Scanning is the process of quickly reviewing a document to get an overall sense of its content and organization. When scanning, you are not reading for comprehension or trying to absorb details. Instead, you are skimming the text to get a broad understanding so that you can decide if and how you will use the document later. There are several things you should do while scanning to make the process more effective:
Have a purpose
Always scan with a goal in mind. This will help you stay focused and zero in on the information you need. Common scanning purposes include:
– Getting the main idea or topic of a document
– Identifying how the content is organized
– Deciding if the document is relevant to your research
– Spotting keywords, phrases, or data points
– Locating a specific fact or detail you need
– Assessing whether to read the full document carefully
Before you start scanning, define your purpose so you can strategically pick out the information that serves that goal as you skim through the text.
Look at the big picture first
Start by getting the big picture view of the document. Look at any introductory summaries, section headings, subheadings, and any charts or images. This will give you a broad framework to understand how the content fits together. As you scan further, you’ll be better able to contextualize details.
Let your eyes wander
Don’t read line by line. Let your eyes jump around the page and follow any design elements that catch your attention. Notice bold or italicized words and text features like bullet points. This highlighting often indicates important topics and keywords. Also look for organizational cues like numbers, letters, and arrow symbols.
Move quickly
Scanning is meant to be a fast process, so keep up your pace. Don’t pause to focus on details or re-read sentences you don’t fully understand. If you find yourself getting bogged down, note where you are and come back to that section later if needed. Maintaining momentum will help you efficiently extract key points.
Take notes
Jot down any useful information you encounter that relates to your scanning purpose. This could include topics, statistics, names, dates, facts, or relevant page numbers. These notes will help solidify what you scanned and provide references for any future reading.
Review visually
Look back over any tables, graphs, maps, diagrams or other visual elements more closely. Visuals often summarize or emphasize important ideas and relationships. Analyzing them will give you a better understanding of the big picture.
Read introductions and conclusions
The beginning and ending sections of a document usually encapsulate the main ideas and themes. Give these areas extra attention to gain a broad frame of reference to build on as you scan other sections.
Be selective
You don’t need to scan the entire document, especially if it is very long. Once you have a grasp of the overall content, focus on scanning only the sections most relevant to your purpose. For example, you may just need to scan subheadings and first paragraphs of each section.
Don’t get distracted
Stay focused on your defined scanning purpose. Don’t get sidetracked reading details that seem interesting but have little value for your current goal. Stick to targeting the information you need to accomplish the objective of your scan.
When Should You Scan Rather Than Read?
Scanning is the right choice when:
– You need a general overview of a long document before deciding if it merits a careful read. Scanning first prevents wasting time on irrelevant texts.
– You are searching a document for some specific piece or pieces of information but don’t need the rest. Scanning helps locate targeted facts or details without reading the bigger picture.
– You want to get acquainted with an author’s research topic, argument, or writing style before doing an in-depth reading. An initial scan provides helpful context.
– You are looking for refreshers or reminders about a text you have read before. Scanning picks out highlights you remember.
– You need to compile information from many sources. Scanning several documents is more efficient than carefully reading each one.
– You have limited time and just need the key points or essence of a text. Scanning extracts core ideas quickly.
The common thread is that scanning works best when you don’t require full comprehension or thorough analysis. It gives you just enough content so you can achieve a particular, focused purpose.
How Scanning Is Different from Skimming
Scanning and skimming are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are distinct strategies. When skimming, you still read the full text from start to finish, just much faster than normal reading. Your eyes focus on every word, even if only for a split second. The goal is to understand the overall meaning.
In contrast, scanning involves zeroing in only on particular words, sections, or elements that capture your attention as you examine the page. Your eyes skip over large sections of text. You might read snippets but are not aiming for overall meaning. The goal is limited to the stated scanning purpose.
Skimming is faster than careful reading but slower than scanning because you take in the entirety of the text. With scanning, you actively filter out large portions of the content to hunt only for particular information. This more selective approach is speedier than skimming but retains less understanding of the bigger picture.
Scanning Tips
Follow these tips to make your scans as efficient and fruitful as possible:
– Familiarize yourself with the structure before scanning. Look at the table of contents, chapter headings, etc.
– Start with an overview of titles, subtitles, headings and subheadings. These often provide the framework.
– Notice words in ALL CAPS or bold. They emphasize key points.
– Search for words that are underlined, italicized or repeated. This signals importance.
– Look for words following bullets, numbers or arrows. These introduce key concepts.
– Scan for words you expect to see based on your purpose. Actively hunt for relevant terms.
– Focus on beginnings and ends of chapters, sections, paragraphs. Important points are often summarized there.
– Read first and last sentences of paragraphs. They tend to be topic sentences that frame ideas.
– Note words that begin with prefixes like “pre” or “anti.” This connotes a key concept.
– Watch for transitions like “however,” “therefore,” “for example.” They indicate relationships.
– Identify words in a different font. Font changes draw attention to significance.
– Look at captions under pictures, charts, graphs or illustrations. They summarize key takeaways.
– Review bold or italicized words in captions under visuals. These really emphasize importance.
– Read footnotes, endnotes or marginal notes. These clarify or expand on key content.
– Glance at any abstract or executive summary. These overview major elements.
– Be on the lookout for acclaimed individuals or groups mentioned. Their prominence indicates importance.
– Notice numerical data. Numbers and statistics are often pivotal facts.
– Check words with punctuation like quotes, question marks, or exclamation points. Punctuation is used strategically.
– Pay attention to words following numbers or bullets. These lists introduce critical ideas.
– Identify command words: analyze, compare, describe. These point to key tasks or concepts.
When to Scan Hard Copy vs. Digital Documents
You can scan documents presented either on paper or digitally on a device screen. Each format has advantages:
Hard Copy Scanning Advantages
– Easier to annotate by highlighting, underlining, circling etc. This calls out useful information.
– Tangible pages make referencing notes easier. You can quickly flip to key sections.
– Changes up focus between near and far vision. This helps avoid eye strain.
– Less temptation for distractions like social media that can derail workflow.
– Hard copy doesn’t have glare issues if lighting conditions change. Adjusting window shades can reduce glare.
Digital Scanning Advantages
– Search tools allow quick access to relevant keywords or phrases. This expedites scanning.
– Zoom features help emphasize small details. Details are sometimes hard to see on paper.
– Scrolling and clicking through pages is often faster than flipping through papers.
– Copy/paste useful snippets into a notes document without retyping.
– Keyword highlighting automatically marks sought-after terms.
– Split screen allows scanning document and taking notes simultaneously.
– Document organization is simpler on one device vs. stacks of paper.
The format you choose may be determined by whether the original document is in hard copy or digital form. But if you have a choice, consider your own preferences and which medium optimizes your particular scanning purpose and style.
Should You Scan Single or Multiple Documents?
Scanning is useful for both individual documents and multiple documents. Consider these factors when deciding which approach to take:
When Scanning a Single Document Makes Sense
– You need an overview of one long, detailed report for context.
– You are searching one textbook or manual to answer a specific question.
– You want to refresh your memory about a particular book you read previously.
– You need to pull a key fact, detail or section from a standalone document.
– You have to quickly check one document to assess its relevance before reading closely.
When Scanning Multiple Documents is Effective
– You are researching a topic and need to identify useful sources from many documents.
– You want to compare or contrast presentations of the same information in different texts.
– You need various data points from several reports to make a data table or chart.
– You are compiling highlights from multiple books by the same author or in the same genre.
– You need to pull together background information from various documents on an unfamiliar topic.
– You are searching across various documents to find specific terminology.
Scanning single documents works well for targeted searches. Scanning multiple documents helps discover themes and patterns in content across texts.
Should You Scan Long or Short Documents?
Scanning can work for both long and short documents, but is often more useful for longer texts.
When to Scan Long Documents
– To decide if it’s worthwhile to read the full text in detail.
– To get the gist before thoroughly reading to provide helpful context.
– To locate a specific detail without reading the entire text.
– To collect key points from different sections of a long book or report.
– To identify which sections are most relevant to focus on reading closely.
– To pull out highlights as a reference for future use.
When Scanning Short Documents Makes Sense
– When you need to rapidly check many documents for relevance or key points. Scanning short texts is faster.
– When you are compiling specific data or facts from many sources. Less to scan in short docs.
– When you are refreshing your memory right before an exam or presentation. Scanning short texts is quicker.
– When you are searching for a particular phrase that is easy to spot in a short document.
– When you need to review key points from multiple short articles on one topic.
The greater the length and complexity of the text, the more useful scanning becomes to identify just the most relevant pieces without getting overwhelmed in details. But scanning can still provide efficiency gains on short, straightforward documents as well.
Should You Scan Your Own or Someone Else’s Writing?
Scanning your own writing versus someone else’s writing both have advantages:
Scanning Your Own Writing
Helps you to:
– Review and pull out key points to reinforce learning.
– Identify sections to revise or add more detail.
– Refresh your memory before presenting the work.
– Check for proper citation of sources and data.
– Ensure consistency of ideas and terminology.
– Confirm organization flows logically.
– Finalize which are the most critical ideas to emphasize.
– Assess areas that could use clarification.
– Determine whether you achieved your intended purpose.
Scanning Someone Else’s Writing
Helps you to:
– Quickly identify the author’s main message and point of view.
– Determine how the content is structured without reading everything.
– Decide if the text is relevant or useful for your needs.
– Identify gaps in the author’s reasoning.
– Spot factual errors or misleading statements.
– Recognize potential biases based on word choices.
– Compare perspective with other authors on the same topic.
– Determine which sections would be best to read closely.
– Find specific details or data points you need without reading surrounding text
Scanning your own writing aids revision, while scanning others’ writing facilitates analysis and evaluation. Both are important academic skills.
Should You Scan Academic or Non-Academic Documents?
Scanning can be equally useful for both academic and non-academic documents:
Reasons to Scan Academic Documents
– Identify key theories, research findings and conclusions.
– Determine which sections are most relevant for further study.
– Compile important data points into a table or graph.
– Refresh knowledge before a test or presentation.
– Get an overview of an unfamiliar topic or field.
– Locate specific terminology to incorporate into your own writing.
– Find relevant sources for literature reviews.
– Identify gaps where new research is needed.
Reasons to Scan Non-Academic Documents
– Fact check against other reliable sources.
– Identify potential biases based on language.
– Compile data or statistics to strengthen academic work.
– Analyze messaging strategies and logical fallacies.
– Compare perspectives across sources stating opinions.
– Identify real world examples to support academic ideas.
– Determine key cultural references to understand context.
– Locate graphs or images to enhance a presentation.
– Identify topics of potential interest for further research.
Scanning either type of document can advance learning objectives and develop vital research and analysis skills.
Should You Scan Before, During or After Reading Closely?
Scanning can be useful both before reading, during reading, and after reading a text closely:
Scan Before Close Reading To:
– Preview key ideas and structure to provide helpful context.
– Determine sections most relevant to your needs to prioritize what to read closely.
– Identify gaps in your knowledge to formulate questions before reading.
– Decide if reading the full text carefully is a worthwhile investment of time.
– Get a broad picture of the author’s perspective before analyzing details.
Scan During Close Reading To:
– Refresh understanding of previous sections to provide continuity.
– Review detailed sections again quickly to reinforce key facts or data.
– Identify areas still unclear to your understanding that require re-reading.
– Pull out important points to include in your notes.
– Locate areas you may want to quote in your own writing.
Scan After Close Reading To:
– Identify key highlights to compile for future reference.
– Review to support better retention of knowledge.
– Determine which sections require further close analysis.
– Check details you want to reference in any summaries or syntheses.
– Find specific evidence to support your own analysis or argument.
Scanning can benefit every phase of understanding a text from initial overview to final review.
Conclusion
Scanning is an invaluable skill for identifying key information quickly without getting overwhelmed in details. Follow best practices like defining a purpose, maintaining speed, taking notes, targeting beginnings/endings and using text features as guideposts. Scanning complements close reading and fuels efficiency in research and learning. With various strategic applications, scanning empowers you to extract the essence from texts both long and short, familiar and new, academic and non-academic. Harness scanning to advance your success.