What is the practice of scanning material to identify main points and organization called?

The practice of scanning material to identify main points and organization is referred to as skimming. Skimming involves quickly moving through a text to get an overview of its content and structure without reading every word in detail. This technique focuses on capturing essential ideas, key concepts, and the overall framework, allowing readers to decide if a more thorough reading is necessary.

In contrast, summarizing involves condensing the information into a shorter form while still conveying the main points and details. Previewing typically occurs before reading a text, where a reader surveys headings, subheadings, and other features to anticipate the content. Reviewing is the process of going over material again after reading it to reinforce understanding, but it does not specifically focus on the initial scanning for main points or organization. Therefore, skimming is the most accurate term for the practice described in the question.