Investigation of Text Readability of the College Scholastic Ability Test and High School English Textbooks Based on Lexical Familarity and Syntactic Complexity

Abstract

The aim of this research is to suggest perspectives of development of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) and English textbooks by analyzing text readability of the CSAT and English textbooks based on measuring of lexical familarity and syntactic complexity beyond the traditional readability measures. Overall, the CSAT was shown to be more lexically difficult and syntactically more complex than the English textbooks reviewed. In addition, the English textbooks fluctuated much more in their vocabulary frequency level and contained a smaller amount of academic words. In order for text readability to be well-balanced when developing the CSAT and English textbooks, the CSAT first needs to be developed not resorting to EBS-CSAT prep books mainly focusing on solving test items but based upon English textbooks which were laboriously developed through the rigorous procedures authorized under the national curriculum. Secondly, more academic words need to be included in the future development of textbooks to help Korean students with their future higher education. Lastly, it is necessary to employ procedures investigating lexical familarity and syntactic complexity when developing the CSAT and textbooks.