A readability study of selected popular magazines

Abstract

Includes bibliographical references (pages 69-70)Popular magazines have been found to have motivational qualities and have been successfully used in many reading programs. To facilitate better planning and individualization of instruction, readability formulas have been applied to material to judge their degree of difficulty. One recently developed formula is the Graph for Estimating Readability developed by Edward Fry. This formula was selected and applied to all passages analyzed in the study. Additional features which may affect readability of a particular article were also noted. Thirty-one magazines were analyzed. Magazines selected were published during the school year 1973-1974. A total of twelve articles were rated for each magazine; they were selected from three issues of each magazine. Magazines were compared in categories of similar content as well as more generally to others in the study. Magazines selected for study were suggested by the work of Daniel Fader (1968) and other individuals. A variety of subjects and types of magazines was included. This study found a wide range of readability levels available which were more apparent when the total range of readability ratings was examined than when averaged scores of one magazine were compared to averaged scores of another magazine. Material of similar subject matter was found at several readability levels. Material appropriate for adults with low reading ability was found; magazines written at realistic readability levels for teenagers were also found