ERIC Number: EJ1054642
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0574
EISSN: N/A
Beyond Single Readability Measures: Using Multiple Sources of Information in Establishing Text Complexity
Hiebert, Elfrieda H.
Journal of Education, v191 n2 p33-42 2010-2011
The "Common Core State Standards/English Language Arts" include the ability to become increasingly more capable with complex text over the school career, redirecting attention to the measurement of text complexity. While suggesting multiple criteria, the Standards offer a single measure of text complexity--Lexiles. Additional quantitative data, including the two components of a Lexile rating, can provide more comprehensive views. The two "intra-lexile" measures and two others (referential cohesion and an index of words predicted to be "hard.") were applied to sets of exemplars for grade bands 2-3 and 4-5 within the CCSS/ELA. Analyses suggest that conclusions about text complexity vary considerably when multiple quantitative measures, rather than a single, omnibus index, are used.
Descriptors: Readability Formulas, Readability, Information Sources, Difficulty Level, State Standards, Language Arts, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Statistical Analysis, Evaluation Criteria, Multivariate Analysis, Evaluation Methods
Boston University School of Education. Two Silver Way, Boston, MA 02215. Tel: 617-353-3230; e-mail: bujed@bu.edu; Web site: http://www.bu.edu/journalofeducation
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Grade 2; Primary Education; Elementary Education; Early Childhood Education; Grade 3; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A