Did you know that Microsoft Word has a feature where you can figure out the reading level of your document? In Word, just go to Tools, click on Options, and under Grammar, click on Show Readability Statistics, then hit OK. Then run a spell-check like you usually do, and once it finds/corrects all the errors, it will tell you the reading ease and grade level using the Flesch-Kincaid grade level formula. I just figured this out today and have been entertaining myself by pasting various documents into Word to test their readability levels. Interestingly, all of the newspaper articles I tried, from the NY Daily News to amNY to the New York Times, came in at the 12th grade to 13th grade (i.e., college) level. Then I pasted in the rough draft of a nonfiction children’s book I’ve been working on, and it came in at the 7th grade level (note to self: simplify!). Finally, I tested all of my August blog postings. Can you guess what the reading level is for this blog?
I’ll give you a minute to think about it.
Here it is: the average reading level for my August blog postings is -- grade 9.4. Surprised? It was certainly a higher level than I expected. But it’s nice to know that even if a potential reader dropped out of high school a few months into freshman year, he or she should still be able to read my blog.
I’m tempted to start testing the reading levels of the e-mails that my potential on-line dates write to me…is that wrong?
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2 comments:
"finds/corrects all the errors" All the errors?!? Tsk, tsk.
I think your cartoon answers your question nicely. However, AOL might disagree.
I don't think you should do that on your blog.
I think you should do it in email forwards you send to only your closest, bestest friends. ;)
SEECE
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