YuJa EqualGround's readability algorithms help assess how difficult the written content on your website is. The platform offers the following readability algorithms: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau, SMOG, and Automated Readability Index. This guide will detail how to configure readability algorithms in EqualGround, what each algorithm is, and how it calculates readability.
Configuring Readability Algorithms
- Log in to YuJa EqualGround as an admin.
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Select Websites from the sidebar menu.
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Under Active Websites, click on the website you would like to work with.
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In the secondary sidebar menu, select Configuration.
- In the top navbar, click Advanced.
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Locate the Engine Configuration settings. Click on Usability.
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Click the dropdown menu next to Readability Guide to select the readability algorithm you would like to use for your chosen website.
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You can also click on the dropdown menu next to Reading Grading Threshold to adjust the standard you would like to adhere to across your website.
Understanding Readability Algorithms
Flesch Reading Ease
On a scale of 1 to 100, the ideal level is 70-80 (US grade eight reading level). The average adult finds online content with this score accessible, but based on your website's purpose, you may configure the score threshold to adhere to a higher or lower score.
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
Similar to the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level is centered on the US education system grade levels. The following equation calculates the grade level you should be at in order to comprehend a certain text. For instance, an example of a grade 8-level text is Lois Lowry's The Giver.
Gunning Fog
The Gunning Fog index will generate a score of 0 to 20, focusing on word complexity. This type of index can be helpful when conveying medical or academic concepts. This index is based on the US education system. A result of 8 is the standard recommended for general public writing.
Coleman-Liau
The Coleman-Liau index centers on word length to measure readability. This index uses the US education system to measure results. An eighth-grade score (level 8) is typically more accessible to the average reader. Outside of the English language, this index has limited effectiveness.
SMOG
The SMOG index, or Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, is most useful for longer written content (30 sentences or more). The index focuses on the number of syllables to calculate readability. SMOG is often used in medical writing to evaluate reading difficulty. The calculation result will determine how many years of education one needs to comprehend the text.
Automated Readability Index
The Automated Readability Index counts characters (letters) in a sentence as well as the number of sentences in a text to determine difficulty. Based on the US education system, the scoring model ranges from 1 to 14, with 8 being an eighth-grade-level text and 14 being a professional-level text.
Reference: About Readability. (n.d.). Readable. Retrieved July 5, 2026 from https://readable.com/readability/.