1.4 Select Relevant Details When Reading for a Specific Purpose

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What Does "Reading for a Specific Purpose" Mean?

When you read for a specific purpose, you're reading to find particular information or to complete a specific task. You're not just reading for enjoyment or to understand everything in the text.

Examples of reading with a specific purpose:

• Reading a recipe to find out how much flour you need
• Reading a timetable to find out when the bus arrives
• Reading an article to answer exam questions
• Reading instructions to learn how to assemble furniture

The key skill is selecting relevant details – this means picking out only the information you actually need and ignoring everything else.

Reading Strategy 1: Skim Reading

What is skim reading? Skim reading means reading quickly to get a general idea about what a text is about. You're not trying to understand every word or detail – you just want to know the main topic and general content.

When should you use skim reading?

• When you first look at a text and want to know what it's about
• When you need to decide if a text is useful for your purpose
• When you want to understand the overall message before reading more carefully
• In an exam, when you first see a reading passage

How to skim read:

1. Read the title and any headings – these tell you the main topics
2. Read the first sentence of each paragraph – these often contain the main idea
3. Look at any pictures, diagrams, or highlighted words – these show important content
4. Read the first and last paragraphs – these often introduce and summarize the text
5. Don't stop to look up words you don't know – keep moving quickly

Example: Imagine you're given this article title and first paragraph:

Title: "The Impact of Social Media on Teenage Sleep"

First paragraph: "Recent studies show that 80% of teenagers use their phones within one hour of going to bed. This habit is affecting their sleep quality and causing tiredness during school hours."

By skim reading, you quickly know this text is about how social media affects teenagers' sleep. You don't need to read every word to understand the general topic.