Lit2Go

How are your reading levels determined?

The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level index is one way to measure and report the readability of English text. The Flesch-Kincaid formula considers the average number of words per sentence (average sentence length, or ASL) and the average number of syllables per word (ASW) within a given passage in order to estimate the complexity of the text. The formula then converts that complexity level into a score that roughly equates with a grade level (K-12) in the United States. The formula is:

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level = (.39 × ASL) + (11.8 × ASW) - 15.59

Flesch-Kincaid is only an estimate and may be less accurate with certain types of text. Readability is determined by examining two variables: the complexity of the sentence construction and the complexity of the vocabulary. The complexity of the sentence construction is represented in the Flesch-Kincaid formula only by sentence length. The complexity of vocabulary is represented only by the number of syllables per word.

While Flesch-Kincaid may be a useful tool for comparing the complexity of different passages, whether or not a given passage is appropriate for a given reader depends on several other factors, including: background knowledge of the reader, reader interest in the subject matter, text genre, and the level of support provided during reading.

In the Lit2Go Flesch-Kincaid grade level index, you will see novels and similar kinds of books listed by the grade level of the book as a whole, while short stories and essays that are included in anthologies are listed individually. All passage pages report the Flesch-Kincaid level for the individual passage, not the book average.

Are the audio passages found on the Lit2Go also available on iTunesU?

All passages on the Lit2Go site are currently available on iTunesU. However, due to the additional materials required to post material on the Lit2Go site, there are a number of audio passages available on iTunesU that are not currently available on Lit2Go.

Are the materials made available by Lit2Go copyrighted, and what are the limits of their use?

For answers to questions regarding copyright and "fair use" of materials on Lit2Go, please refer to the license section of the site.