What are the jiggling circles? (Discourse/Forum Year in Review topic)

[cthawley]

I moved the post above to this existing topic about the forum Review feature

[taylorse]

@roadside_rambler

The amusing thing was, I’ve only ever seen readability metrics applied to children’s literature and paired with a grade level, where less readable isn’t bad, just for a higher grade.

I have done some looking into this, in another context. These kinds of scores (like reading levels) are generally based on sentence length and word length. Sometimes there is a modifier based on vocabulary. You can do this more effectively for early readers because you have a better grasp on the vocabulary.

Years ago, I leaned to “hack” my readability score in Microsoft Word just by breaking sentences up into smaller parts, like this. (Flesch Reading Ease: 57.6, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 10.6)

Years ago. I learned to “hack” my readability score in Microsoft Word. Just by breaking sentences up into smaller parts. Like this. (Flesch Reading Ease: 74.3 Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 4.2)

I dropped 6.4 whole grade levels just by adding unnecessary and unhelpful punctuation! This is…not actually easier to read.

…or, in other words, take it with a grain of salt.

[nousernameavailable]

They should make this for the main website.

[DianaStuder]

Which this ? We do have Year in Review on iNat itself.

[shreedave]

I could have read the The Game of Thrones Series instead of forum posts, not that I want to…

[GothHobbit]

@eyekosaeder

It seems like it is around that value for most of us. I got 65. The “readability level” changes between Agatha Christie, C.S. Lewis, G.R.R. Martin, and Stephen King.

@DianaStuder

then I choose C S Lewis.

I’m a bit annoyed that they name-dropped Jack* Lewis and George Martin, but ignored Tolkien. On the other hand, I may be a tad biased toward the ease of the good Professor’s readability.

*(True fact: his given name was Clive. This is why he went by Jack.)

[DianaStuder]

What is wrong with Clive ?

[GothHobbit]

Nothing, other than Lewis apparently really disliked it. Much like fictional archaeologist Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones, he named himself after his childhood dog.

[eyekosaeder]

I feel like the readability of Tolkien varies a lot, though. The Hobbit, The Father Christmas Letters, etc. are very readable. The Silmarillion on the other hand…?

Personally, I don’t think the level is that accurate anyway, as I found Song of Ice and Fire way harder to read compared to Narnia (I’ve never read anything by Christie or King yet).

[tiwane]

(edited the topic title to make it more clear that this discussion is about Discourse Year in Review.

[dgwdoesthings]

you are also my forum bff

[martyndrabik]

I am yet another person with Diana as their Forum BFF.

[DianaStuder]

I, had better get back to IDing …