In this Article
For all tests, except the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test, a higher score is preferable.
Flesch Reading Ease Score
The formula in this test focuses on the number of words in sentences and the number of syllables in those words.
A high score indicates that a web visitor would need a higher reading level to comprehend the content. The scale is 0 to 100. A score of 50-60 is equivalent to 12th grade reading level.
Fun fact: There is a paragraph of Moby Dick that scores -146.77 when measured by this test.
Learn more about the Flesch Reading Ease Score on Wikipedia.
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
The formula in this test focuses on the number of words in sentences and the number of syllables in those words.
A low score indicates that a web visitor would need a higher reading level to comprehend the content. The scale is from -3.4 to 16. A score of 12 is equivalent to 12th grade reading level.
Learn more about the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score on Wikipedia.
Automated Readability Index (ARI)
The formula in this test focuses on the number of words in sentences and the number of characters in those words.
A high score indicates that a web visitor would need a higher reading level to comprehend the content. The scale is from 1 to 16. A score of 12 is equivalent to 12th grade reading level.
Learn more about the Automated Readability Index (ARI) on Wikipedia.
Coleman-Liau Index
The formula in this test focuses on the number of sentences per 100 words and the number of characters per 100 words.
A high score indicates that a web visitor would need a higher reading level to comprehend the content. The typical scale is from 1 to 16. A score of 12 is equivalent to 12th grade reading level.
Learn more about the Coleman-Liau Index on Wikipedia.
Gunning Fog Index
The formula in this test focuses on the number of words in a sentence, and the number of complex words.
A high score indicates that a web visitor would need a higher reading level to comprehend the content. The typical scale is from 6-17. A score of 12 is equivalent to 12th-grade reading level.
Learn more about the Gunning Fog Index on Wikipedia.
SMOG grade
The Simple Measure for Gobbledygook (SMOG) focuses on the first 10 sentences, the middle 10, and the last 10 sentences of content.
A high score indicates that a web visitor would need a higher reading level to comprehend the content. The typical scale ranges from 1 to 16. A score of 12 is equivalent to 12th grade reading level.
Learn more about the SMOG grade on Wikipedia.
Which readability test is best?
Though each test has a different formula to reach its final calculation, they generally agree, as you will see on your pages in DubBot. However, there may be certain types of tests that would be better at measuring your content if you have a specific audience or subject.
The Flesch Reading Ease Score & Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level are similar
A best practice, the Flesch Reading Ease Score has been incorporated into law in several countries and US states as a reliable measurement. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level is a similar but modified version of the Flesch Reading Ease Score.
Best suggested uses: General use - all disciplines (including but not exclusive to: Marketing, Government, Education)
Automated Readability Index (ARI) and Coleman-Liau Index are similar
Developed for the US Air Force Medical Division to improve readability of technical manuals.
Best suggested uses: Technical writing
Gunning Fog Index
Developed for writers and businessmen to promote clear concise language.
Best suggested uses: Research papers, articles, and journals; When a concept needs to be explained clearly and simply
SMOG grade
Created using manual sampling data
Best suggested uses: Consumer-oriented Health information
Not suggested for: Short text
Interpreting and Applying the Scores
When testing your content, be sure to remove proper names and titles, as these do not count against you with regard to accessibility, but may result in a higher score via the Readability test tools.
When you need to improve your score:
Divide and conquer - shorten paragraphs by creating more of them.
Use headings (and subheadings) to clearly define sections - keep the content in those sections relevant to the heading. A visitor can scan the headings quickly to find the content they need.
Take another look at styles - Font size, scalability, Font families, letter spacing, line height, paragraph spacing, etc. Ensure the content is clear and easy to read.
Use a less formal and more conversational tone - A conversational tone keeps visitors engaged. Save the formal tone for parts of the content that really require it.
Read it out loud - If it is hard to say out loud, it is probably not easy for visitors to comprehend.
Test and Test again - consider using focus groups to see how visitors respond to your content and listen to their suggestions.
Resources
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