This study evaluated 56 documents developed by 11 nonprofit and public social service agencies to provide information to clients. The author used the Flesch Reading Ease, Simple Measure of Goobledegook (SMOG), and Gunning Fog Index formulas to assess reading grade levels and the Suitability Assessment of Material to evaluate overall suitability for readers with limited literacy skills.
Findings
All documents but one were above the recommended fifth grade level for low-literacy materials. Suitability Assessment of Material scores indicated 44.6% (n = 26) were not appropriately formatted for readers with limited literacy skills.
Applications
Findings suggest a need for improving social service agencies’ and practitioners’ knowledge and awareness of the importance of assessing the readability and suitability of print materials, especially those intended for clients.
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