Readability statistics, generally speaking, are calculations that can indicate how easy a document is to read. Several different readability measures exist, including the Gunning Fog Index and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. You can generate these statistics by counting words and doing some calculations by hand, but computers make the process much easier.

Microsoft Word can generate readability statistics for documents for you. Follow the directions in the LinkedIn Learning video tip “Test your document’s readability” (6m18s) to learn how to turn on the calculation tools. The video is free with your VT login. Follow these instructions to login.

If you are using Google Drive, these alternative tools let you copy/paste from Drive into an online form:

• Readability Test Tool
• StoryToolz
• Automatic Readability Checker
• Readability Calculator

These tools will give you a grade level for the passage they analyze. That information can be handy to make sure that your writing fits the needs of your audience. Generally, aim for a 7th or 8th grade level if you want your text to be understood by any adult reader.

Use readability statistics wisely however. They are simply calculations, based on such measures as the length of each sentence, the number of sentences in each paragraph, and the number of syllables in the words. They are NOT based on the meaning or sensibility of the text. It’s completely possible to write text that scores as highly readable, but that makes no sense to a reader.

Try out these tools on something you have written. You can reply by telling us what you analyzed and what you found out about the document’s readability. Did the numbers you generated match your expectations? How well do they fit the needs of the audience?