Understanding Extensive vs. Intensive Reading: Can You Help with My MBA Assignment?

Differences Between Extensive Reading and Intensive Reading

Extensive reading involves reading large amounts of material for general understanding and enjoyment. It focuses on fluency and comprehension over detailed analysis.

In contrast, intensive reading requires close attention to detail, often involving shorter texts. It emphasizes understanding specific information, vocabulary, and grammar.

I need this information for my MBA semester 1 assignment because I'm not getting the proper answer. Please help me find the answer to this question.

Reading: A Process of Decoding Messages

Reading is essentially a process of decoding messages with a view to understanding a written text. It has various purposes, such as reading for personal interest, pleasure, or gaining information. A single text is not written for any one purpose but could meet any purpose depending on individual needs.

Reading, in the real sense, is an active rather than a passive process. Active reading means reading to grasp the meaning. It is a skill that has to be developed and practiced.

Types of Reading

Based on the purpose for which we are reading, there are five different types of reading:

1. Skimming – Quickly glancing over a text to get a general idea of the content.
2. Scanning – Careful reading to find specific details.
3. Extensive reading – Rapid reading to get an overall understanding of the matter.
4. Intensive reading – Reading slowly with concentration to get specific details.
5. Silent or loud reading – This depends on whether we are reading to ourselves or reading to others.

Extensive Reading

Our way of reading is influenced by the purpose of our reading. Most of us have the habit of reading, especially when we are free or have a lot of leisure time. We might get hold of a novel, a comic strip, or a magazine. When we read for the pure pleasure of reading, it is known as "extensive" reading. However, it should not be given less priority because it is extensive reading. It is enjoyable as well as informative. Here, we practice rapid reading to get a global/overall understanding of the matter.

Intensive Reading

When we read shorter texts like a research paper to get specific details or information, we read slowly with a lot of concentration. This is known as intensive reading. When you read a book as a resource material for research, you read it intensively because the overall understanding is not the objective or purpose of our reading. When you read an article to write a review on it, you read it intensively. We use all the skills of reading when we do intensive reading.

While I'm sure you have benefited from the wonderful explanation given by Disksworm2001, I hope that you will do more research to develop your own answer for your assignments. If you type "extensive and intensive reading" or "extensive Vs. intensive reading" in a Google search, you will find plenty of web links to help you form your answer. This approach will not only be original but will also help you be more analytical and creative. After all, an MBA is a professional course that aims to equip us with skills to think and act in real-life situations where, at times, no ready-made answers would be available.

Regards,
Purva