Transcript:
Tips for Skimming
Skimming means to quickly glance through an entire document to get a sense of the main ideas and scope of the content. Follow these tips for skimming a document to get an overview of the information.
The subject line should tell you the purpose of the message.
Check the letterhead, e-mail address, or signature block to identify the sender.
Check to see if others were copied on the e-mail or letter, and check for attachments.
Skim the body of the message. Look for words that are underlined, italicized, boldfaced, or in all uppercase letters, and take note of bulleted lists.
For longer documents, such as a report or proposal, skim section titles and headings. Use the table of contents, if available.
Flip through pages, spending only 10 to 15 seconds on each page. Read headings. Note sections that are boxed or bulleted. Look at informational graphics and illustrations; skim their captions.