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Readability refers to how easy it is for people to read and understand written text. It's influenced by many factors, including vocabulary complexity, sentence length, paragraph structure, and overall organization. For comprehensive content creation strategies, explore our JavaScript Best Practices guide for writing clear and maintainable code documentation.
Good readability is essential for effective communication. When your content is easy to read, your audience can:
Poor readability, on the other hand, creates barriers to understanding. Readers may become frustrated, misinterpret your message, or simply abandon your content altogether.
Readability formulas provide objective measures of how difficult a text is to read. While no formula is perfect, they offer valuable insights into the accessibility of your content. Our tool uses several established formulas:
Scores text on a 100-point scale, with higher scores indicating easier reading. It considers sentence length and word length (syllables per word).
| Score | School Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | 5th grade | Very easy to read |
| 80-89 | 6th grade | Easy to read |
| 70-79 | 7th grade | Fairly easy to read |
| 60-69 | 8th-9th grade | Plain English |
| 50-59 | 10th-12th grade | Fairly difficult |
| 30-49 | College | Difficult |
| 0-29 | College graduate | Very difficult |
Translates the Reading Ease score to a U.S. grade level. A score of 8.0 means the text is understandable by an average 8th grader. For general audiences, aim for a score of 7-8.
The Simple Measure of Gobbledygook estimates the years of education needed to understand a text. It's particularly useful for health materials, where a score of 6-8 is recommended.
Considers characters per word instead of syllables, making it suitable for real-time analysis. The score corresponds to the U.S. grade level needed to comprehend the text.
Long, complex sentences are harder to process. Aim for an average sentence length of 15-20 words. Break up longer sentences into smaller, more digestible chunks.
When possible, use common, everyday words instead of their more complex alternatives. For example, use "use" instead of "utilize," or "end" instead of "terminate."
Break up large blocks of text with descriptive headers. Use bullet points and numbered lists to present related items or steps in a process.
Active voice is generally more direct and easier to understand than passive voice. For example, "The dog chased the cat" (active) is clearer than "The cat was chased by the dog" (passive).
If you must use specialized terminology, define it clearly the first time it appears. Consider including a glossary for documents with many technical terms.
Many organizations and regulations specify readability requirements for certain types of content:
In the United States, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to use clear, concise communication that the public can understand and use. Similar laws exist in many other countries.
Health literacy experts recommend that patient education materials be written at a 6th-8th grade reading level to ensure they're accessible to most adults.
Many jurisdictions now require consumer contracts, insurance policies, and financial disclosures to meet specific readability standards.
While WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) doesn't specify reading levels, it does recommend making text readable and understandable (Guideline 3.1). Many organizations aim for a 9th grade level or below.
No. Clear, readable writing conveys complex ideas effectively. Even highly educated readers appreciate clear, concise text that respects their time. Einstein said, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
It depends on your audience. For general public communication, aim for a Flesch Reading Ease score of 60-70 (8th-9th grade level). For technical or specialized content, a slightly higher grade level may be appropriate, but try to stay below college level (12th grade) when possible.
No. Readability formulas are useful tools, but they have limitations. They don't measure factors like content organization, clarity of purpose, or reader motivation. Use them as one of several tools to evaluate and improve your content.
The best approach is user testing with members of your target audience. Ask them to read your content and then explain the main points in their own words. If they struggle, your content may need revision regardless of its readability score.
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