Readability Scores

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Readability Scores
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Readability scores

• When Microsoft Word finishes checking spelling
  and grammar, it can display information about the
  reading level of the document, including the
  following readability scores. Each readability
  score bases its rating on the average number of
  syllables per word and words per sentence.

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Flesch Reading Ease score

• Rates text on a 100-point scale the higher the
  score, the easier it is to understand the
  document. For most standard documents, aim for a
  score of approximately 60 to 70.

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Flesch Reading Ease score

• The formula for the Flesch Reading Ease score is
• 206.835 (1.015 x ASL) (84.6 x ASW)
• where
• ASL average sentence length (the number of
  words divided by the number of sentences)
• ASW average number of syllables per word (the
  number of syllables divided by the number of
  words)

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Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score

• Rates text on a U.S. grade-school level. For
  example, a score of 8.0 means that an eighth
  grader can understand the document. For most
  standard documents, aim for a score of
  approximately 7.0 to 8.0.

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Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score

• The formula for the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
  score is
• (.39 x ASL) (11.8 x ASW) 15.59
• where
• ASL average sentence length (the number of
  words divided by the number of sentences)
• ASW average number of syllables per word (the
  number of syllables divided by the number of
  words)

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Where do I find these readability scores?

• On the Tools menu, click Spelling Grammar.
• Make sure the Check Grammar check box is
  checked.
• Click options button.
• Select the Show readability statistics check box,
  and then click OK.

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Display, cont

• The software program will now check your document
  for spelling and grammar errors. You will need to
  accept or reject suggestions.
• When Word finishes checking spelling and grammar,
  it displays information about the reading level
  of the document.

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ExampleAbstract

• Proofreading is a task that is given much
  importance in academic and business settings.
  Many studies have even been done on the subject
  of proofreading. A review of over 75 articles,
  textbooks, and dissertations reveals
  relationships between proofreading ability and
  letter similarity (Holbrook), proofreading
  ability and homophonic phrases (Frith),
  proofreading ability and word shape (Monk and
  Hulme), proofreading ability and socioeconomic
  status (Singh and Dwivedi), proofreading ability
  and noise levels (Weinstein), proofreading
  ability and personality type (Gordy and Thorne),
  and even proofreading ability and hypnotic
  susceptibility (Wallace). Some articles even
  offer opinions as to preferred proofreading
  methods however, almost none has any
  experimental support (Riefer 776).

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• Proofreading is a task that is given much
  importance in academic and business settings.
  Many studies have even been done on the subject
  of proofreading. A review of over 75 articles,
  textbooks, and dissertations reveals
  relationships between proofreading ability and
  letter similarity (Holbrook), proofreading
  ability and homophonic phrases (Frith),
  proofreading ability and word shape (Monk and
  Hulme), proofreading ability and socioeconomic
  status (Singh and Dwivedi), proofreading ability
  and noise levels (Weinstein), proofreading
  ability and personality type (Gordy and Thorne),
  and even proofreading ability and hypnotic
  susceptibility (Wallace). Some articles even
  offer opinions as to preferred proofreading
  methods however, almost none has any
  experimental support (Riefer 776).