TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: readability indexes From:Marcia Coulter <notjust -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 18 May 1995 12:11:46 -0700
As a further caveat to the use of readability indexes:
Some years ago, a co-worker of mine at Orr & Associates researched the
literature associated with readability. Several studies found that
reading comprehension increased when sentences were short UNLESS the
longer sentences showed relationship or causality. In other words, a
single long sentence that explained a relationship or causality was
easier to understand than several shorter sentences that together
contained the same information.
So, while automated grammar checkers can be a useful tool, they cannot
be considered anything more than very loose guidelines.
-------------------
Marcia Coulter
notjust -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com
