This article describes the results of a survey of the readability of most of the intermediate and advanced accounting textbooks currently in use at colleges and universities throughout the United States. (CT)

Reports results of a survey on the readability of 12 recently published business communication textbooks. Shows that important differences in readability do exist and that the majority of texts were within or below the lower end of the undergraduate-level reading range. (PD)

Determines from empirical information on the application of four readability formulas to a group of widely used college economics textbooks that there is no consistency in the absolute reading levels or the rank orderings of these books. (AEA)

Investigates whether readability is a key criterion for college and university professors in selecting textbooks. Finds that many selected textbooks are at too high a level for the students. Suggests that students have a difficult time learning when the text is even slightly above their level. (PRA)

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

Ten introductory textbooks on mental retardation were analyzed with the Flesch formula for reading ease and interest. All texts fell in the "difficult, college level" category for complexity, but seven were classified as "dull" and three "mildly interesting." Most included adequate organizational aids, and agreement…

The Fry Readability Formula was employed to determine the reading grade levels of the eight most popular college U.S. history survey textbooks and the ten most popular Western civilization textbooks. It was discovered that the Fry readability technique could not produce consistently close findings on any single college history textbook. Indeed,…

Discusses the meaning of readability, and describes several popular methods of assessing it. Gives the results of the application of one particular method to a selection of elementary astronomy and physics texts. (Author/GA)

A study examined the relation between formula ratings and student perception of both readability and interest in developmental reading/study skills and intermediate composition texts. Subjects, 200 composition students and 96 study skills students, responded to the statements "this text was easy to read" and "the text chapters were…

In response to the problem facing college faculties of choosing textbooks that are both "readable" by students and adequate in content coverage, a text selection process has been developed that can be used with or without the aid of a reading specialist. The first step in the process, a preliminary check, examines each proposed text's publication…

Describes the use of the Flesch readability and interest formulae to evaluate textbooks intended for use in college level introductory educational computing courses. Variables that influence what textbook is chosen for a college course are discussed, and readability scores, human interest categories, and subject matter coverage are examined in…

Offers a critique of existing methods of assessing the human interest of basic writing textbooks, contending that most are abstract and subjective and that the more objective Flesch formula inflates texts' human-interest level. Advocates modifying existing formulas and guidelines. Suggests criteria (e.g., appropriateness of readability level) for…

A study was conducted to determine whether there was any match between student perception of reading ease and the readability of three main line, first-year college composition texts (Daugherty; Kinneavy, McCleary, and Nakadate; Lauer, Montague, Lunsford, and Emig) as determined by five commonly used readability formulas. Two chapters (on…

Reports the means, standard deviations, and relevant statistics on an examination of the readability of 24 contemporary textbooks that employ a hybrid approach to the basic speech communication course. Discusses some strategies for developing reading skills. (KEH)

The learning difficulties described by students in statistics courses continue to engage researchers from several disciplines. One source of difficulty for graduate students in educational statistics courses is the reading difficulty of the textbook. Instructors making decisions about a textbook typically have little information about the reading…