The Ohio State Literacy Survey, which assessed Ohio adults' literacy skills according to their performance on tasks reflecting the materials/demands encountered in daily life, was administered to a sample of 1,568 persons aged 16 years or older who were randomly selected from Ohio's approximately 8.3 million adults. Each participant received proficiency scores (0-500) on scales assessing prose, document, and quantitative literacy. The literacy levels of those surveyed (for all three scales) were as follows: Level 1 (0-225), 16%-18%; Level 2 (226-275), 27%-31%; Level 3 (276-325), 32%-34%; Level 4 (326-375), 17%-19%; and Level 5 (376-500), 2%-4%. Older respondents were more likely than younger respondents to demonstrate poor literacy skills. The average scores of 19- to 24-year-olds were comparable to those of adults aged 35-44 years. African-American adults were more likely than white adults to perform in the two lowest levels and less likely to attain the two highest levels. Literacy scores were correlated with years of education, employment, economic status, and level of civic responsibility (as indicated by being a registered voter). The average prose, document, and quantitative proficiencies of Ohio respondents were nearly identical to those of adults living in the Midwest and higher than those of adults nationwide. (MN)