USING information
Skimming and scanning
Name: _______________________________________
Skimming and scanning
Skimming and scanning are often spoken about in the same
breath. They are two techniques that are often used together to
save time identifying, locating and using sources of information.
Skimming
Sometime you may retrieve a lot of information – for example, a
pile of books or a long list of websites from a search engine. It
helps if you are able to decide quickly whether the information is
likely to be of any use to you.
In situations such as this, skimming comes in handy. It is a useful
skill to practise because it can save you a lot of time.
What is skimming?
Skimming is quickly casting your eyes over a piece of text to get
the gist of it – and to discover if it is of interest or relevance to you.
There are often clues in the text to help you – for example:
Headings
words in bold
“pull quotes in shaded boxes”
pictures
 bullet points.
You skim a text to find out the sort of things it does and does not
tell you.
© Learning and Teaching Scotland
This sheet may be freely copied and adapted for non-commercial use.
USING information
Skimming and scanning
Skimming exercise
Skim the text you have been given to answer these questions as
quickly as you can. Show your answers by ticking one box for
each question.
1. This passage is about:
a) how the Scottish Executive works
b) the Scottish Parliament
c) MSPs and what they do.
2. Its main aim is to:
a) entertain
b) persuade
c) inform.
3. The passage says that you should only contact an MSP
who you have voted for:
a) true
b) false.
4. The passage tells you:
a) how many regional MSPs there are
b) how many SNP MSPs there are
c) how many Scottish Labour MSPs there are.
5. The passage suggests:
a) how to find out who your MSPs are
b) how to become an MSP
c) how to register to vote.
6. The passage lists:
a) some of the powers that MSPs have
b) some of the things that MSPs can do for you
c) some of the parties that MSPs belong to.
7. The information in this passage is up to date.
a) true
b) false
c) can’t tell.
8. Would you arrange to meet MSPs:
a) at your home, their offices, the Scottish Parliament
b) in your local area, the Scottish Parliament, their offices
c) at the Scottish Parliament, Partner Libraries, the Public
Information Service
© Learning and Teaching Scotland
This sheet may be freely copied and adapted for non-commercial use.
USING information
Skimming and scanning
Text for skimming exercise
Excerpt from:
Making your voice heard in the Scottish Parliament (2003)
© Scottish Parliament Public Information Service
© Learning and Teaching Scotland
This sheet may be freely copied and adapted for non-commercial use.
USING information
Skimming and scanning
Scanning
Once you have identified sources of information that are likely to
be of use to you by skimming, you will probably need to look at
them more closely in order to get all the information that you need.
The good news is that you may not need to read your texts from
beginning to end. There is another technique that can save you a
lot of time and effort. It is called scanning.
Scanning is when you look at a piece of text to see if you can spot
a keyword or a heading to locate specific information.
© Learning and Teaching Scotland
This sheet may be freely copied and adapted for non-commercial use.
USING information
Skimming and scanning
Scanning exercise
As quickly as you can, scan the text you are given to answer the
following questions.
1. What is the local-rate telephone number for the Scottish
Parliament?
________________
2. In what other way does the leaflet suggest that you could find
out the MSPs who represent you?
___________________________________
3. What is the web address you would use if you want to watch
Scottish Parliament debates over the internet?
___________________________________
4. In what year did the Scottish Parliament’s website begin?
________________
5. How many user hits has it already had? _____________
6. Name three issues that have been discussed in the Scottish
Parliament website’s discussion forum.
___________ __________ ____________
7. What system is used to elect constituency MSPs?
___________________________________
8. How many regional MSPs represent each person who lives in
Scotland?
___________________________________
© Learning and Teaching Scotland
This sheet may be freely copied and adapted for non-commercial use.
USING information
Skimming and scanning
Text for scanning exercise
Excerpt from:
The Scottish Parliament 1999–2003: Working for You (2003)
© Scottish Parliament Public Information Service
© Learning and Teaching Scotland
This sheet may be freely copied and adapted for non-commercial use.