Previewing a Text Before You Begin

What a preview is

A preview is a short, deliberate look at a text before you read it properly. You are not trying to learn the content. You are trying to learn its shape: what it is about, how it is organized, roughly where it ends up, and how hard it is likely to be.

The idea rests on a plain observation. New information is easier to follow when you already have a place to put it. If you know a chapter has three parts, the first paragraph of part two makes more sense. A preview gives you that frame at a low cost, often one to three minutes for an article and a bit more for a chapter.

This article reports no study of its own. Teachers of reading and study skills commonly recommend previewing, and the logic is sound, but how much it helps varies by reader and text. Use it as an experiment rather than a rule.

What to look at

Not every text has the same features, but most nonfiction offers several of these clues.

1. The title and any subtitle. They often state the topic and sometimes the main claim.
2. The opening. The first paragraph or two usually introduces the question or purpose. Some authors state their main point right there.
3. Headings and subheadings. Read them in order. Together they form an outline. If headings are phrased as statements, you may learn the argument just from them.
4. The ending. A final paragraph or conclusion often gathers the main points. Knowing where the text lands can make the journey easier to follow.
5. Visuals and captions. Charts, tables, diagrams and pictures with captions indicate what the author thinks needs showing rather than telling.
6. Boxed text and summaries. Textbooks often include key terms, chapter overviews or review questions. Look at them before you read, since they tell you what the authors consider central.
7. Length and structure. Note how long it is and how it is divided. This helps you plan your time and breaks.

You can also glance at the first sentence of each paragraph in a few sections. That is edging toward skimming, which is different from reading to learn, but it can add detail to your outline.

A simple routine

Here is a short sequence that works for an article or chapter.

1. Read the title and any summary text.
2. Read the first and last paragraphs.
3. Read every heading in order.
4. Look at any images, charts or captions.
5. Ask yourself two questions: What do I expect this to say? What do I want to find out?
6. Jot down your answers in a line or two.

Step five links previewing with guiding questions, and it is where the method does much of its work. Your expectations give you something to check, and any surprise tells you where the text differs from your assumptions.

What previewing does for you

• It sets expectations. You begin knowing the destination, which tends to reduce the feeling of drifting.
• It helps you decide how to read. A quick look can show that a piece is mostly background you know, or a dense section that deserves care. You may choose to read some parts quickly and others slowly.
• It supports reading comprehension. Understanding depends partly on what you bring to the text. Previewing activates what you already know about the topic and highlights what you do not.
• It helps you decide whether to read at all. A preview can show that a book is not what you hoped. That makes quitting books easier to justify, and it saves time.
• It prepares you for harder material. With difficult texts, knowing the outline reduces the shock of unfamiliar vocabulary or long sentences.

When previewing is less helpful

Previewing suits informational writing, which is built to be navigated. It is a poorer fit for some other kinds.

• Fiction. Surprise is part of the pleasure. Reading the last chapter of a mystery first would defeat its purpose. A glance at the back cover is generally enough, and many readers prefer to go in nearly blind.
• Very short texts. For a one-page letter or a few paragraphs, a preview takes as long as reading.
• Poetry and some essays. These often reveal themselves only as you move through them, and a headline summary can flatten them.
• Texts with misleading headings. Sensational titles on some online articles promise more or less than the content delivers. If the headings and the body diverge, trust the body.

Common mistakes

• Previewing for too long. The point is a rough map, not a first reading. Set a time limit.
• Treating the preview as the reading. Knowing the headings does not mean you understand the argument. Read the text itself.
• Skipping the questions. A preview without any expectations is a missed opportunity. Even one question helps.
• Forgetting to revise. After you read, compare your actual understanding with your preview. Where did they differ?

Putting it together

Previewing works well alongside other methods. After you have set expectations, you might write margin notes while reading and finish with a short summary. If the text turns out to be hard going, the outline you built gives you a base for reading it in layers.

Try it on your next long article or textbook chapter. Spend two minutes, write down what you expect, and see whether the reading feels different. If you find that you still struggle to focus or follow written text despite trying such methods, a teacher or another qualified professional can help identify what is going on.