MODES OF READING

MODE

SCANNING

SKIMMING

DESCRIPTION

APPROPRIATE RATE

Locational; highly
selective

Finding answers to specific questions not

Fastest rate; rate (WPM) not really pertinent;
requiring thorough reading; locating dates, chapters, articles, sections of books can be
numbers, names, and other facts
scanned in minutes

Combined locational
and rapid reading;
sample selected parts
of content; use
summaries, topic
sentences, and
headings

Gaining an overview of a selection;

identifying certain key ideas to answer
specific questions; determining the
organizational structure of selection,
chapter or book

Second fastest; Second most selective;

speed varies with task, e.g., 4 pages per
minute to identify key ideas; 5-15 minutes to
identify the general idea structure of a 30
page textbook chapter

Gaining a broad, fairly solid understanding

of content in as little time as possible;
generally more concerned with
understanding key ideas then with
remembering specifics

Varies: 600 WPM (2 pages per minute) on

thorough reading of unfamiliar content to
1000 WPM on thorough reading of relatively
easy content

Speeded, thorough
RAPID READING reading of longer
content

PLEASURE
READING

TYPICAL PURPOSES

Typical unpressured
Wide variety of personal reasons; reading
reading for information
to learn and/or for pleasure, enjoyment,
and enjoyment;
escape
moderately thorough

Neither pressure nor studious; 300-400 WPM

(with adequate comprehension) is a good
normal rate

Careful, thorough
reading and rereading;
CRITICAL/ANALYT in depth assessment of
IC READING
ideas, organization,
reasoning, and writer's
purpose

Appropriate for a wide variety of higherlevel mental tasks that center on non
Slow, selective reading; rate is not an issue;
literal content, e.g., determining cause and
rate will vary with type of analytic task
effect, identifying inference and conclusion,
propaganda techniques, etc.

STUDY READING Multiple planned and

Thorough understanding; learning;

Involves multiple readings; study-reading

MODES OF READING
varied reading; very
overlearning (retention in memory); solving
thorough; combined use
efficiency can be improved
problems; passing exams
of other modes
TYPE/DIFFICULTY OF MATERIAL
1. The chapter on Reconstruction after the World War 2 in your
history textbook.
WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

YOUR PURPOSE
Your instructor has announced that thorough understand and
retention are expected. You will be tested.
WHY?

2. A light, fast-paced mystery

WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

You are reading for pleasure

WHY?

3. A chapter on "The Chemical Basis of Life" in a science text

WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

You want to retain the main ideas and all the important details
in this chapter
WHY?

4. Your science instructor has assigned the problem:" What are the You want to look through various books to locate the parts that
factors which influence the climate of any of the earth's surfaces?" offer information which may help you to answer this question
WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?
WHY?

5. An Inquirer article
WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

6. An encyclopedia article on the life of President Ferdinand

Marcos.
WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

7. The chapter on pre- colonial life in a social science textbook

You would like to find out the general content before deciding
whether you want to read the article
WHY?

You want to learn what college President Marcos attended

WHY?

Your instructor wants you to get an overall picture of what it

MODES OF READING
WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

8. A commentary on one writer's opinion on abortion

WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

9. News stories of local interest in your daily paper

WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

10. A Shakespearean sonnet that "defines" enduring love

WHICH MODE(S) WOULD YOU USE?

NAME: ________________________________________________

was like to live in pre- colonial times. You are expected to gain
from your reading just a general impression, not specific facts.
WHY?

You're going to be asked to vote whether abortions should be

legal or not in the next election. You want to cast a fair,
educated vote.
WHY?

You have 15 minutes before you need to leave for work. You
are curious about current events.
WHY?

You want to grasp Shakespeare's ideas about the experience

of a love that lasts. As you read, you will be comparing
Shakespeare's experiences with your own.
WHY?