1. What is the SMOG Readability Formula?

The SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) formula estimates the years of education needed to understand a piece of writing. It counts polysyllabic words (words with 3+ syllables) in a sample of 30 sentences.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the SMOG formula:

Where:

• Polysyllabic words — Words with three or more syllables
• 30 sentences — Standard sample size for SMOG calculation

Explanation: The formula assumes that text difficulty correlates with the number of complex words, with the square root providing a normalized score.

3. Importance of Readability Scores

Details: SMOG scores help ensure written materials match the reading level of the target audience, crucial for health communication, education, and public information.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Count polysyllabic words in a 30-sentence sample and enter the total. For accurate results, use representative samples of your text.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's considered a good SMOG score?
A: For general public: 8 or below. For professionals: 10-12. Health materials should ideally be ≤8.

Q2: How does SMOG compare to other readability tests?
A: SMOG is more accurate than Flesch-Kincaid for health materials as it focuses on complex words.

Q3: What counts as a polysyllabic word?
A: Any word with three or more syllables (e.g., "calculator" = 4 syllables).

Q4: Can I use less than 30 sentences?
A: For accuracy, use exactly 30 sentences. If text is shorter, use all sentences and note the limitation.

Q5: How to improve my SMOG score?
A: Replace polysyllabic words with simpler alternatives and shorten sentence length.