Updating the Fry Readability Formula

Readability formulas conveniently replace the uncertainties of individual judgement in estimating difficulty level of reading materials. The disadvantage of the older Edgar Dale & Jeanne Chall approach (See "A Formula for Predicting Readability" Educational Research Bulletin 1948, 27,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Reading teacher 1976-03, Vol.29 (6), p.555-558
Main Author: Kretschmer, Joseph C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthologies
Beginning reading
Grade levels
Primary elections
Readability
Syllables
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Readability formulas conveniently replace the uncertainties of individual judgement in estimating difficulty level of reading materials. The disadvantage of the older Edgar Dale & Jeanne Chall approach (See "A Formula for Predicting Readability" Educational Research Bulletin 1948, 27, Jan, 11-20, 28.) is that it is tedious to compute. Edward Fry took a step forward in 1968 by relying on word length in estimating the complexity of vocabulary, although admittedly at the price of complete accuracy (See "A Readability Formula that Saves Time" Journal of Reading 1968, 11, Apr, 513-516.). As a corrective to his method, a list of 50 short but difficult basic words is offered. A comparison of 3 passages using both methods inclines toward the Dale-Chall appraoch for its accuracy & confirms Fry's margin of error admission. S. Karganovic
ISSN:0034-0561