Z DOUGLAS COLLEGE INTER OFFICE MEMO.

 

 

To Bill Day DATE: Oct. 16/74

FROM: 92Ndra Carpenter (A member of the Language Competency Group)
re. Response to memo on ''SMOG Grading Formula!!

You asked for advice and suggestions on your reading problem.

| do apologize for the anguish caused you in reading the ''SMOG Grading Formula'',
However, | must defend myself by explaining that | neglected to footnote the
source. The formula was taken from an article entitled "Reading Ability of
College Freshmen Compared to the Readability of Their Textbooks" by Maurice
Kurzman, appearing in the journal, Reading Improvement, Fall 1974, 11:2, pp.13-25.
Academic journals are renowned for writing that which only the initiated will
understand. Perhaps with this audience in mind, it is not illogical to assume

a grade 13 reading capability.

| congratulate you on your high comprehension score since obviously you were
able to interpret and apply the formula.

i
j
3
i
é
j
4
4
4
4

With regard to those on the faculty who you seem to feel do not read at a
grade 13 level, here follows a translation of the original formula. Perhaps
this will bring the deluge of responses we originally anticipated.

 

SMOG Grading Formula (simplified)

I}. Count off 10 sentences at the beginning, 10 in the middle and
10 at the end of an article.

2. Count every word of 3 or more syllables in your 30 sentences.
3. Estimate the square root of the sum of your big words.

4, Add 3 to the square root. j
This equals the grade level.

According to the author of the article, applying this formula takes only 9 minutes.

oe

/0.

SC/pk
c.c.Mad Hatter