Academic literature on the topic 'Readability agencies'

Studies assessing the readability of business writing typically use either readability formulas or, less often, the cloze procedure. This study argues that the cloze procedure, rather than a formula, is the appropriate method of assessing the readability of business writing and uses the cloze procedure to determine the readability of a statement issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The GASB provides authoritative statements on the accounting required for local and state governments and agencies. The results indicate that one important GASB statement is unreadable by college-level readers. If this and other GASB statements are unreadable by the users of GASB pronouncements, the GASB may not be fulfilling its role of communicating governmental accounting principles.

AbstractThe power of the WWW (World Wide Web) lies in the adoption of multiple types of media, which makes effective communication of content. Videos have emerged into a quick and efficient information delivery channel for users. To make a video accessible to persons with disabilities, several approaches have been proposed, which include various accessibility features such as closed captions and video descriptions. Captioning agencies use English as a primary language for creating captions, which cause problems for persons with low literacy skills. Ambiguity in the video affects the persons with low literacy skills and senior citizens and it leads them to consume more time in identifying/capturing the intended meaning. As the closed captions run along with the video frame, the comprehension is an issue. For predicting the readability assessment of closed captions for persons with low literacy skills, we developed a statistical formula based on the lexical and semantical ambiguity of the context. As a case study, caption files of top 50 English movies (as per IMDB top rated movies chart) were chosen and their readability scores were calculated. In addition, a machine learning model was developed using the ambiguity feature set in assessing the readability score of the closed captions. The result shows, our model is predicting the readability score with an accuracy of 92.6%.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the readability of patient education materials (PEMs) from leading manufacturers of behind-the-ear style hearing aids and popular hearing aid information Web sites to determine if they meet guidelines recommended by public health agencies. Research Design: Analysis of hearing aid PEMs. Methods: Printed user guides from six of the leading manufacturers of BTE hearing aids and 15 of the most popular hearing aid–information Web sites were accessed online and analyzed for readability using the Gunning-Fog Index, New Fog Count, Raygor Estimate Graph, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Flesch Reading Ease score. Results: Overall average grade–level readability for all six printed manufacturer user manuals was calculated to be written at a 10th grade reading level. Overall average grade-level readabilities for all 15 popular online hearing aid–information Web sites representing professional organizations, suppliers, and health information services were calculated to be written at 10th, 10th, and 11th grade reading levels, respectively. Average Flesch Reading Ease scores for all printed guides and online patient information Web sites were calculated to fall within the fairly difficult category for readability. Conclusions: PEMs provided by top hearing aid manufactures and popular hearing aid Web sites are written well above the reading level recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Consideration should be given toward simplifying these materials in order to enhance user experience and increase compliance among behind-the-ear hearing aid users.

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and the readability of annual report. The shareholder theory suggests that CSR firms will provide more transparent disclosures because this reflects a socially and environmentally responsible behavior and a firm’s commitment to high ethical standards. In the same time, the agency theory offers an opposite view. It predicts that opportunistic managers use CSR as an entrenchment strategy and hide their maneuvers through complex textual financial disclosures. Design/methodology/approach Based on a sample of 100 listed firms on the French CACAll-shares index over the period from 2013 to 2016, the authors use a panel regression analysis and run other estimation methods (IV-2SLS) and simultaneous equation model to address the endogeneity issues. They assess the readability of annual reports using the Gunning-Fog Index and the Flesch Index derived from the computational linguistics literature. Findings The results show a significant positive relationship between CSR performance and the readability of annual report. Firms engaging in CSR practices are more likely to provide transparent disclosures with higher readability because this reflects a socially responsible behavior and a firm’s commitment to high ethical standards. This result supports the stakeholder theory and the corporate reputational view. The finding is also robust to alternative readability measurements and to endogeneity bias. Practical implications This study helps all market participants to more comprehensively evaluate the CSR performance disclosed on annual report. It encourages managers to consider CSR as a means to prevent the opacity risk through improved information quality. It also drives French authorities to better regulate the narrative disclosure of CSR firms and change the way companies design their reporting practices. Moreover, it encourages CSR rating agencies to become the dominant definition of CSR evaluation by granting more importance to the quality of disclosed information. Originality/value This study extends previous research on the potential impact of CSR on information quality measured by annual report readability in the French context. Unlike prior studies on the impact of CSR on information quality, that focus exclusively on earnings management and adopt qualitative approaches to assess the SCR score, the authors use simultaneously the Gunning–Fog Index and the Flesch Index to assess the information quality and extract the CSR score from the CSRHub database of companies’ social, environmental and governance performance.

Information communicated and produced by the government is essentially fundamental as the government is set and deemed as a reliable and a credible source of information. This study assessed the readability, comprehensibility, and document design of two brochures on prohibited drugs awareness, which were produced and distributed by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), a government agency that is responsible in instituting policies about the use of illegal drugs in the Philippines. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, a total number of 120 participants comprised of students, those employed, the unemployed, and drug patients from a rehabilitation center answered two 10-item multiple choice questionnaires and Likert scales to assess and evaluate the comprehensibility and document design of the two brochures. Using the Coh-Metrix tool to analyze the readability of the two brochures, results showed that the two existing brochures were not that readable with the huge discrepancy of the readability levels of the docments against the 9-10 normative values of the reading tool utilized. The results of the participants’ scores which were categorized as instructional or assisted level exhibited that the two brochures were not that comprehensible. Lastly, it was found that the designs of the documents were poor as some violations like small font size, pixelated pictures, and non-observance of color schemes were present. This paper argues that government agencies should produce information brochures that are patterned to the standards of Plain Language Movement in order to help the lay people grasp important information such as drug awareness.

Objective Patients increasingly rely on online resources for medical information; however, the Internet is unregulated and prone to misinformation. This study analyzes the reliability, quality, and readability of websites for Ménière’s disease. Study Design A Google search was performed using keywords Ménière’s disease. The first 5 pages (50 results) were reviewed. Websites were sorted into 5 categories: academic institutions, government agencies, professional organizations, medical information websites, and miscellaneous. The reliability, quality, and readability of each website were evaluated using the DISCERN instrument and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL). DISCERN assesses reliability and quality by scoring 15 questions on a scale from 1 (low) to 3 (high). The reliability score emphasizes clear objectives and sources, as well as lack of bias, whereas the quality score emphasizes information on treatment options. The FKGL of each website was calculated using a formula to determine the equivalent US grade reading level. Setting Ambulatory. Subjects None. Results Forty-two websites were analyzed. Academic institutions were the most common (n = 13, 31%) but scored the lowest using DISCERN at 1.75 ± 0.13. Medical information websites scored highest at 2.24 ± 0.09 ( P = .024 compared to academic institutions). The average FKGL of all websites was 10.12 ± 0.57 with medical information websites being the easiest to read at 8.84 ± 0.83. Only 5 (13%) of websites scored below the eighth-grade reading level. Conclusions Most top online search results for Ménière’s disease are deficient in quality and readability. Medical information websites are generally the most reliable and easy to read.

Abstract Drinking water distribution system contamination incidents can prompt public agencies and drinking water utilities to issue do-not-drink and do-not-use advisories. After the contaminant is cleared from distribution mains, consumers are often directed to flush their plumbing. However, little validated guidance and few evaluated communications strategies are available on using flushing to decontaminate building water systems. Additionally, limited data support the effectiveness of current practices and recommendations. In this study, expert elicitation was used to assess existing flushing guidance and develop validated flushing guidance and communications for single-family residences. The resulting guidance recommends progressively opening all cold-water taps from the closest to point of entry to the furthest and allowing the water to run for at least 20 minutes. Hot-water taps should be opened progressively and run for at least 75 minutes. The guidance language and format conformed to grade-level and readability scores within recommended health communication ranges. The readability of eight other flushing guidance documents was also evaluated for contamination incidents from 2008–2015. Seven were written at a 10th–12th grade level, above the 6th–7th grade level recommended for health communications.

ObjectivesThe first aim of this study was to quantify the difficulty level of clinical research Patient Information Leaflets/Informed Consent Forms (PILs/ICFs) using validated and widely used readability criteria which provide a broad assessment of written communication. The second aim was to compare these findings with best practice guidelines.DesignRetrospective, quantitative analysis of clinical research PILs/ICFs provided by academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies and investigators.SettingPILs/ICFs which had received Research Ethics Committee approval in the last 5 years were collected from Ireland and the UK.InterventionNot applicable.Main outcome measuresPILs/ICFs were evaluated against seven validated readability criteria (Flesch Reading Ease, Flesh Kincaid Grade Level, Simplified Measure of Gobbledegook, Gunning Fog, Fry, Raygor and New Dale Chall). The documents were also scored according to two health literacy-based criteria: the Clear Communication Index (CCI) and the Suitability Assessment of Materials tool. Finally, the documents were assessed for compliance with six best practice metrics from literacy agencies.ResultsA total of 176 PILs were collected, of which 154 were evaluable. None of the PILs/ICFs had the mean reading age of <12 years recommended by the American Medical Association. 7.1% of PILs/ICFs were evaluated as ‘Plain English’, 40.3%: ‘Fairly Difficult’, 51.3%: ‘Difficult’ and 1.3%: ‘Very Difficult’. No PILs/ICFs achieved a CCI >90. Only two documents complied with all six best practice literacy metrics.ConclusionsWhen assessed against both traditional readability criteria and health literacy-based tools, the PILs/ICFs in this study are inappropriately complex. There is also evidence of poor compliance with guidelines produced by literacy agencies. These data clearly evidence the need for improved documentation to underpin the consent process.

The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted the reorganization in the scheduling and method of care for many patients, including patients diagnosed with cancer. Cancer patients, who have an immunocompromised status, may be at a higher risk of severe symptoms from infection with COVID-19. While information is rapidly evolving regarding COVID-19, Canada, both nationally and provincially, has been conveying new information to patients online. We assessed the content and readability of COVID-19-related online Canadian patient education material (PEM) for cancer patients to determine if the content of the material was written at a grade reading level that the majority of Canadians can understand. PEMs were extracted from provincial cancer agencies and the national Canadian Cancer Society, evaluated using 10 readability scales, qualitatively analyzed to identify their themes and difficult word content. Thirty-eight PEMs from both national and provincial cancers associations were, on average, written above the recommended 7th grade level. Each of the associations’ average grade levels were: BC Cancer (11.00 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.27-13.38), CancerControl Alberta (10.46 95% CI 8.29-12.62), Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (11.08 95% CI 9.37-12.80), Cancer Care Manitoba (9.55 95% CI 6.02-13.01), Cancer Care Ontario (9.35 95% CI 6.80-11.90), Cancer Care Nova Scotia (10.95 95% CI 9.86-12.04), Cancer Care Eastern Health Newfoundland and Labrador (10.14 95% CI 6.87-13.41), and the Canadian Cancer Society (10.06 95% CI 8.07-12.05). Thematic analysis identified 4 themes: public health strategy, information about COVID-19, patient instructions during COVID-19, and resources. Fifty-three percent of the complex words identified were medical jargon. This represents an opportunity to improve PEM readability, to allow for greater comprehension amongst a wider target audience.

Vid krissituationer som berör en hel nation är det av yttersta vikt att kommunikationen mellan myndigheter och medborgare fungerar. Den måste vara utformad på ett tillgängligt sätt för att så många som möjligt ska kunna ta del av informationen. I samband med covid-19-pandemin skickade Folkhälsomyndigheten (FoHM) och Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap (MSB), på uppdrag av regeringen, ut ett sms till befolkningen med syftet att uppmana om att följa de nya restriktionerna. Meddelandet väckte stor uppståndelse i media och på sociala medier där det bland annat dömdes som innehållslöst, blev förlöjligat i jämförelse med liknande kommunikation i andra länder och fick kritik för att sakna en klickbar länk. Meddelandet skickades även bara ut på svenska.  Denna studie fokuserar på att granska originalmeddelandet och med hjälp av metoder som textanalyser, enkäter och intervjuer undersöka behovet av och möjligheten till en förbättring av kommunikationen. Med stöd i teorier om klarspråk, lättläst, krisinformation, lässvårigheter och visualisering har jag utvärderat originalmeddelandet utifrån ett tillgänglighetsperspektiv samt skapat och testat olika gestaltningsförslag. Utifrån resultaten har jag formulerat tydliga riktlinjer vars syfte är att effektivisera utformandet av denna typ av kommunikation.  Resultatet av rapporten visar att omfattande förbättringsmöjligheter finns och att de riktlinjer jag kommit fram till eventuellt skulle kunna underlätta för myndigheter i deras arbete med kortfattad kriskommunikation.  Studien är ett examensarbete för avläggande av filosofie kandidatexamen inom Informationsdesign med inriktning mot Textdesign.
In the event of a crisis that affects a whole nation it is of utmost importance that the communication between the authorities and the citizens is satisfactory. It needs to be designed in an accessible way so that as many as possible can assimilate the information. During the covid-19 pandemic the Public Health Agency of Sweden (FoHM) and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), sent out an SMS, on behalf of the Swedish government, to urge the citizens to follow the newly enforced restrictions. The message caused a great stir in the media as well as on social media where it was accused of being empty, was ridiculed in comparison with similar communication in other counties and received criticism for not including a clickable link. Also, the message was only sent out in Swedish.  This thesis focuses on examining the original message and through the methods of text analysis, surveys and interviews explore the necessity of and possibilities for an improvement of the communication. With support in theories of plain language, writing very legible, crisis communication, reading difficulties and visual perception I have evaluated the original message from an accessibility perspective and created then tested different design proposals. Based on the results I have put together a set of guidelines that might help streamlining the process of forming this type of communication in the future.  The result of the study shows that there is room for extensive improvements and that the guidelines I have formulated might help agencies in their work with short crisis communication.  This study is a bachelor’s thesis in the field of Information design with focus on Text design.

Reading Grade Level calculations have been in use for over a century in the United States and have guided the selection of texts used in school programs. Government agencies at all levels, the military in its various branches, and editors of publications have found such formulas of use in setting policy or determining who can participate in programs. As readership is now a worldwide phenomenon with English as the primary language of the Internet, Reading Grade Level calculations can also be useful in creating Web pages and assigning reading texts to large multi-user classes (MOOCs) run over the Internet. In this regard, it is possible for faculty to be assured that the material is reachable to a wide audience by checking Reading Grade Level and providing additional guidance for the more difficult items in the form of discussion or focused questions. Authors can use the formulas as a tool to check the quality of their own writing and improve sections which are unnecessarily complex.

Reading grade level calculations have been in use for over a century in the United States and have guided the selection of texts used in school programs. Government agencies at all levels, the military in its various branches, and editors of publications have found such formulas of use in setting policy or determining who can participate in programs. As readership is now a worldwide phenomenon with English as the primary language of the internet, reading grade level calculations can also be useful in creating web pages and assigning reading texts to large multi-user classes (MOOCs) run over the internet. In this regard, it is possible for faculty to be assured that the material is reachable to a wide audience by checking reading grade level and providing additional guidance for the more difficult items in the form of discussion or focused questions. Authors can use the formulas as a tool to check the quality of their own writing and improve sections which are unnecessarily complex.