Current Tip

Checking a Document for Readability Statistics

Readability Statistics	Readability statistics can provide the author of a document with various types of information.

The Steps	Follow these steps to determine the readability statistics for your document.
Step	Action
1	On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Spelling & Grammar tab.
2	Select the Check grammar with spelling check box.
3	Select the Show readability statistics check box, and then click OK.
4	Place the cursor at the beginning of the document.
5	On the Standard toolbar, click Spelling and Grammar.
	After the spelling & grammar check navigates your document, a box will appear that says “Readability Statistics.”

Passive Sentences	Always avoid passive sentences in your document. Passive sentences are sentences in which the subject is not directly accomplishing the action of the sentence. Use active sentences instead. Example: The checklist was completed by a technician. (passive) Example: The technician completed the checklist. (active) This does not mean that you can NEVER have a passive sentence in your document. Use your best judgment, but keep them to a minimum, preferably less than 10%.
Flesch Reading Ease	Flesch Reading Ease indicates the readability/understandability of a document. For example, Scores of 90-100 are considered easily understandable by an average 5th grader Scores of 60-70 are considered easily understandable by an average 8th or 9th grader Scores of 0-30 are best understood by college graduates Examples: Reader’s Digest has a readability index of 65 Time Magazine has a readability index of 52 The Harvard Law Review has a general readability score in the low 30s