If you want to check your blog's reading level, use the icon in my side bar.So, here's something to ponder. Does this mean that you are all geniuses to be able to understand me? And, how do I feel about this? I mean, I love that you are all so bright, but do I really want to preclude other people from reading me?
I found it on another blog a few days ago, and went and tested mine, and, being pleased, added it to my sidebar. Then I started finding various reading levels on other blogs and googled "This blog's reading level" to figure out how it is making these judgements.* Various blogs are being scored with various educational levels -- elementary school through college post grad. OK, so that makes sense. You have to have a junior high reading level to read a blog so rated. So, if I wanted to talk to the most people, if I could pitch my score at a basic enough level, that would work. Indeed, some of my favorite blogs have done just that. Clear language, excellent grammar, complex ideas rather than sentence structure. Able to talk to a wide base of readers.
And, I would imagine that a blog with a reading level of college post grad would be perhaps of a more specialized subject matter.** But what does genius mean? That my style is so convoluted and my vocabulary so erudite that only a genius would be interested? That I must be a genius to do this well? Who is it talking about and what is it saying about us? Should I be proud or ashamed? This reminds me of when Linda Ott told me that I would have more dates if I didn't use such big words.*** Would I be a B list blogger if I used smaller words? Shorter sentences?
* Basically, reading level tests look at vocabulary and sentence structure. But, I couldn't find any particulars about this one.
**Maya might not enjoy it, although bright thing that she is, she could probably read it.
*** That's funny in two ways. At that point, I'd never had even one date, so of course any would be more, and she later confessed that she had a huge crush on one of the Elves', Gnomes', Leprechaun's' , and Little Men's Chowder & Marching Society members, Jack Hairston, with whom I hung out on a daily basis. And who came to my graduation party while hers was going on across the street.
6 comments:
I also did this test and have it set to go right after I post the one from your meme tomorrow or tonight. Because the test only rates the blog that is right there, it can change depending on what you wrote about. I did it for two different kinds of my blogs. One was my regular blog addy and a blog that was up that day and got high school level; then I chose one a few days earlier, did it for it specifically and got college level.
Because I was curious to see how it compared, I took the one it rated to needing college level to 'get' and rated it on my Word program. It rated it for readability using Flesch reading ease at 66.3 and Flesch-Kincaid Grade level 8.1 which is about where I average when I write manuscripts.
I do not know how that online rating tool evaluates, but felt as you did in questioning where the writer would want it to be. You might check a couple of your blogs to see where the Flesch-Kincaid system rates them.
For what it's worth, I think your blogs are quite readable and can't imagine it'd take a genius to 'get' them. I think they are earthy and well written about real life situations.
I think it's just a gimmick, with no credibility, I'm afraid. My science blog was rated as being at elementary reading level one time and college another.
I suspected as much. I got Jr. High. Sigh.
LMAO....I got college undergrad, so you know that sucker is off the mark!!!!
I was only hoping for an elementary school level, but was really surprised!
Wow.
Gawilli
I checked one of my posts earlier when I found the grading link at another blog and came away with Post-grad status -- that post, a tentative, maybe from my perspective. But I hardly think that would apply to some I've written. Haven't checked out any other specific posts.
I think all of these short cut tests and ratings, and I've taken quite a few, don't reveal a whole lot. From my perspective the most they offer is entertainment value.
Maybe others give them more credence. So, for what it's worth, I have no difficulty understanding your posts here, and I'm no genius. Now, that does not negate your being a genius because despite your genius, you've managed to write this post in such a way even I can understand it.
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