READING TECHNIQUES

There are various types of reading. Don't use the same approach to reading all the time. Choose
your approach to suit the task in hand. What follow are notes on different types of reading. These
techniques apply to books, magazines, or anything else in printed form.

 Reading for gist: reading a passage to get a general idea of what it's about, but not worrying
about understanding the complete content or every specific idea.

 Reading for main ideas - skimming - reading rapidly for the main points or to see if the
text is of any use to you. This is making a rapid survey of the subject. This may be to get
a rough idea, or to see what the book is about. Glance through the book quickly and pick
up the main points. Try to get a general picture of what it's about. This is a very useful
skill that becomes easier with practice.

 Reading for specific details - scanning - reading rapidly to find a specific piece of
information; like looking up for a phone no in a directory

 Reading between the lines – inferring.

Students need to read text not only for its explicit ideas, but also for its inferential ideas. If
students think and elaborate on the meaning, they will bring forth information not explicitly
stated and therefore enhance the meaning of the text (Wittrock, 1990). Students can
elaborate on the text and extend their comprehension of it by:
 composing titles and headings that are missing
 during and after reading
 paraphrasing ideas and concepts
 relating the text to personal experiences
 making connections from other texts and previous knowledge to the
new text
 looking for examples of concepts from the real world
 drawing pictures, tables, or graphs to illustrate processes

 Close reading - This is reading for 'appreciation'.

This approach is used in subjects such as literature and religious studies.
Every word may be studied in close detail.
You are looking for any possible meaning it may contain.
The result of this is a deep understanding of the book.

 Zig-zag reading is a type of modified scanning technique. In this one you take your hand
and cut across the text diagonally about three lines and then slide back to the next line. Now
the idea here is not necessarily to see each word, but to scan the entire area, letting your
mind pick out the main ideas. Not recommended for material that requires very careful
reading, but a way to help you get the general ideas of easy material.

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 Extensive reading means reading a longer text, often for pleasure with emphasis
on overall meaning

 Intensive reading - Reading a short text for detailed information

 Rapid reading: Here you are reading to “find out what happens next”. For instance, when
reading popular fiction. You will rarely dwell on the book or study it closely. This is reading
for pleasure or entertainment. You don't need to pay attention to every word.

 Speed reading - Speed reading courses teach you ultra-rapid skim reading
techniques. This may be useful for absorbing information at a surface level. It's not really
suitable for understanding and retaining information. It's unlikely to help if you are
engaged in studying. Keep in mind Woody Allen's joke:

"I went on a speed reading course last week - and it worked!

Yesterday I read War and Peace in an hour ... It's about some
Russians."

 Rapid survey - Check what you are reading - a rapid glance is all that's
necessary.
Is it what you need? Up to date? Right for the task?
Are all the contents relevant - or only some?
Are they written at the right level for you?
Answer these questions quickly.
This is also known as previewing.