Return-Path: <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g34I8mu21419; Thu, 4 Apr 2002 13:08:48 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2002 13:08:48 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <862CC85301F4CA42A06FB4F42F1A0CC30A62D7@eber2p01.corp.vha.ad> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Bieber, Linda" <lbieber@vha.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:3647] RE: Readability vs. Understandability X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 4050 Lines: 98 We have had a task force looking at the readability of patient information and consents in the hospital setting. We have found the task of improving readability to very difficult but have had some success. Our success has primarily come by using definitions for new terms, improving the format of the information and changing terminology. I don't believe we compromised on the meaning of the information or it's importance. -----Original Message----- From: Jill Dehlin [mailto:jdehlin@attbi.com] Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 12:21 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:3646] Readability vs. Understandability This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C1DBD2.E51ECA60 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I am a PhD student in the College of Education at Michigan State = University. My research interest is in readability vs. = understandability of health education materials. =20 I have a hunch about the use of readability formulas in the creation or = modification of health education materials that I would like to = investigate. My hunch is that using readability formulas will sometimes = dilute important information that needs to be conveyed to the patient. =20 I am looking for real-life examples in the field or comments regarding = your notion of "readability." How is it more than counting polysyllabic = words and number of sentences? When have others (or yourself) tried to = improve readability at the risk of excluding important information? = Again, examples would be terrific! Thanks for your input. Jill Dehlin, RN, CHES PhD Candidate, Learning, Technology, and Culture College of Education Michigan State University East Lansing, MI jdehlin@attbi.com ------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C1DBD2.E51ECA60 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2600.0" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am a PhD student in the College of = Education at=20 Michigan State University. My research interest is in readability = vs.=20 understandability of health education materials. </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have a hunch about the use of = readability=20 formulas in the creation or modification of health education materials = that I=20 would like to investigate. My hunch is that using readability = formulas=20 will sometimes dilute important information that needs to be conveyed to = the=20 patient. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am looking for real-life examples in = the field or=20 comments regarding your notion of "readability." How is it more = than=20 counting polysyllabic words and number of sentences? When = have=20 others (or yourself) tried to improve readability at the risk of = excluding=20 important information? Again, examples would be = terrific!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks for your input.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jill Dehlin, RN, CHES</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>PhD Candidate, Learning, Technology, = and=20 Culture</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>College of Education</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Michigan State University</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>East Lansing, MI</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20 href=3D"mailto:jdehlin@attbi.com">jdehlin@attbi.com</A></FONT></DIV></DIV= ></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_000F_01C1DBD2.E51ECA60--
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