Ed,
Edward B. Fry, Ph.D., is one authority on readability and establishing
reading levels. Determining readability through scales is only one aspect
to be considered. A good place to begin your research is through the
International Reading Association (IRA), www.reading.org. Another excellent
source is to visit www.indiana.edu/~disted/readpro/, which will also give
you access to the READPRO listserv. Having been a reading specialist for
many years I have definite opinions about reading levels which I would be
happy to discuss with you if you would like to contact me through my email
address below. Also, I noticed that you are in Georgia. UGA has an expert
in the reading field; Dr. Sherry Nist.
Pamela K. Donehew
Reading/English Instructor
West Georgia Technical College
303 Fort Drive
LaGrange, GA 30240
706-845-4323 X5714
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-----Original Message-----
From: Don Rubin [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 12:49 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Grade Reading Level
I'm sure you're familiar with typical readability formulae (e.g.,
Flesch): They are based on average length of words (in syllables or even
just in letters) and average sentence length (in words). Obviously they
are very rough and unsophisticated and predict actual reading comprehension
in only broad strokes. They lead to the conclusion that smaller words
and smaller sentences are better, which is a perfect operationalization of
the dumbing down of American speech and writing.
More compelling is the literature on document _usability_. Much of this
has been adopted by the Plain English movement, document designers (are
your tax forms not a bit more intelligible--if no less painful--these
days?), folks who write for armed forces technical manuals, computer
documentation, etc. The document usability perspective (best articulated
by Jenny Redisch, formerly of the American Institute for Research's
Document Design Center) acknowledges that sometimes a passive sentence is
wanted. More important, there can't be any dogmatic stylistic
prescriptions; you simply have to write as a reader reads.
What makes readability formulae so handy is that they can be easily
applied. Your word processor will do it with the click of a
mouse. Document usability, on the other hand, usually must be assessed by
observing and querying real readers.
Ok, I feel better. I cede the soap box to the next taker.
Don Rubin
At 01:56 PM 1/24/01 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>I hope this question is not too off topic. I am
>working as an editor in a marketing department and as
>part of their style some communications must be
>written at a 6th grade reading level. What they mean
>by this is that they should be fairly simple.
>Unfortunately they do not define what they mean by 6th
>grade level. Since I have a background in
>linguistics, I volunteeered to try to come up with
>some substantive guidelines for what is a 6th grade
>reading level. Can anyone point me to relevant
>references that address issues of reading difficulty
>or levels or even make some suggestions about what
>guidelines I can reccomend?
>
>
>Ed Keer
>
>
>__________________________________________________
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Don Rubin
Faculty Associate for Academic Affairs
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
(and Professor, University of Georgia Departments of
Speech Communication and Language Education)
270 Washington Street SW, 6th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30334-1450 USA
voice: 404.657.1331 fax: 404.657.0336
email: [log in to unmask]
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