Gunning Fog and Oklahoma Public Relations
Inspired by Media Orchard’s post on readability, I have been talking to numerous folks in PR about the Gunning Fog index. Using this tool to measure readability.
I really don’t specifically mean that exact test only. I am just asking what level of communication we should use when communicating. John Updike or Dr. Seuss.
As for me, according to Scott this blog is a 9.02 while Media Orchard is 7.70. His blog readability measurements are interesting. In this case a lower score is better so Scott wins. On the other hand he IS a freaking professional communicator so I should get some wiggle room, right?
On to constructive thoughts that relate. I am giving the keynote (yea, go me! ok, whatever Ed….) for PRSA OKC tomorrow. The picture above was a wonderful dinner which I greatly appreciated. Now, there I was with 7 PR professionals in leadership roles so OF COURSE I brought Gunning Fogg up.
Delusional. That is the initial result of my testing. We did a quick
round robin several people said they expected their readability scores
to be 5 or 6. Meaning the communication is clear enough that someone
with a 5th or 6th grade education can understand it. The data says otherwise.
- PRSA OKC Professional Development Day – Gunning Fog = 7.09
- GM Fastlane Blog – Gunning Fog = 7.27
- News OK – Gunning Fog = 8.87
- Micropersuasion – Gunning Fog = 9.10
- PRSA National – Gunning Fog = 9.26
- Schipul – Gunning Fog = 9.58
- Strumpette – Gunning Fog = 9.71
- PRSA Houston – Gunning Fog = 10.18
- Council of Public Relations Firms – Gunning Fog = 11.56
- Hill and Knowlton Services Page – Gunning Fog = 11.9
- 20 Hats Public Relations – Gunning Fog = 12.23
- PRSA OK – Gunning Fog = 12.23
- Keeney PR – Gunning Fog = 13.63
- Fleishman – Gunning Fog = 14.47 (and ethics is only two syllables – sorry…)
- I Know Public Relations – Gunning Fog = 16.07
As Dan has argued strongly, this is JUST ONE MEASURE. But it is still interesting.