Readability question?

[stevefjong at comcast.net]

<waves to Geoff>
I am actually at a bit of a disadvantage: I found a nice article that I think counter-refutes what Geoff cited; I put it on the desktop of my son't laptop (which I was using at my last contract); and then I hosed his machine. So I can't cite it 8^(
To give a brief summation of my position, I think readability formulas *do* measure something useful and *are* worthwhile, in the proper context. I would liken the formula to a thermometer. Sure, if you give the thermometer to a scheming child and leave the room, the child might lay it against a light bulb and produce a false reading; but in the hands of a skillful (and watchful) parent, there can be no shenanigans, and a more accurate measurement is obtained than if the parent simply laid a hand on the child's forehead and decided the child had a fever.
Similarly, a readability index will indeed give false results if a scheming writer feeds in a foreign language, or gibberish; but in the hands of a skillful (and watchful) editor, there can be no shenanigans, and a more accurate measurement is obtained than if the editor simply marked up the text and decided it was wordy.
More than that I cannot say at this time 8^)

-- Steve 

Steven Jong, Past President 
STC Boston Chapter 
978-413-2553 [C] 
Boston Chapter Web site: www.stcboston.org 
* I am a candidate for STC Director *