Readability Evaluation Checklist and Rating Scale

Evaluate each page or section on a 1–5 scale:

Criteria	1 (Poor)	2 (Below Avg.)	3 (Average)	4 (Good)	5 (Excellent)
Reading Level	College+/Complex	12th–College	10th–12th Grade	8th–10th Grade	6th–8th Grade
Sentence Length	>30 words avg.	25–30 words avg.	20–25 words avg.	15–20 words avg.	10–15 words avg.
Paragraph Density	Long, dense	Somewhat dense	Moderate density	Brief paragraphs	Concise paragraphs
Vocabulary	Very specialized	Somewhat specialized	Mixed	Mostly simple	Clear, simple
Jargon Usage	Excessive	Frequent, undefined	Occasional, defined	Minimal, defined	Minimal, always defined
Sentence Structure	Passive, complex	Mostly passive	Mixed passive/active	Mostly active	Active, clear
Scannability	Difficult	Fairly difficult	Average	Good	Excellent
CTA Clarity	Unclear/confusing	Vague	Somewhat clear	Clear	Very clear and actionable

Total Scores:

Example of How to Conduct and Summarize the Audit:

Run quantitative tests (e.g., Hemingway App, Readable.io).
Evaluate qualitative UX criteria listed above.
Score each criteria using the checklist above.
Provide actionable recommendations (e.g., simplify sentence structures, break paragraphs down, reduce jargon).
Present results clearly to stakeholders:
- Summarize scores with a break down.

Establish clear criteria for readability. Typical dimensions include:

Reading Level: Grade-level comprehension needed (e.g., 8th grade, 12th grade, college).
Sentence Length: Average number of words per sentence (ideally 15-20 words for general audiences).
Paragraph Density: Number of sentences per paragraph (ideally 2-4 sentences per paragraph).
Vocabulary Complexity: Usage of simple, everyday words versus specialized or complex vocabulary.
Jargon and Acronyms: Frequency and necessity; clarity in defining specialized terms.
Sentence Structure: Use of active vs. passive voice (favor active).
Content Length: Total word count for sections or pages relative to user attention span.