- Very fast: Readers scan a text very quickly if they are looking only for a specific piece of information.
- Fast: Readers skim a text rapidly if they are trying to get just the general gist without worrying about details.
- Slow to moderate: Readers read carefully in order to get complete understanding of an article. The more difficult the text, the slower they read. Often difficult texts require rereading.
- Very slow: Experienced readers read very slowly if their purpose is to analyze a text. They take elaborate marginal notes and often pause to ponder over the construction of a paragraph or the meaning of an image or metaphor. Sometimes they reread the text dozens of times."