Reading+for+a+Purpose

There is always a lot of information to read through and decide if it is useful. You do not have to read every single word to make those decisions! **Skimming** and **scanning** are important reading strategies that can save you a great deal of time and effort, so are worth mastering.

Read this Fact Sheet to find out more on skimming, and [|this Fact Sheet] to find out more on scanning.

Use these reading short cuts to help you:
 * read the summary and the conclusion of an article if there is one.
 * use the index and contents pages to go straight to the volume/page you need.
 * look at the headings and subheadings
 * read the first and last paragraphs and the first and last sentences of paragraphs.
 * on a web page or document, use the 'Find' function to zoom in on your key words or phrases.