Readability Formulas and Air Force Publications: A Review of Their Development and an Examination of Their Application.

摘要

This thesis provides a foundation for future research on the subject of readability formulas and their use with Air Force publications. It examines readability's historical roots and studies pertaining to the topic of readability and its application to the United States Military in general, and the United States Air Force in particular. This presentation also describes and analyzes Air Force policies relative to the readability of its publications. The results of this analysis indicate that the current procedures, employed by the Air Force, inadequately address the readability of publications. The specific problems that were identified fell under three areas. The first area addresses the Air Force's decision to write Technical Orders to a ninth grade reading level. This decision is unsubstantiated on either economic or efficiency grounds. The second problem concerns the questionable methodology used by the Air Force to verify that the desired reading grade level has indeed been achieved. The problem revolves around the use and misuse of the Kincaid readability formula. (RRH)