How to assess a book

The Vital Link Criteria and Readability

The Vital Link Criteria
The Vital Link Criteria explained
Readability – SMOG
Calculating SMOG
SMOG levels/adult literacy levels

The Vital Link Criteria:
The titles on First Choice Books have been selected not only because the language and layout used makes them accessible for adult literacy learners but also because they are attractive and motivating. To do this we use criteria developed by The Vital Link for fiction and narrative non-fiction and for non-fiction.

The Vital Link criteria are designed to pull through 'proper' books that are appropriate for adult literacy learners not only in their readability levels and layout but also in terms of the key factors that will motivate someone to pick up a book who doesn't usually read for pleasure. They aim to overcome the barriers of 'Can I read?' and 'Do I want to read?'

Each title on First Choice Books has been assessed using the Vital Link criteria. On each individual book page you can click through to see that book’s assessment.

If you have found a book that you want to submit to First Choice books, we ask you to look at two of the key criteria in assessing a title – page number and readability level and then complete the rest of the criteria for the title. The Vital Link criteria cover all the factors that will potentially motivate an adult literacy learn to pick up and try a book. See below for a full explanation of the criteria.

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The Vital Link Criteria explained:

  • Number of pages 200 or less: length does matter! If you're not use to picking up a book, the size of it can be off-putting.
  • Level/readability: we are looking for books that have a readability level between 9 – 14 (Entry Level 3 – Level 2)
  • Clear typeface: 12pt minimum: a good type size helps with accessibility.
  • No comprehension exercises and no level on front page: we're not after learner reader books but proper ones.
  • Adult content: adult literacy learners are beginner readers not beginner thinkers!
  • Attractive cover and format: if it looks good, it is far more likely to be picked up.
  • Initial hook to engage reader into book: very important for fiction and narrative non-fiction - if you're not use to reading books you need to be given a reason to read it, a strong beginning that will interest and inspire you to carry on.
  • Interest factors: eg: well known author, TV tie-in, humour, hobbies, other points of interests (for eg: cultural diversity, men's interests). If it is familiar or linked to someone's passions and interests, it helps to breakdown the barriers associated with picking up a book.
  • Illustration: pictures, maps, photographs or other visualisation aids as appropriate. For non-fiction helps to break up the text and support what is being said in the text.
  • Structure: For fiction and narrative non-fiction: low complexity; minimal changes of voice, flashbacks, shifting time zones. For non-fiction: straightforward written style in short sections, easy to use/find information: clear contents page/index, clear headings, step by step guides, glossary.
  • Sentences: average 15 words length: not too complex in structure.
  • Paragraphs: not too long (10 lines ideal), well set out pages.
  • Chapters/sections: not too long (ideal 6-7 pages), clear headings.

Note on structure: Sentences, Paragraphs, Chapters/sections are all about making the text as accessible as possible and building confidence for people who are not used to sustained reading. They aim to give an adult literacy learner a feeling of progression and achievement as they work their way through the book and, particularly for fiction, are not put off by a complex storyline.

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Readability – SMOG:
Readability is about matching someone’s ability to decode text with reading with understanding. All readability tests rely on a very rough gauge of the level of reading vocabulary people can expect to acquire by a certain point in their development - they stop generally around the 20 mark.

For First Choice Books we use the SMOG (simplified measure of gobbledygook) readability test.

Successful reading is about far more than word recognition – it’s about style, content, physical presentation, complexity of intellectual engagement required, learner interest, confidence and skill. See the Vital Link Criteria for more information.

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Calculating the SMOG level of a text

1. Select a page of a book
2. Count 10 sentences
3. Count the number of words which have three or more syllables
4. Multiply this by 3
5. Circle the number closest to your answer

 1  4  9  16  25 36  49  64  81  100  121  144  169

7. Find the square root of the number you circled

 1  4  9  16  25 36  49  64  81  100  121  144  169
 1  2  3  4  5 6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13

8. Add 8 = readability level

Most people will understand a readability level under about 10.

It is advisable to do a readability test at the beginning, middle and end of a book as readability levels can be variable through a text. You can then get the average readability level.

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A note on relating SMOG levels to adult literacy levels:
There are no simple answers about relating readability levels to adult literacy levels – they don’t equate exactly and are not meant to. SMOG is a measure of readability and not the reading age of a text. SMOG helps librarians categorise their books more easily for literacy learners and practitioners and to act as an indication of level of difficulty, but the adult literacy standards were designed to indicate what specific skills functioned at particular levels, unrelated to age.

It would be impossible to produce materials that solely met the standard definitions at each level. As a rough indication, SMOG 9-10 = Entry Level 3, 11-12 = Level 1 and 13-14 = Level 2 but it's far from an exact science and SMOG should only be taken as one indicator among many for the suitability of a text.

Further information on Vital Link click here.