* Quickly identifying important points: Bold and italicized text often highlights key concepts, definitions, or important details.
* Finding specific information: If you're looking for a particular piece of information, scanning for bolded or italicized words can help you locate it faster.
* Getting a general understanding: Even if you don't read every word, identifying the bolded or italicized information gives you a quick overview of the main ideas.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
1. Scan the text: Look for bold and italicized words as you read each paragraph.
2. Note the information: Make a mental note of the highlighted information or jot it down if necessary.
3. Connect the information: Try to understand how the bolded or italicized words relate to the overall topic of the paragraph.
Example:
In the paragraph below:
_The Earth's atmosphere is composed of various gases, including nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), and carbon dioxide (CO2). _ Nitrogen _makes up the largest percentage of the atmosphere (about 78%), followed by oxygen (about 21%)._
By skimming, you can quickly learn that:
* The Earth's atmosphere is composed of gases.
* The key gases are nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
* Nitrogen makes up the largest percentage of the atmosphere.
This technique can be particularly helpful when dealing with dense or lengthy texts.