Domain Reading vs Content Reading

Readers employ different reading strategies and prior knowledge based on the genre (type of reading) and topic of the text. For this reason it is important that teachers help students learn how to “tackle” their particular content area’s texts.  Content reading is the general ability to glean meaning from text.  The reader does not need specific knowledge in order to understand what s/he is reading.  The knowledge or details needed to understand the text are there.

Domain reading is the reading of specific, generally technical text - science texts for example.  To extract meaning from technical text the reader must have specific knowledge of vocabulary and content.  The author assumes the prior knowledge needed to grasp the concepts is already present.   

Kuhara-Kojima, Keiko; Hatano, Giyoo:  Domain-Specific Knowledge and General Skills in Reading Comprehension. 1985

Joelle Brummitt-Yale: What is Content Area Reading?  2011