Editing Gunning fog index (section)

{{Short description|Readability test for English writing}}
In [[linguistics]], the '''Gunning fog index''' is a [[readability test]] for English writing. The index estimates the years of formal education a person needs to understand the text on the first reading. For instance, a fog index of 12 requires the reading level of a United States high school senior (around 18 years old). The test was developed in 1952 by Robert Gunning, an American businessman who had been involved in newspaper and textbook publishing.<ref name="plwork8">{{cite journal |last=DuBay |first=William H. |title=Judges Scold Lawyers for Bad Writing |journal=Plain Language at Work Newsletter |issue=8 |date=23 March 2004 |publisher=Impact Information |url=http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/newsletter/plwork08.htm |access-date=10 January 2014 |archive-date=24 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224024255/http://www.impact-information.com/impactinfo/newsletter/plwork08.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The fog index is commonly used to confirm that text can be read easily by the intended audience. Texts for a wide audience generally need a fog index less than 12. Texts requiring near-universal understanding generally need an index less than 8.

{| class="wikitable floatright"
!Fog Index
!Reading level by grade
|-
|17
|College graduate
|-
|16
|College senior
|-
|15
|College junior
|-
|14
|College sophomore
|-
|13
|College freshman
|-
|12
|High school senior
|-
|11
|High school junior
|-
|10
|High school sophomore
|-
|9
|High school freshman
|-
|8
|Eighth grade
|-
|7
|Seventh grade
|-
|6
|Sixth grade
|}