Reading grade level adjustment and auditory supplementation as techniques for increasing textual comprehensibility.

Abstract

Three experiments were performed to investigate situations in which lowering the reading grade level of textual material or providing taperecorded auditory supplementation to the reading material would provide maximum comprehensibility gain. For typical Air Force technical training materials (study guides) and for an on-the-job look up manual, no gain was evidenced as the result of lowering the reading grade level or of auditory supplementation. However, for home study course materials, lowering the reading grade level resulted in increased criterion test scores.

Testing a readable writing approach to text revision.

“…The smallest change in readability resulted in the greatest comprehension effect. However, the findings of simplification facilitating comprehension only on reading-to-learn tasks is consistent with the findings of Siegel et al (1974). In that experiment both vocabulary and sentences in technical materials were simplified.…”

Toward Comprehension: Improving Informed Consent in Behavioral Genetic Research

“…Among the earliest was Coleman's (1962) study that used the Flesch readability formula to compare documents with average sentence lengths of either 38.6 words or 15.4 words, but found only marginally significant differences in comprehension of the documents between these two dramatically different levels of readability. Siegel, Lautman & Burkett (1974) used the same formula and adjusted consent documents down in 3.5 grade level increments, but again found only marginally significant improvements in comprehension in one of three experimental trials. Even adjusting documents so that the readability formula indicated that the document's difficulty was four grade levels below what participants were rated as showed no significant improvements in comprehension (Kniffen, 1979).…”