In this example, there are a lot of three-syllable words that can't be avoided, such as harassment and employee. The big difference in grade level between the two versions comes from the number of sentences. The clear language version broke up the text into points and smaller sentences.

Fit your writing to your audience

Compare your result with what you know about your audience. As a guideline, think about newspapers. Each newspaper has some articles that are harder to read than other articles. Generally, tabloid newspapers use Grade 6-level writing. Main daily newspapers usually use Grade 8-level writing. The Globe and Mail uses Grade lO-level writing.

Don’t rely on your word processor or Readability Tests. They can’t tell you:

• how complex the ideas are
• how well or poorly the material is written
• if the vocabulary and tone are right for your audience
• if there is gender, class, racial or cultural bias
• if the order of the information makes sense to the reader
• if readers can find the information they need
• if the design is attractive and makes the document easier to read

Check with the experts

The best test is to check with the experts: your readers. Take the time to ask for feedback from people representative of your audience. Then, use the results to revise your document.