Coh-metrix readability formulas for an academic text analysis

Abstract

Readability formulas play a significant role in the process of text design for academic purposes. Nowadays formulas are digitalized that makes their implementation easy and convenient. Formulas are designed for different languages and are aimed at dealing with texts of different genres. In the article, we evaluate readability of academic texts, which are in the textbook “English for Engineers”. This book is recommended by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation for all technical Universities. Readability indices evaluation is performed with online tool Coh-Metrix. The tool suggests three readability indices obtained by means of three formulas: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Score, Flesch Reading Ease and Coh-Metrix L2 Reading Index. The Pearson correlation clearly demonstrates the absence of readability indices decrease from the first text in the book, which is considered to be the most readable to the last one that should be the less readable. By the way, Pearson correlation illustrates strong correlation between Flesch-Kincaid and Coh-Metrix L2 readability indices.