AN INVESTIGATION WAS MADE OF THE READABILITY LEVELS OF NINE CONTINUOUS SERIES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS, GRADES 1-6. THE FOLLOWING SCIENCE SERIES WERE EVALUATED--ALLYN AND BACON, AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY, GINN, HARPER AND ROW, HEATH, LYONS AND CARNAHAN, MACMILLAN, SINGER, AND WINSTON. THE SPACHE FORMULA (SAFIER METHOD) WAS APPLIED TO…

Aspects of textbooks' readability are discussed and some recommendations are made. The results of applying three readability tests to 13 current textbooks are presented. (Author/BB)

Noting that readability formulas are strictly text-based and therefore do not reflect the interactive nature of the reading process, this paper argues that many of the instructional material evaluations for which such formulas are used are inappropriate and offers more reader-based alternatives to the use of formulas. The first half of the paper…

Study was concerned with whether there is a practical difference between the reading ability of the eight, ninth, and tenth grade students and the readibility levels of their assigned textbooks in English, science and social studies. Findings show that most of the textbooks assigned were too difficult for effective instructional usage. (RB)

The U.S. Navy conducted a study to determine the readability grade level of materials used in its technical training schools curricula as a basis for (1) establishing minimal reading competencies for those schools, (2) identifying problem textual materials used in those schools, and (3) choosing additional school curricula for readability…

Describes the development and the components of an instrument designed to assess the contents of educational materials. (JM)

Presents results from an evaluation of several textbooks used in secondary and postsecondary technology education programs. Evaluation criteria included readability scores (grade level equivalencies), human interest, and writing style. A table depicts the results for 15 widely used textbooks. (AEF)

The purpose of this booklet is to assist local schools in making thorough assessments of instructional materials for textbook adoption. The booklet contains a checklist for evaluating instructional materials, a checklist summary sheet, and an appendix explaining readability analyses. The checklist is divided into eight sections: physical features…

This paper discusses a study designed to survey English as a second language readers for the purpose of determining whether a range of syntactic gradation can be observed, and the degree to which readers intended for the same level of proficiency are of equivalent difficulty. (Author/CFM)

Reviews research in revising instructional text by examining multidisciplinary research in readability, text structure, text interestingness, expert revisers' strategies, and readers' comprehension strategies. Finds that much of this research is limited by a simplistic view of reading, the use of experimentally contrived texts and contexts, and a…

A study examined the readability of vocational horticulture instructional materials used by 40 schools participating in the 1981 Ohio Horticulture Achievement Testing Program. During the first part of the study, researchers administered a mail questionnaire to 31 teachers to identify the materials that were used most frequently, to obtain…

Readability in distance learning, the cloze procedure as a means of assessing readability, and the preparation of distance learning materials are addressed in the following 14 conference papers: "Some Suggestions for Improving the Reading/Comprehension Skills of Students at a Distance" (Jean Anderson); "Student Response to the…

Researchers investigating study strategies have observed that the textbooks themselves often contribute to students' comprehension and learning difficulties. Teachers, by being aware of qualities of inconsiderate texts, can identify poorly written texts, can prepare students for difficulties in upcoming sections of the text, and can instruct…

Evaluations of 46 items of secondary level instructional materials used in distributive education are presented in the document to assist teachers in their choice of instructional materials for students. The development of an assessment instrument is described. The evaluation was conducted by a task force of distributive education teachers trained…

Analyses of elementary and secondary social studies textbooks, supplementary materials, and teacher resource materials, all published in 1984 and 1985, are presented. The objective is to provide a review of curriculum materials which will allow K-12 teachers, administrators, curriculum coordinators, and college methods teachers to select…