From: "Marske, Lucy" <lcymrsk@sioux-center.k12.ia.us>
Subject: RE: Field Journals
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 16:09:46 -0600
In response to your question as to preferences for reading level of field journals I think the Gunning Fog Index sounds like the most appropriate since it not only addresses ease of reading, but also comprehension. If someone can't understand what they read what's the use? My opinion without knowing anything about the scales in detail except what you sent us. Lucy Marske Sioux Center Middle School Sioux Center, IA > ---------- > From: Chris Tanski[SMTP:ctanski@mail.arc.nasa.gov] > Reply To: discuss-lfm@quest.arc.nasa.gov > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 1997 1:56 PM > To: discuss-lfm@quest.arc.nasa.gov > Subject: Field Journals > > Teachers, > > I'm in the process of putting together a plan for evaluating field > journals. What I'd like to do is be able to give you a > way of looking at a field journal and determining if it is appropriate > for use with your class. I'd like to try and help you avoid using an > elementary-level field journal with your high school class or vice > versa. > > I'm not trying to provide an in-depth analysis of each journal, > something that can be done only by a qualified reviewer, not software. > What I am trying to do is use some simple algorithms that measure > readability based on sentence length, word structure, word length, > etc. > to generate some quick numbers. > > The software I'm using to review each field journal gives four numbers > to summarize the "level" of a journal: > > Gunning Fog Index - The Fog Index analyzes written material to see how > easy it is to read and understand. The "ideal" Fog Index level is 7 or > 8. A level above 12 indicates the writing sample is too hard for most > people to read. > > Flesch Reading Ease - Based on sentence length - - scores ranging in > the > 40s are "fairly difficult," 50s are "fairly easy," and the 60s and 70s > are "easy." > > Flesch - Kincaid Grade Level - (words per sentence X .4) + (syllables > per word X 12) - 16 = FKGL > > Flesch Grade Level - No information available on this test. > > I'd like your thoughts on which number would be most useful to help > you > select field journals. > > Thanks. > > Chris Tanski > > -- > Internet Resource Specialist, NASA's Quest Project > Manager, GOLF-L, BICYCLE and SKI-L Internet Discussion Lists > ctanski@servtech.com > ctanski@mail.arc.nasa.gov > >