Reading Strategies

Before reading

Before you begin, look at the text as a whole.

• the title
• headings
• images
• source
• text type
• introductory paragraph

Ask yourself:

• What is this text likely to be about?
• What do I already know about the topic?

Making predictions gives you a framework for understanding what you read.

Skimming

Skimming means reading quickly to understand the main idea.

You might:

• read the title
• read the first and last paragraph
• look at topic sentences
• notice repeated words or ideas

Use skimming when you need an overview rather than every detail.

Scanning

Scanning means searching for specific information.

For example, you might scan a text to find:

• a date
• a name
• a statistic
• a definition
• a particular argument

You do not need to read every sentence.

Close reading

Close reading means paying careful attention to details.

You may examine:

• word choice
• sentence structure
• tone
• examples
• rhetorical techniques
• patterns
• implied meaning

Close reading is especially useful when analysing a text.

Use context clues

You do not always need a dictionary when you meet an unfamiliar word.

Look at:

• the words around it
• examples in the sentence
• contrasts
• explanations
• prefixes and suffixes

Example:

The road was impassable after the storm, so no cars could reach the village.

Even if you do not know impassable, the rest of the sentence suggests that the road could not be used.

Identify main ideas

Ask:

• What is the most important point in this paragraph?

Do not confuse examples with the main idea.

Example:

Many cities are trying to reduce car traffic. Paris has removed parking spaces, London has introduced congestion charges and several Scandinavian cities have invested heavily in cycling infrastructure.

The examples are Paris, London and Scandinavian cities.

The main idea is that cities are using different methods to reduce car traffic.

Imagine you receive a long article about artificial intelligence in education.

If the question asks:

What is the author's main argument?

Start by skimming.

If the question asks:

What percentage of teachers reported using AI?

Scan for numbers and terms related to teachers.

If the question asks:

How does the author create a critical tone?

Use close reading and examine language choices.

Different questions require different reading strategies.

1. Identify why you are reading.
2. Preview the text before reading in detail.
3. Skim for the main idea.
4. Scan when searching for specific information.
5. Read closely when analysing language or argument.
6. Use context before looking up unfamiliar words.
7. Pause after each section and summarise the main point in your own words.

Mistake: Looking up every unfamiliar word.

Better: First ask whether you actually need the word to understand the text.

Mistake: Reading every sentence equally carefully.

Better: Adapt your reading speed to your purpose.

Mistake: Focusing only on details.

Better: Keep asking how individual details connect to the text's overall purpose.

Mistake: Choosing an answer because it contains the same words as the text.

Better: Check whether the meaning actually matches.

You need to find the year when a particular law was introduced in a five-page article.

Which strategy is most useful?

• A. Close reading
• B. Scanning
• C. Analysing symbolism
• D. Reading every paragraph twice

Answer: B, scanning. You are searching for one specific piece of information.

• Choose your reading strategy according to your purpose.
• Skimming gives you an overview.
• Scanning helps you find specific information.
• Close reading focuses on details and meaning.
• Use context clues when encountering unfamiliar vocabulary.
• Always connect details to the larger meaning of the text.