In late November, I read Maryanne Wolf’s article published by The Guardian, “Skim Reading is the New Normal. The Effect on Society is Profound.” After reading this in-depth article of how skim reading has changed how we perceive novels, I was intrigued by the knowledge of information I had not yet known. Many times we fall under the impression of, if I skim read, I can pick out key points and understand what is going on within this novel. Although this may benefit you to a certain extent, you are not fully engaged in the reading. As a result, you will not be able to understand another’s feelings or even to perceive the elegance of what you are reading. Thus, Wolf’s article became my foundation for my research on why skim reading is a frowned upon action with negative results. 

The many articles that I was able to find open a larger window for others to succumb to the realization of how in-depth reading improves comprehensive abilities as well as improving brain development in many school age readers. The bibliography that follows includes Wolf’s point of view, which has been the genesis of my research, but also consists of three other sources. Three out of the four articles are providing insight as to why skim reading is an unfavorable method of reading. On the other hand, the fourth article provides the perspective that in today’s digital world almost all patrons participate in the skim reading method. 

One question I seek to answer through my research would be, does skim reading affect how we comprehend pieces of writing? Many of the answers I have found were a positive yes, but also inconclusive. As I continue my research in hopes of finding more answers, I would like to see more opposing articles fighting for the skim reading method only to further my knowledge into both points of view. 

Annotated Bibliography

Douglas, Jane. “Is Skim Reading The New Normal?” Psychology Today, 8 Jan. 2019,  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-writing-works/201901/is-skim-reading-the-new-normal. Accessed 26 Nov. 2019.

“Is Skim Reading The New Normal?” offers a reflective perspective on Maryanne Wolf’s article. Douglas creates a counter to Wolf’s point of view by stating that skim reading is dependant on the type of reading we are encountering. For example, almost everyone in today’s society will skim through emails, newspapers, and/or short stories. This is due to the digital world we live in, which provides a sense of what is important to read, but also things that are not as important to divulge into using the in-depth reading approach. Douglas also mentions how teens today are mostly skim readers, and it allows them to engage in the reading by only reading a few paragraphs while noticing key words throughout.

Douglas’ account on Wolf’s article is able to give us two different points of view when searching for whether skim reading is as useful as in-depth reading. She also provides her reasoning as to why many readers partake in skim reading, sometimes not even being aware that they are doing such. This article is able to give us useful information as to why, when, and how skim reading could possibly be the new normal.

Oppong, Thomas. “This is Your Brain on Skim Reading.” Medium, Personal Growth, 11 Apr. 2019, https://medium.com/personal-growth/your-brain-on-skim-reading-b0de828769b9. Accessed 26 Nov. 2019.

“This is Your Brain on Skim Reading” presents the idea that deep reading is dying within our culture. Oppong states that the digital content overload in today’s time has turned us into skim readers. He expresses how our brains reading ability is rapidly changing day by day, and how we have developed the ability to skim read. For example, if you are bombarded with several emails and/or digital text messages, one tends to skim read rather than deeply engaging in the messages. We also see this when we are first engaging in a new book. Often times we catch ourselves skimming through the first few pages to see if we are actually going to be interested in the novel and wanting to continue. 

Oppong goes on to explain how fully engaging into deep reading is not cognitively easy for many people, thus being the reason why we choose to skim. Giving our full attention to words on a page to completely comprehend the narrative is difficult for many people. He states that once you embrace skimming, the brain builds a system lowering the cognitive load, which in turn maximizes brain energy. Oppong’s article allows us to see the effects that skim reading has on the brain, but also how it can become a habit, especially on readings that require your utmost attention and comprehension. 

Stillman, Jessica. “How Skim Reading From Screens Is Rewiring Your Brain (It’s Not Good).” Inc.Com, Inc., 9 Oct. 2018, https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/skim-reading-from-screens-is-doing-scary-thing-to-your-brain-according-to-neuroscience.html. Accessed 26 Nov. 2019.

In “How Skim Reading From Screens is Rewiring Your Brain,” writer Jessica Stillman explains how incredible getting lost in a book is for your brain as well as your mental state. Many researchers have found that deep reading can actually make you smarter, and have much happier lifestyle if done regularly. When you choose to skim read, you are not able to grasp the vast majority of benefits from deep reading. Stillman emphasizes that skim reading has it’s uses, but you must not forget about the irreplaceable benefits of deep reading. 

The article thoroughly outlines reasons as to why more and more people should pick up that hard copy novel and be fully engaged in their reading. The benefits of actually deep reading give your brain a sense of connection to the novel, and you are able to comprehend every detail that is occuring. Furthermore, deep reading allows the reader to fully grasp the complexity and the beauty of the story. 

Wolf, Maryanne. “Skim Reading Is the New Normal. The Effect on Society Is Profound.” Maryanne Wolf.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 25 Aug. 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/25/skim-reading-new-normal-maryanne-wolf. Accessed 26 Nov. 2019. 

“Skim Reading is the New Normal” offers a more in depth review on why most students and younger kids tend to skim read. Wolf describes an account of an English literature teacher who notices many college students avoid the 19th and 20th century classic literature. He goes on to state that students no longer have the patience to deep read into longer and more difficult texts due the inability to read with a high level of critical analysis sufficient enough to comprehend the more difficult texts. Wolf emphasizes the many results depicting that digital screen use could be causing troubling effects on reading comprehension in the future for high school and college students. 

This article was able to go in depth about the many benefits that deep reading has on the reader, while also referring to research studies that explain why skim reading could be tremendously less beneficial. Wolf uses this platform to allow others to understand the severity and need of deep reading, while also emphasizing the knowledge of critical analysis and comprehension.

Hi, my name is Jaxon Reid. I am from a small town known as Canton, NC. I came to CVCC to persue a degree in psychology as well as play baseball. I’ve been playing baseball for about twelve years now, so it is a huge part of my life. It is also what most of days throughout the year consist of. So I am doing this for anyone who wants tips, advice, or even just to talk about baseball.

• My Blog will be about anything related to baseball. Whether it be analytics, tips, and/or organizations in whom I am intrigued in.
• Many people believe the game of baseball is changing at a fast pace, and I want to do this because I want to give my opinion on the subject as well as hearing from others.
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