چکیده:
This study compared 2 main approaches to readability assessment. Thequantitative approach applied idea density based on part of speech tagging andcompared 3 sets of text types (i.e., narrative, expository, and argumentative) withrespect to their ease of reading. The qualitative approach was done throughdeveloping questionnaires measuring intermediate EFL learners’ perceptions oncontent, motivation, quality of language, and format of the same text types. Thequantitative results indicated significant differences between narrative andargumentative as well as between narrative and expository text types in terms ofidea density. In other words, argumentative and expository texts were more readablethan narrative ones. Significantly, higher perceived readability for argumentativeand lower perceived easiness of expository texts were reported by the participants.It was found that the argumentative texts are more readable than their narrativecounterparts. This finding was supported by both qualitative and quantitativeapproaches to readability assessment. The results indicate that there needs to be areconsideration of different readability approaches in the selection of texts for theirintended readers. Implications for writing instruction and research on readabilitywill be discussed.
خلاصه ماشینی:
The qualitative approach was done through developing questionnaires measuring intermediate EFL learners’ perceptions on content, motivation, quality of language, and format of the same text types.
The quantitative results indicated significant differences between narrative and argumentative as well as between narrative and expository text types in terms of idea density.
Research is also scarce on lexical and propositional density of information in a text, how ideas are divided in a text, the storyline or flow of arguments in a text, and their impact on text difficulty (Leroy, Helmreich, & Cowie, 2010).
The participants were divided into three groups of 60 students to answer questionnaires concerning the readability of narrative, expository and argumentative text types.
The second part of each questionnaire included two texts representing a particular text type and 31 items, 8 of which measured learner perceptions on content, 2 format, 10 quality of language and the remaining 11 items motivation constructs (see the Appendix).
55 Finally, to compare the readability levels of the three text types, 33 texts were selected for analysis representing three different types (11 argumentative, 11 expository, and 11 narrative texts).
In terms of quality of language, all the items showed significant differences between the expository and argumentative text types.
In terms of quality of language, the comparisons showed significant differences between the narrative and argumentative text types.
In other words, in terms of content, motivation, and quality of language which affect readability, the argumentative texts had higher mean ranks than their narrative counterparts.