FOG INDEX

How High is Your Fog Index?

1. Find the average number of words you use per sentence. Take a fair sample of 5 to 8
sentences. Count clearly independent clauses as separate sentences. Example: "By and by I
ran; I jumped; I hid." This counts as three sentences.
2. Calculate the percentage of words that are three syllables or more. Don't count proper
names. Don't count verbs that make three syllables or adding -es or -ed.
3. Add these two figures. Example: if your average number of words per sentence was was 15,
and the percentage of words three syllables or more was 12%, you would add 15 and 12 to
get 27.
4. Multiply that sum by 0.4. The resulting number is your Fog Index, a rough measure of how
many years of schooling it would take to understand what you have written. In our example,
multiplying 27 by 0.4 equals a Fog Index of 10.8. The Bible, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and
TV Guide all have Fog Indexes of about 6. Time, Newsweek, and the Wall St. Journal average
about 11. If you find your Index soaring into the teens (or higher!) --- beware --- you've lost
most of your audience in the dense fog.

Copyright 1983. Hawkhill Associates, Inc. 125 E. Gilman St., Madison, WI 53703.
http://tech-head.com/fog.htm
Fog Index
The Fog Index is a proven method of analyzing written material to see how easy it is to read and understand. The
steps you can use to calculate the Fog Index are outlined below. The numbers in the right column are based on this
paragraph. When using these steps to analyze your writing, choose a sample that contains at least one hundred
words. The "ideal" Fog Index level is 7 or 8. A level above 12 indicates the writing sample is too hard for most
people to read.

1. Count the number of words in the sample 88

2. Count the number of sentences 6
3. Count the number of big words (3 or more syllables) 6
4. Calculate the average sentence length. Divide the number of sentences into the number of words 88/6 = 14
5. Calculate the percentage of big words. Divide the number of words into the number of big words 6/88 = 7%
6. Add the avg sentence length to the % of big words 7 + 14 = 21
7. Multiply the result by .4 21 x .4 =
Fog Index 8.4

Fog Index - Policy Sample

This policy addresses access to and data residing in computerized administrative systems (hereafter referred to as
the systems and the data) supported by Administrative Information Services (AIS). This includes but is not limited to
Financial and Student systems. It does not include institutional reporting databases (i.e., FRDB, RRDB, SDRDB,
etc.), departmental systems, hard-copy files, or systems or databases maintained by any unit other than AIS. It does
not supersede applicable statutes that guarantee either the protection or accessibility of data.

The intent of this policy is to (a) maximize the strategic value of the systems and the data by promoting its effective
use in management decisions, daily operations, and analyses being conducted by faculty, staff, and students, (b)
provide clear assignment of responsibility for protection against unauthorized use, and (c) promote security measures
for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of the systems and the data.
1. Count the number of words in the sample 148
2. Count the number of sentences 13
3. Count the number of big words (3 or more syllables) 33
4. Calculate the average sentence length. Divide the number of sentences into the number of words 148/13 = 11
5. Calculate the percentage of big words. Divide the number of words into the number of big words 33/148=22%
6. Add the avg sentence length to the % of big words 11 + 22 = 33
7. Multiply the result by .4 33 x .4 =
Fog Index 13.2

Fog Index - Other Tools

Under the TOOLS Menu, Microsoft Word contains a word counter, grammar checker and thesaurus you can use to
help simplify your writing style.
The grammar checker doesn't use the Fog Index. It uses three Flesch tools to analyze style:
1. Flesch Reading Ease (100 = easiest, 70-80 = average)
2. Flesch Grade Level (Assigns a grade level reader must have to understand
your writing, 6 = average)
3. Flesch Kincaid (Another formula for determining reader grade level)
The grammar checker will also report the percentage of sentences written in the passive voice. Acceptable
percentages are zero, nothing, zip, nada or nil.
The grammar checker will also find typos that spell checkers miss, like transpositions, capitalization errors and
double words.
You can use the Thesaurus to find simpler words or use it when you find yourself using the same words over and
over and over and over.
The grammar checker reported the following for the policy sample on the previous page:
% passive - 14%
Flesch Reading Ease - 26.8
Flesch Grade Level - 17
Flesch Kincaid - 14.9
Fog Index Worksheet
Use Microsoft Word - Tools - Word Count for items 1 and 2 below.
1. Count the number of words in the sample
2. Count the number of sentences
3. Count the number of big words (3 or more syllables)
(automatically
4. Calculate the average sentence length. Divide the number of sentences into the number of words
calculated)
(automatically
5. Calculate the percentage of big words. Divide the number of words into the number of big words
calculated)
(automatically
6. Add the avg sentence length to the % of big words
calculated)
(automatically
7. Multiply the result by .4
calculated)
(automatically
Fog Index
calculated)
Calculate Fog Index Reset Values

Keep It Simple
Don't use long words when short substitutes will do.
Don't Use---Use
accomplish---do
attempt---try
utilize---use
construct---build
deficiency---lack
equitable---fair
infrequent---rare
occurrence---event
terminate---end
requisite---required
Don't use words with extra or "padded" syllables.
Don't Use---Use
administrate---administer
discontentment---discontent
experimentalize---experiment
irregardless---regardless
orientated---oriented
preventative---preventive
Use compact substitutes for wordy phrases.
Don't Use---Use
on the order of magnitude of---about
in the nature of---like
in view of the fact that---since
give encouragement to---encourage
make an adjustment in---adjust
is equipped with---has
avail yourself---use
a majority of---most
take into consideration---consider
Large number of---many
Avoid tautology - the use of words that duplicate the meaning of a word or words already used.
Don't Use---Use
basic principles---principles
hollow tube---tube
mutual cooperation---cooperation
personal opinion---opinion
exactly equal---equal
consensus of opinion---consensus
past history---history
ask the question---ask
still continues---continues
http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/ppd/documents/information/writing_tips.cfm