Readability has been gauged by such means as determining the length of individual words in a passage, analyzing types of sentences, and assessing numbers of subordinate clauses, prepositional phrases, modifiers, and so on. Probably the most successful formula has been the Dale-Chall method, which measures readability by determining the percentage…

Description of the method and results of a study that evaluated introductory psychology textbooks according to their human interest and readability. It updates a previous study. (ND)

Anonymous criticism of a reading consultant's readability analysis of the authors' introductory psychology textbook. (ND)

The readability and human interest of 32 child psychology and developmental psychology textbooks are listed in a table and discussed. An extensive reference list is included. (ND)

Validates the college-level designation of the Fry Graph using comparative validity data. (AEA)

Comparison of evaluation method and results of ten introductory psychology textbooks. They were evaluated according to both Flesch formulas and student opinions on both readability and interest levels. (ND)

Twenty-seven social psychology textbooks were rated for Flesch readability, student readability, Flesch interest, student interest, and student recommendation. (ND)

Reports on a study in which passages from children's literature were prepared using cloze and presented to college and elementary school students. Reveals that neither group of students did well on the task. Questions the desirability of using cloze for matching readers to creative writing. (FL)

An overview of some of the important developments in the psychology and teaching of reading during the past ten years is presented in this booklet. Four developments that are characteristic of the decade are described in an introduction: reading and social conscience, growth in reading research, increase in interdisciplinary advisory committees,…

Addressed to teachers of composition and to other professional students of prose, this book develops a philosophy of composition based on the nature and history of writing. Chapters discuss distinctive features of written speech, the normative character of written speech, progressive tendencies in the history of language and prose, refinement of…

Intended for classroom teachers at all levels and for undergraduate students in teacher education programs that included a practicum or field experience, this book provides both a guide and a resource for meeting the needs of readers experiencing difficulty. This third edition continues to provide teachers with techniques for recognizing readers…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 28 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) a method of individually appraising the precursory skills of beginning readers; (2) the effects of instructing third grade students in interpretive reading…

Intended for classroom teachers at all levels and for undergraduate students in teacher education programs that included a practicum or field experience, this book provides both a guide and a resource for meeting the needs of readers experiencing difficulty. This fourth edition focuses on providing teachers with techniques for recognizing readers…

This article discusses Japanese students' difficulties in reading English, overviews some of the problems of college English textbooks, presents the results of research on the subject, and discusses characteristics of measures of readability. Teaching methods that have proven effective with Japanese students and activities for engaging students in…