Advises a moratorium on readability research because of inherent problems" in readability formulae which seem to predetermine the unprofitability of research employing them. (Author/RD)

Argues that most reading skills are more applicable to expository material and suggests that overuse of fiction in the primary grades is a frustrating experience contributing to disinterest in reading. Tables and bibliography. (RW)

This article outlines computer courseware evaluation reviews. Summarizing the criteria and procedures used in the five major review efforts, it discusses ways evaluations can be more useful. Six areas of review concern are delineated: instructional design, content, student use, teacher use, presentation, and technical aspects. (MD)

Field-tested a low reading-level version of the Rational Behavior Inventory on three separate groups of high school students (N=275). Results showed that the low reading-level version is reliable and correlates highly with the original version of the Rational Behavior Inventory. (Author/JAC)

Reports on a classroom experiment testing the hypothesis that the distance across which readers must integrate information is a factor in reading comprehension. Concludes that secondary school students found it more difficult to resolve semantic relationships beyond the sentence than those within the sentence. (FL)

Discusses the problems that exist when organizational policies are written on a reading level which is inappropriate for the intended employees. Management must assess and adjust readability levels of policies and procedures, write policies in a clear manner, provide background, define terms, improve supervisor development, and use trainers more…

Reviews the literature concerning informal reading inventories and discusses a number of issues related to them, including question choice, scoring criteria, and allowable miscues. Offers guidelines for constructing and using the inventories. (FL)

Discusses the underlying theory and pedagogical rationale of sentence combining and of accessibility, the relative ease with which a text can be read. (HTH)

Points out that if relationships between sentences are made implicit (for the sake of simplicity or readability), comprehension may suffer and explains three teaching strategies for improving students' comprehension of implicit connectives. (RL)

Considers three issues related to the conduct of research into reading problems of the elderly: (1) the lack of federal funding of literacy research concerning the elderly, (2) differences between conducting research with school-aged populations and with the elderly, and (3) problems encountered in testing elderly individuals. (GT)

Contains a discussion on how television networks are working to motivate their audiences to read; a plea for equal emphasis on all reading skills in reading programs; a report on the readability of three reading journals; and a formula for assessing "anticipatory reading" ability. (JT)

Presents a preliminary readability study of 20 popular comic strips as evidence that many comics do provide easy reading material for reluctant disabled readers. (FL)