Skimming, or speed-reading, means you go through a text fast. You will probably only pick up part of the content, so it is important to scan and choose well. Check whether you can use the layout of the text as a basis for what and where you read.
Learning strategy S5 is an example of structured skimming, but it may be that the text is not laid out in a way that lets you do S5. Then skimming is a useful learning strategy for going quickly over a text.
The strategy is also useful for a text you already know, for example to review the material just before a test.
Elements of skimming:
- Read the title and the headings
- Read the introduction or the first paragraphs to understand what the author wants to get across
- Read the first sentence of every other paragraph
- Notice pictures, graphs, and other graphic elements and what they convey
- Check any highlighted words and explanations, especially if they are explained in the margin
- Read the summary
You can test for yourself whether skimming works well together with other strategies: for example by first skimming a text, then going through it in more detail with other strategies.