Looks at ERIC documents that deal with readability concerns. (FL)

Obtained reading grade levels for depression scales by use of two empirically based readability formulae. Results showed Kovacs children's measure had the easiest reading level, the General Behavior Inventory was appropriate for college-level reading, and most other measures clustered at a fifth- to ninth-grade reading level. (WAS)

Reports a number of modifications to the computer readability program STAR (Simple Tests Approach to Readability) designed to make it more useful. (FL)

Lists the dangers of readability formulas and concludes that while they may be a necessary evil, they should not be used as the underlying structure of a reading program. (FL)

Describes two modifications to the SMOG Readability Formula designed to make it more useful for primary and intermediate grade materials. (FL)

Examines the arguments against the indiscriminate use of readability formulas. (FL)

This article explores the relationships between vocabulary knowledge and text readability. It discusses how procedures used by readability formulas to assess the vocabulary factor can over- or underestimate text difficulty by counting syllables rather than assessing what the reader knows about the words in a text. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

These exercises and examples pertain to readability information presented in preceding articles. They are designed to help speech language pathologists test their intuitions about word and text difficulty and to see readability data from a number of quantitative formulas applied to passages across a wide range of levels. (Contains 8 references.)…

Examples are provided that show readability in action in diverse settings. The first shows how readability analysis resulted in a new fluency monitoring protocol in three school districts in Northern California. The others present hypothetical school, clinic, and research situations that a speech language pathologist might encounter. (Author/CR)