Human Interest Scores Research Articles

Measuring Human Interest in First‐Year College Writing Textbooks

Abstract Items from reading interest checklists as well as Flesch readability and human interest scores were compared to 311 questionnaire responses from first‐year college writing students. For two chapters of their writing textbooks, students responded to items culled from interest checklists. These data were analyzed to reveal relationships among questionnaire items and between general student response and Flesch readability and human interest scores. To reveal elements students perceived as promoting interest or reading ease, questionnaire data were resolved into five principal components. Two components seem to correlate strongly with interest, while three relate to interest significantly, but not strongly. No significant relationship appeared between Flesch formula data and student perceptions of interest and reading ease. The study suggests that similar analyses might be undertaken to see whether these conclusions generalize to introductory textbooks from other disciplines.

Readability of Recommended Nutrition Sources

In this study, the readability of books recommended to consumers by profes sional nutrition and dietetics organizations was determined. Representative text samples from 32 publications were evaluated. Writing style and Flesch reading ease scores were assessed with microcomputer analysis. Flesch human interest scores were calculated by two evaluators. The grade level required to read the recommended books was 10.3 (± 2.7). More than 40% of the recommendations required a reading level that exceeds that of popular magazines. Only one rec ommended book was written at a level that was understandable by adults with low literacy skills. Mid‐range human interest scores reflect the use of how‐to information and examples preferred in nutrition print materials by consumers. Publications containing more passive sentences tended to be more difficult to understand and were slightly less personalized. For many consumers, the com prehension and application of the concepts presented in these recommended books will probably require interaction with professionals.

Logical versus Empirical Readability and Human Interest Scores: Refinement and Update

Two studies, one using 27 and the other 25 general psychology textbooks published between 1982 and 1989, compared several readability and human interest scores for topics presented in the appropriate context. In both cases, Flesch's (logical) scores were significantly correlated (median Pearson r of .49) with students' (empirical) ratings but insufficiently for justifying interchanging them. Another finding was that neither the students' ratings nor Flesch's scores based on the selections yielded significant correlations (median Pearson r of .21) with the corresponding Flesch scores for the books as a whole. An adequate profile of a book may require a number of readability and/or interest scores instead of single global measures.

LOGICAL VERSUS EMPIRICAL READABILITY AND HUMAN INTEREST SCORES: REFINEMENT AND UPDATE

Two studies, one using 27 and the other 25 general psychology textbooks published between 1982 and 1989, compared several readability and human interest scores for topics presented in the appropriate context. In both cases, Flesch's (logical) scores were significantly correlated (median Pearson r of .49) with students' (empirical) ratings but insufficiently for justifying interchanging them. Another finding was that neither the students' ratings nor Flesch's scores based on the selections yielded significant correlations (median Pearson r of .21) with the corresponding Flesch scores for the books as a whole. An adequate profile of a book may require a number of readability and/or interest scores instead of single global measures.

Logical versus Empirical Readability and Human Interest Scores for Introductory Texts Published between 1977 and 1988

Two studies, on using 58 and other 59 general psychology textbooks published between 1977 and 1988, compared readability and human interest scores computed two ways. Correlations indicated that Flesch's (logical) scores were not comparable to students' (empirical) ratings. Students were generally consistent in performing the task, although the method for selecting paragraphs, either randomly (Study 1) or on the basis of uniform content and length (Study 2), did not provide dependable information about the overall readability and human interest levels of the books as calculated by Flesch's procedures.

Readability of health care literature

A sample of health care literature produced for parents was analysed, using the Flesch method, for readability and human interest. As a comparison, the readability and human interest scores were also calculated for Sydney daily newspapers. It was found that the pamphlets produced by government agencies were more readable than those produced by non-government agencies. Those pamphlets written with input from parents were the most readable of all. Similar results were found for the human interest level of the pamphlets. The readability and the human interest scores of the government-produced pamphlets were similar to those of the larger circulation daily newspapers. Health care literature for parents needs to be good quality and easily understood. The involvement of parents in their production may improve the effectiveness of these leaflets.

Readability and human interest scores of twenty-eight books on psychoanalytic technique.

Presented the readability and human interest scores of 28 books on psychoanalytic technique and briefly discussed in relation to "psychoanalyeese" and psychotherapy training.

Selecting a General Psychology Textbook

Readability and Human Interest scores are related to author age, number of authors, publication recency and other variables.

Reading Ease and Human Interest Scores: A Comparison of Flesch Scores with Subjective Ratings

Reading Ease and Human Interest Scores: A Comparison of Flesch Scores with Subjective Ratings

Reading Ease and Human Interest Scores of Thirty-Two Recent Child and Developmental Psychology Texts

Reading Ease and Human Interest Scores of Thirty-Two Recent Child and Developmental Psychology Texts

Readability and human interest scores as objective aides in behavior therapy text selection

Twenty-four behavior therapy texts were evaluated using objective measures of readability and human interest. The results indicated a wide range of texts suitable for a variety of audiences.

Readability and human interest scores of thirty-six recently published introductory educational psychology tests.

Readability and human interest scores of thirty-six recently published introductory educational psychology tests.

"Readability and human interest scores of thirty-four current introductory texts": Reply.

"Readability and human interest scores of thirty-four current introductory texts": Reply.

"Readability and human interest scores of thirty-four current introductory texts": Reply.

"Readability and human interest scores of thirty-four current introductory texts": Reply.

Readability and human interest scores of thirty-four current introductory psychology texts.

Readability and human interest scores of thirty-four current introductory psychology texts.