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Subject:Re: Readability Tests From:"Peter Ring, PRC" <prc -at- ISA -dot- DKNET -dot- DK> Date:Fri, 27 Jun 1997 13:27:58 +1
On 25 Jun 1997 holly alton kim kellner wrote
> I am doing some research for an instructor of mine on the reliability of
> readability tests. Could anyone out there send me some information
> about them and the different types? Also, any articles from the STC
> would be a big help!
Those of you who has read my book "The PQM system ..." (see my
website or write me for details) know this. I quote:
There are a large number of readability indexes, mainly American. For
instance, 31 English language read-ability indexes are described in a
book by George R. Klare: "The Measurement of Readability", Iowa
State University Press. 1963. Many of them are school oriented and try
to define the school grade where the text should be generally
understood. This resulted in some long formulas with more or less
parameters multiplied by 4 digit coefficients.
Most of the indexes are based on the following basic types of
elements:
- Average word-length.
- Number of long words in % or per sentence.
- Average number of syllables per 100 words or per sentence.
- Average % of single syllable words, or single syllable words per
sentence.
- Average number of words per sentence.
- % words present on a list over the most commonly used 2-3.000
words.
- Number of "ideas" per sentence. They are all closely related
to one language, and most of them can't be used with other
languages.
I then continue a discussion in my book. To my knowledge there is
currently some research done at the University or Aarhus, Denmark,
leading towards a very simple index (I don't recall the details).
Greetings from Denmark
Peter Ring
PRC (Peter Ring Consultants)
- specialists in user friendly manuals and audits on manuals.
prc -at- isa -dot- dknet -dot- dk http://isa.dknet.dk/~prc/index.html
- the "User Friendly Manuals" website with links, bibliography, list
of prof. associations, and tips for technical writers.
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