One of my pet peeves is the use of obtuse and pedantic language when simple language will do just as well.
I think I’m going to have to do some work on communicating more clearly.
A reading level algorithm test puts the posts here at BDBO at a grade level read of 10.30. It would take 10 years of schooling to understand what is posted.
That’s not good, because although I know many readers have university or post-grad degrees and vocabularies, this kind of score makes this site hard for most - the vast majority - of people to understand.
That makes me a bad and sloppy writer and poor communicator as far as I’m concerned, and I’m disappointed in myself.
The Readability tests are here.
In the interest of full disclosure, my blog results are below.
Total sentences - 173
Total words - 1,642
Average words per Sentence - 9.49
Words with 1 Syllable - 1,019
Words with 2 Syllables - 356
Words with 3 Syllables - 202
Words with 4 or more Syllables - 65
Percentage of word with three or more syllables - 16.26%
Average Syllables per Word - 1.58
Gunning Fog Index - 10.30
Flesch Reading Ease - 63.40
Flesch-Kincaid Grade - 6.77
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Thank you for this URL! Years ago I had such an analyzer on the Unix machine at work, but haven’t had any such since.
My guess is that the Gomery inquisition’s final report will have a readability index of near 1000.
(To protect the innocent of course).
Welcome Back!
A score of just around 20 on the fog index is usually a government document. So, if the Gomery report gets around a thousand - (which is over 30) the government is covering something up! (to protect the innocent of course)
I’ve seen a lot of people use complicated language just to appear intelligent. My policy is to always write the way I would speak.
Sure, I don’t want anyone to think I’m an idiot, but I’d rather communicate my point simply and clearly.
I’m tired of the myth that the more or bigger words a writer uses, the more intelligent they are.
Truth is, if they are writing for a peers, they get brownie points for the number of words and how they are strung together. (how well they speak the sub-language)
But public writing - unpretentious, clear and readable for a grade level of 8 takes a lot more intelligence and social skills than most people are aware of.
Complicated language isn’t a form of intelligence when addressing the public, it’s a form of arrogance or ignorance.
I think even amongst academics, clear language that communicates the concepts behind the words, is (or should be) valued highly. Have you ever read Strunk’s little “Elements of Style”?
http://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk1.html
Thanks, I haven’t. Reading about how to write is boring.:^) This looks readable, I’ll give it a shot in spare moments when the rules of rhetoric interest me.
Academics have to write within parameters of set style. That is learned, and I agree clear language that communicates content is something to be valued.
But not over-valued.
Universities house a fair number of tenured academics who have to publish and can’t communicate their way out of a paper bag.
I think good technical writers are unvalued - the ones that can write the instructions on how to set your DVD or assemble a toy clearly enough you get it done the first time through.
Using the word “pedantic” in the opening sentence — can I take it that was tongue-in-cheek?
You most certainly can<:^)
I’m surprised you didn’t say pedantic, obsequious and redundant all in the same sentence. I may be your twin, but half the time I haven’t a clue what you are talking about when you are on a tear about politics or theology.
At least I can read the instructions to put a bar-b-que together. Argh Argh Argh…
How could I find the readability test on that link?
BTW - I used to write tons of patient information handouts. MS Word has a readability index that was very helpful to me when writing these. I was able to wrote clear and accurate instructions with a readability of between 3 to 4 - but it is a challenge. On my blog, I generally write the way that I speak - but I do tend to speak in multisyllabic fashion even in person.
Shortly after I put this up, it looks like the owner got too much traffic, exceeded his bandwidth and put that notice up.
Looks like he plans to put everything back when he can find an affordable hosting plan.