, subheadings, and the first sentences of paragraphs to get the gist of the news.

Example 2: In preparing for a test, a student might skim a textbook chapter to identify key concepts and topics before studying in detail.

Both techniques enhance reading efficiency, allowing for quicker comprehension of large volumes of text.