Everyone wants their info easy to read. College educated readers learn more
faster from simpler materials.  8th grade is about the average reading level
for the country. Consider diabetes an unfamiliar, complex, unpleasant topic
with new concepts and vocabulary. You can go to a 4th grade reading level
and still not " talk down". A key is short -- short (local) words, short
sentences, short paragraphs. A danger is removing too much context.   Design
matters. Material must first be attractive and compelling enough to get the
intended readers to pick it up and then want to keep it and refer to it.
Design that is simple, predictable and follows reading gravity does not just
look easier to read, it is easier to read. Involve the audience directly in
developing content and testing format.  The real question is not Can they
read it? Or Do they understand it? The question is Does it enable them to do
what they need to do?

Here's a Reviewer's Checklist - a  good starting place for choosing
materials and quick way to narrow down the choices  or to evaluate your own
materials under development.
http://www.guidesforbeginnings.com/pdfs/articles/Reviewers-Guide.pdf 

Reader Verification Interviews are a do-able way to involve readers. See
Doak C, Doak L, and Root J. Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills, 2nd
Edition, Philadelphia: Lippincott 1996.

Sandra Smith, MPH CHES
800-444-8806  206 -441-7046
www.BeginningsGuides.net
sandras at u.washington.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Ann Rathbun, Ph.D.
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2008 8:58 AM
To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 2520] Writing for the masses

Hi all,

I am writing to get some practical advice/opinion on the issue of  
writing for a wide audience.  I am currently assisting someone who is  
writing a manual for training community volunteers who will be helping  
with health promotion for those living with Diabetes. (Sort of like  
"promatores" or Community Health Workers).  Her target audience is  
those living in the Appalachian region of the U.S.  Both of us  
recognize that she may get volunteers who have high literacy skills.  
My concern is this: some of the synthetic estimates I have calculated  
show that literacy/health literacy rates in some parts of Appalachia  
are extraordinarily low (significantly lower than reported in the  
KY-SAAL for example).

My advice to the writer is to write at an 8th grade level and make it  
LOOK easy to read.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Ann


Ann Rathbun, Ph.D.
Department of HPES
200C Laughlin Health Bld.
Morehead State University
606-783-2464


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