It is reading something rapidly for some specific piece of information. You can use this skill when you are in search of keywords. It is a method one often uses when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. One search for keywords or ideas. In most cases, one knows what one is looking for, so one concentrates in finding a particular answer. Scanning involves moving one’s eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when one finds a resource to determine whether it will answer to one’s question. Once one has scanned the document, one might go and skim it.
Scanning is a reading technique to be used when you want to find specific information quickly. In scanning, you have a question in your mind, and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information.
Example-
Scanning a telephone book or dictionary to look for a name or a word- You see every item on the page, but you don’t necessarily read all the pages –you skip anything you are not looking for. You just have to concentrate on the keyword and need not recall the exact content of the page. Scanning saves times, but it has to be done with accuracy. This skill develops with practice.
How to Scan?
• State the specific information you are looking for.
• Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you might use to help you locate the answer. For example, if you were looking for a certain date, you would quickly read the paragraph looking only for numbers.
• Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might contain the information you are looking for.
• Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage.
Scanning is basically skimming with a more tightly focused purpose. Skimming to locate a particular fact or figure, or to see whether the text mentions a subject you’re researching. Scanning is essential in the writing of research papers, when you may need to look through many articles and books in order to find the material you need. Keep a specific set of goals in mind as you scan the text, and avoid becoming distracted by other material. You can note what you’d like to return to later when you do have time to read further and use scanning to move ahead in your research project.
When to use scanning?
As convenient as it seems, skimming can’t guarantee you all the important points. Usually, you need scanning when you find a friend’s phone number in a telephone book or last night football scores in the newspaper. Or when you’re in a new restaurant knowing they have your favourite dish but not sure the price is reasonable; you also need to scan along the menu to see it with the price. Scanning significantly proves its value when researching and studying. These two kinds of activity can’t be successful if they depend on only your general knowledge.
You may also need scanning to locate the correct answer for given questions. You are likely to scan when you have no intention of getting a general idea. Obviously, if you have no doubt of your purposes for reading, and other unrelated information is far from support, now take scanning into your consideration. Scanning is perfect when it comes to looking for something more particular rather than an overview idea in your mind.
Skimming and Scanning are close friends-
Despite all the differences between skimming and scanning, those two friends seem to be best together. They have been taught in almost every class of reading method. This is because of the fact that practising either of them can show great results.
However, the combination of skimming and scanning is even much greater. It’s like insurance for your fast reading: you read quicker, but you don’t miss out anything important. Why and how can these techniques do such an amazing job? Skimming takes the role of covering the whole reading material to assure you get what’s beneficial and leave out the useless ones. Scanning plays a part in taking out the most precious facts you need. It’s a responsible way of fast reading that no one could deny.