Assessing the Complexity of Literacy Tasks - Rating Guide

Assessing the Complexity of Literacy Tasks

Rating Guide

The PMOSE/IKIRSCH
Document Readability Formula

Score 1 if simple-list structure.

Score 2 if combined-list structure.
(also includes pie charts and time lines).

Score 3 if intersected-list structure.
(also includes bar charts line graphs and maps).

Score 4 if nested-list structure.
(also includes bar charts and line graphs with nested labels).

Labels Score 1 if 15 or fewer labels.
Score 2 if 16 to 25 labels.
Score 3 if 26 to 35 labels.
Score 4 if 36 to 46 labels.
Score 5 if more than 46 labels.

Score 1 if 75 or fewer items.
Score 2 if 76 to 125 items.
Score 3 if 126 to 175 items.
Score 4 if 176 to 225 items.
Score 5 if more than 225 items.

Document Structure Score	+

Number of Labels Score	+

Number of Items Score	+

Dependency Score	+

Total Score	=

Add 1 if document makes reference to information in a related document or as a dependency.

Document Complexity Level
(Circle total score below to determine a documents complexity level)

3 4 5	6 7 8	9 10 11	12 13 14	15
Very Low	Low	Moderate	High	Very High

Adapted from: Mosenthal, P. and Kirsch I. (1998). A New Measure for Assessing Document Complexity: The PMOSE/IKIRSCH Document Readability Formula. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 41:8. pp 638-657


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