Gunning fog readability index (EK00101)
Readable documentation reaches more readers. Learn how the Gunning fog index measures reading effort and how to keep it below 10.
Readable documentation uses short sentences and plain words, so readers follow it without rereading. EkLine measures the Gunning fog index of your content and flags text that reaches an index of 10 or higher (rule EK00101), since the index rises with longer sentences and complex words.
Why keep documentation readable?
Section titled “Why keep documentation readable?”The Gunning fog index estimates the years of education a reader needs to follow a passage on the first read. Keeping the index below 10 makes documentation accessible to a wide audience, including readers who scan quickly or work in a second language. Plainer writing also reduces the chance that a reader misreads a step and has to backtrack.
What EkLine flags
Section titled “What EkLine flags”EK00101 flags content whose Gunning fog index is 10 or higher. It scores the whole passage rather than matching single words, so you lower the index by simplifying the sentences that raise it.
- ❌ Harder to read: The utilization of an excessive quantity of subordinate clauses within a single sentence substantially diminishes the comprehensibility of technical documentation for the majority of readers.
- ✅ Easier to read: Too many clauses in one sentence make technical documentation hard to read. Keep each sentence short.
How to fix
Section titled “How to fix”Shorten your sentences, and give each one a single point. Swap complex words for plainer ones to bring the index below 10.
How do you lower the readability score?
Section titled “How do you lower the readability score?”Shorten your sentences, give each one a single point, and swap complex, three-or-more-syllable words for plainer ones.
What score should you aim for?
Section titled “What score should you aim for?”Aim for a Gunning fog index below 10, which keeps your documentation accessible to a wide audience, including readers who scan quickly.
Rule details
Section titled “Rule details”| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Rule ID | EK00101 |
| Category | Readability metrics |
| Default severity | Suggestion |
| Enabled by default | No |
Ignore this rule
Section titled “Ignore this rule”To keep a dense passage on one line, add an inline comment with a reason:
<!-- ekline-ignore-next-line EK00101 -- quoted specification text -->The implementation shall conform to the aforementioned interoperability requirements without exception.To disable the rule across your project, add it to the ignore list in your configuration file.