Assessing Readability: Formulas and Alternatives

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 explores the history, purpose and characteristics of several popular readability formulas: Dale-Chall formula, Fry Graph, and the Spache formula. The second half then presents both text-based and reader/text-based alternatives to such formulas that allow the user to focus attention on factors involved in comprehension. This section also discusses appropriate uses for formulas and the alternatives. (HTH)