Three readability formulas were recalculated to be more suitable for Navy use. The three formulas are the Automated Readability Index (ARI), Fog Count, and Flesch Reading Ease Formula. They were derived from test results of 531 Navy enlisted personnel enrolled in four technical training schools. Personnel were tested for their reading…

This paper summarizes the work to date on the revised Harris-Jacobson Readability Formulas. The contents include "The Criterion," which discusses the criterion used in the development of the formulas; "Variables Employed," which includes percent of uncommon words, average sentence length, percent of long words, mean number of letters per word, and…

One of the major objectives of this study was to obtain an estimate of the reading skill level an individual would need in order to be able to read and understand the training and job materials in his Air Force career ladder. A methodology developed by Mockovak (1974) for comparing training and job reading requirements was used to calculate the…

This literature review documents the state-of-the-art of readability assessment and indicates directions for future research in readability measurement. The period since 1953 is emphasized, although there is some consideration of earlier work. Primary emphasis within the review is based on readability measurement; however, a final section is…

The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of words that the Dolch list and the word list for the 1970's accounted for in written materials. The two word lists were compared by token comparison--a method by which words are weighted on the basis of frequency of occurrence within a given set of materials. The written materials used…

This report describes how to apply techniques that have been used in measuring the readability/comprehensibility and reading level of textural materials. A review of available readability/comprehensibility measurement techniques and of previous experimental studies into methods for developing such techniques is presented. As a result of this…

The variables used in most readability formulas consist of counts of language elements which highly relate to comprehension scores on passages of a wide range of difficulty. The variables most often used are some measure of word difficulty and yield an index score representing the style difficulty of the passages to which they are applied…

The use of the cloze procedure as a method of determining relative readability was first introduced by Wilson Taylor, who contended that the cloze procedure was a superior method of determining readability since it measured a facet of readability called concept load. Authorities have accepted cloze tests as valid and reliable instruments capable…

One can measure the readability of any piece of reading material for an individual or a group by having the selection read and then testing for comprehension. Increasingly the cloze procedure has come to be used in preference to multiple-choice questions. Other readability scales have been based on previously scaled passages, on carefully graded…

This technical memorandum presents an outline of how to apply psycholinguistic and intellective concepts in order to enhance the readability and comprehensibility of written materials. Guidelines for making the reader's task easier are provided, and some readability measurement procedures are also discussed. The contents include: "Increasing…

One of the problems found in present readability formulas is the lack of control for syntax, other than sentence length. Judging the complexity of a sentence based on word count alone does not allow for such circumstances as: coordinate clauses joined by "and"; deletions; passive forms; and coordinate clauses, dependent clauses, and…

WORD COUNTS WERE MADE TO COMPARE THE VOCABULARIES IN READING, HEALTH, SCIENCE, AND ARITHMETIC TEXTBOOKS FOR GRADES ONE TO THREE. COUNTS WERE MADE IN SEVEN DIFFERENT BASIC READING SERIES AND IN THREE DIFFERENT SERIES IN EACH OF THE THREE CONTENT AREAS. THE LIMITATIONS OF THE WORD COUNTS ARE SPECIFIED. FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE WAS USED TO ANALYZE THE…

THE READABILITY OF ANY BOOK IS DETERMINED BY WORDS AND SENTENCES WHICH ARE USED AND WHICH VARY IN DIFFICULTY FROM EASY TO HARD. PRESENTED HERE IS A PROCEDURE BY WHICH TEACHERS CAN DETERMINE THE READABILITY INDEX OF ANY BOOK AND TRANSLATE THE INDEX TO GRADE LEVELS. THE METHODS EMPLOYED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF READABILITY FORMULAS AND WORD LISTS ARE…

This study, conducted at a community college in mid-Missouri, compared the reading ability of students with the readability of the textbooks (aside from technical books) used in their classes. There were a total of 17 textbook/class comparisons. The reading level of students was determined by the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, revised edition, and…

The purposes of this paper are (1) to assist Career Development for Children Project (CDCP) writers in developing more readable curriculum materials and (2) to better identify research and development priorities. The first part surveys two contrasting methods that have been found useful in predicting the readability of written texts. The second…