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OK, We Write Like High Schoolers. So???

Heh.

I noted earlier today, that Bruce at Q&O [1] noted the site and ran the test. [2]

It advised him they’re writing over there at the College Undergraduate level.

I ran the thing myself on BitsBlog, and came up a bit lower:

high_school.jpg [3]

Well, as you can imagine, I was feeling a little bit put off by this. Something certainly didn’t add up. That is, until such time as I noticed that James Joyner over an Outside The Beltway [4]came up with exactly the same level: High school. Said he:

Cnsidering that all the site authors have graduate degrees, that was a bit disconcerting. Out of curiosity, though, I decided to run our celebrity gossip site, Gone Hollywood [5], through the tester:

[2]

Without intending any insult the James, (who, it must be said, can’t figure that one out, either)… I must say I’m baffled by their judgment on the matter. If I were Bruce, I think I might be insulted. In any event, I now take the “high school” business about as seriously as I take Democrat presidential candidates, and for the same reason.

Addendum:  (David L)

High school is good.   I believe that newspapers aim for the eight grade.   The Air Force I believe was tenth grade.   The aim of communication to be understood.   To that end, simplier is better.

As I understand that algorhythm for computing reading level relies a lot on sentence length.  I like short sentences.   Short sentences are used to make points.   Long sentences are used to obfucate.   Leave the long sentences to Mrs. Clinton.  That is all.