I found this nifty website grader over at Chris’s blog. Here’s my results:
(Edited to remove link since it no longer works.)
I think this is pretty good, considering that studies show that must adults read at a seventh to ninth grade level. (That means that most people should be able to read and understand this blog.)
Some other blogs did not rate as being quite as readable. Since we don’t know how this figure is calculated, I can’t say whether it is accurate or not.
Do you think about readability when you post on your blog? Why or why not?
Do you think this rating is accurate? Why or why not?
Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved
17 responses so far ↓
1 Michele // Dec 7, 2007 at
Wow, I checked this out and my blog’s reading level is genius! Who knew? I’m not quite certain if it’s really accurate, but I am a little shocked. I certainly do not consider myself a “genius”, and I’ve tried really hard to create a down to earth, friendly atmosphere for my readers to enjoy… Hmm… I wish I knew just how accurate this system really is.
Thanks for sharing, though 🙂
Smiles,
Michele
Inspiring readers one word at a time…
2 Sylvie M. // Dec 7, 2007 at
Mine is at college undergrad level, which is fine, because it’s for gifted adults. I can write at the lower level, but it would drive me crazy to have to do it regularly.
3 Chris // Dec 7, 2007 at
Laura,
Thanks for stopping by. I grabbed a few of my posts and ran them through the readability tool in Word. Wikipedia’s got a run down on it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch-Kincaid_Readability_Test). My second opinion said most of my writing is on the sixth grade level and the reading ease is the upper 60s, low 70s.
Choose your algorithm. 🙂
4 Laura // Dec 7, 2007 at
Good point Chris! It’s always a good idea to get a second opinion.
I’m not sure that the first algorithm is correct. Two of my blogs came out as being for Junior High, but the third one was classified as Genius Level. I don’t think that there’s any real difference in writing style between the three blogs either.
5 James Chartrand - JCM Enterprises // Dec 7, 2007 at
Well, apparently the kids who play in the elementary school playground kitty-corner to my house can now read and enjoy my blog!
(Uh… I’m not sure that I want them to.)
I vote the test isn’t accurate! Or, no… wait… I vote that Elementary level stands for MAJOR readability! And usability! and it’s THE score to aim for!!
*groans*
6 Laura // Dec 7, 2007 at
Hi James!
I think the test is inaccurate. Your blog is too advanced for most elementary school students I know.
7 Jeanne Dininni // Dec 8, 2007 at
Laura,
Mine came through at High School level, which I find very hard to believe, since I tend to use rather long and complex sentence structure, as well as lots of longer multi-syllable words. I constantly have to check myself when I write, to make sure I’m not making my writing too complex!
I’d like to research this a bit further when I have the time. Chris’s info on the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test should prove helpful for this purpose, since the Wikipedia article on the topic contains the actual formulas used to determine the degree of readability, as well as the grade level of a piece of writing. By using those formulas, we can check the readability of our own blog posts and compare the results to those of this quiz.
Thanks for pointing us to this fascinating tool!
Jeanne
8 Princess // Dec 8, 2007 at
Hi, Laura,
Thanks for dropping by.
Tried my blog’s level and it says High School! Very surprising for one whose writing’s so elementary! Thanks for sharing this.
9 rampantheart // Dec 8, 2007 at
Hi one of my blogs’s reading level is High school and the other’s Genius.And i can;t say i don’t like it or like it.But this is absolute fun!Thanks for sharing the info
10 Laura // Dec 9, 2007 at
Hi Jeanne, Princess, and rampantheart!
This is very interesting! I’m not sure about the accuracy of the test at all.
However, it’s a good reminder to everyone to make sure that what we right is readable to our audience.
11 Robert Hruzek // Dec 10, 2007 at
Strange… mine ranked Elementary Level. I wonder if that means I’m just a simple fellow, or that I can’t write worth a darn! 🙂
Still, ya gotta wonder…
12 Laura // Dec 10, 2007 at
Hi Robert!
Well, at least you know that you’re probably not over people’s heads! 🙂
13 feefifoto // Dec 12, 2007 at
I prefer to believe the test is seriously inaccurate, as my blog rated at only high school level ;}
14 Laura // Dec 12, 2007 at
Hi feefifoto!
I guess it depends on what level you were aiming for?
It’s interesting, the wide variety of levels we seem to have here.
15 Web Content Writer Tips from JCM Enterprises » Blog Archive » Why You Should Write At Elementary School Levels // Dec 20, 2007 at
[…] one for stuff like this, I was curious enough to see what the test from CriticsRant showed. Other bloggers that took the test crowed over the Genius level of their blog writings (or were stunned to see that result, one of the […]
16 Men with Pens Web Content Writers and Freelance Writing Services // Mar 3, 2008 at
[…] one for stuff like this, I was curious enough to see what the test from CriticsRant showed. Other bloggers that took the test crowed over the Genius level of their blog writings (or were stunned to see that result, one of the […]
17 shirish // Jul 27, 2009 at
Hi there,
Criticsrant is no longer working 🙁