[NIFL-HEALTH:3454] Readability formulas

From: Christina Zarcadoolas (Christina_Zarcadoolas@brown.edu)
Date: Fri Nov 16 2001 - 09:51:04 EST 

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From: Christina Zarcadoolas <Christina_Zarcadoolas@brown.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:3454] Readability formulas
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At 09:26 AM 11/16/01 -0500, you wrote:

To add to Mark H's posting about the limits of readability formulas, for 
years I've always used the following as a good reason why I avoid them 
whenever I can: ( forgive this quote from my PhD thesis '84)

"The limitation of judging readability solely through surface structure 
elements is shown vividly by Gordon in his analysis of Plato's Parmenides 
(1980).  Using two popular readability formulas (Dale-Chall 1948 and Fry 
1968) Gordon found that passages from the Plato work were falling between 
4th and 6th grade reading levels.  Gordon's warning about using criteria 
such as number of words, length and complexity of sentences and syllables, 
to judge readability is convincing and yet today, two decades later, goes 
unheeded (Gordon 1980)."


Gordon, Robert M.  "The readability of Unreadable Texts."  In  English 
Journal.  March 1980, Vol. 69, No., 3, pp.60-61.

:)

Chris 
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<html>
At 09:26 AM 11/16/01 -0500, you wrote:<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
To add to Mark H's posting about the limits of readability formulas, for
years I've always used the following as a good reason why I avoid them
whenever I can: ( forgive this quote from my PhD thesis '84) <br>
<br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica">&quot;The limitation of judging readability
solely through surface structure elements is shown vividly by Gordon in
his analysis of Plato's <u>Parmenides </u>(1980).&nbsp; Using two popular
readability formulas (Dale-Chall 1948 and Fry 1968) Gordon found that
passages from the Plato work were falling between 4th and 6th grade
reading levels.&nbsp; Gordon's warning about using criteria such as
number of words, length and complexity of sentences and syllables, to
judge readability is convincing and yet today, two decades later, goes
unheeded (Gordon 1980).&quot;<br>
<br>
<br>
Gordon, Robert M.&nbsp; “The readability of Unreadable Texts.”&nbsp;
In&nbsp; <i>English Journal</i>.&nbsp; March 1980, Vol. 69, No., 3,
pp.60-61.<br>
<br>
:)<br>
<br>
Chris </font></html>

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