TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I've been asked to ensure that our user docs are written on a 10th grade
level so that they are understandable to a wide audience. If you've had to
do this, how do you measure this?
I searched the archives and the web and found references to the Gunning Fog
Index and the Flesch Readability Index, but I couldn't determine if these
enforce a grade level standard (plus, if they're dated, and with the decline
of literacy...)
Has anyone used an index or standard for this? No mil specs, please. Is
there any software that does this?
