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For almost a hundred years now, readability formulas have been used to measure how difficult it is to comprehend a given text. To date, four readability formulas have been developed for Afrikaans. Two such formulas were published by Van Rooyen (1986), one formula by McDermid Heyns (2007) and one formula by McKellar (2008). In our quantitative study the validity of these four formulas was tested. We selected 10 texts written in Afrikaans – five articles from a popular magazine and five documents used in government communications. All characteristics included in the four readability formulas were first measured for each text. We then developed five different cloze tests for each text to assess actual text comprehension. Thereafter, 149 Afrikaans-speaking participants with varying levels of education each completed a set of two of the resulting 50 cloze tests. On comparing the data on text characteristics to the cloze test scores from the participants, the accuracy of the predictions from the four existing formulas for Afrikaans could be determined. Both Van Rooyen formulas produced readability scores that were not significantly correlated with actual comprehension scores as measured with the cloze tests. For the McKellar formula, however, this correlation was significant and for the McDermid Heyns formula the correlation with the cloze test scores almost reached significance. From the outcomes of each of these last two formulas, about 40% of the variance in cloze scores could be predicted. Readability predictions based only on the average number of characters per word, however, performed considerably better: about 65% of the variance in the cloze scores could be predicted just from the average number of characters per word.

Objectives: This study compared the effects of two types of health warnings on cigarette packages: 'narrative visual warnings', showing an image portraying people plus a corresponding slogan that could evoke a story-like interpretation, and 'non-narrative visual warnings' with non-narrative content (i.e. body parts). Moreover, the mechanisms underlying the effects of these health warnings were explored. Design: A within-participants experiment was conducted comparing narrative and non-narrative visual warnings. Path analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between the narrative concepts transportation and identification, the emotions evoked by the health warning and the perceived effectiveness of the message. Method: Participants (N = 200) were presented with one narrative warning and one non-narrative warning. After each warning, they answered questions on narrative perception, transportation, identification, emotions and perceived effectiveness. Results: The narrative warnings were seen as more story-like than the non-narrative warnings. There was a statistical trend for narrative warnings to be perceived as more effective than the non-narratives. The narrative warnings caused more transportation, fear, sadness, compassion and anger; the non-narrative warnings evoked more disgust and surprise. For the narrative warnings, both narrative concepts of transportation and identification were directly related to perceived effectiveness, and also indirectly via sadness. For the non-narrative warnings, transportation was related to perceived effectiveness, both directly and indirectly via disgust. Conclusion: Seeing a story in a still picture with a slogan helps to increase the effectiveness of the antismoking message. Both narrative and non-narrative visual warnings may persuade receivers directly, but also by the evoking of emotions, although the specific emotions responsible for the persuasive effects may differ.

Objective: College students are a group at risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). While they are generally well informed about STIs, they do not consistently use condoms. An important element in preventing STIs is safer sex communication, especially with a sexual partner. This may be difficult, however, because of a lack of experience in talking about safer sex or because of the absence of suitable role models. In this study, a narrative intervention was tested that was developed to provide receivers with a social script for safer sex communication. Design: An experiment was conducted among college students (N = 225) who were exposed to either a narrative intervention or a non-narrative (brochure) intervention, followed by a post-test questionnaire. In the narrative condition, part of the participants completed a pre-test questionnaire before being exposed to the intervention. Results: Compared to pre-test scores, the narrative positively influenced safer sex communication intentions. The results show no significant differences between post-test scores of the narrative and the non-narrative condition. Mediation analyses showed that narrative processes (identification and transportation) were positively related to safer sex communication. Conclusion: In this study, we investigated both the effects of a narrative intervention on safer sex communication intentions, and the mechanisms of narrative processing underlying these effects. The narrative turned out to be as effective as a brochure version with the same information. Our mediation analyses suggest that narratives can be made more persuasive by increasing the reader's involvement with the story as a whole, and with one of the characters in particular.

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2008.01332.x Byline: Hans Hoeken (1), Piet Swanepoel (2), Elvis Saal (2), Carel Jansen (1) Abstract: The use of tropes (e.g., metaphors, ellipsis) in messages from health mass media campaigns may spark conversations. Tropes require additional cognitive elaboration to arrive at the intended interpretation, thereby providing the audience with 'the pleasure of text.' This characteristic makes them useful for conversations in which ads are used to demonstrate one's interpretation abilities or to strengthen group identity through a shared appreciation of ads. Tropes can thus stimulate people to think and talk about information they might otherwise ignore. As a result, this information is primed, increasing the chance that it will influence relevant behavior. At the same time, the use of tropes may have undesirable side effects, such as yielding incomprehension or misunderstanding of the message's meaning. Abstract (French) Resume L'usage de la forme du media pour stimuler les conversations : Le cas des tropes Dans les messages des campagnes mediatiques sur la sante, l'usage de tropes (comme des metaphores ou des ellipses) peut declencher des conversations. Les tropes requierent une elaboration cognitive additionnelle pour en arriver a l'interpretation voulue, procurant ainsi a l'auditoire ' le plaisir du texte '. Ces caracteristiques les rendent utiles lors des conversations dans lesquelles les publicites sont utilisees afin de demontrer ses capacites d'interpretation ou afin de renforcer l'identite de groupe grace a une appreciation commune des publicites. Les tropes peuvent donc inciter les gens a penser et a parler d'informations qu'ils negligeraient peut-etre autrement. Ainsi, cette information est mise au premier plan, ce qui augmente les chances qu'elle influence les comportements en question. Parallelement, l'usage de tropes peut avoir des effets secondaires indesirables, comme la production d'incomprehension ou d'une mauvaise comprehension du sens du message. Abstract (German): Abstract Personliche Gesprache anregen durch den Einsatz ausgewahlter Botschaftsformen: Das Beispiel rhetorische Figuren (Tropen) Der Einsatz von Tropen (z.B. Metaphern, Ellipsen) in massenmedialen Gesundheitskampagnenbotschaften kann personliche Gesprache anregen. Um bei der gewunschten Interpretation anzugelangen, braucht es bei der Verarbeitung von Tropen zusatzliche kognitive Elaboration, die wiederum beim Publikum fur einen 'Genuss am Text' sorgt. Diese Eigenschaften von Tropen erweisen sich insbesondere in personlichen Gesprachen als nutzlich, in denen Anzeigen zum Einsatz kommen, welche die eigenen Interpretationsfahigkeiten aufzeigen helfen oder die Gruppenidentitat durch eine geteilte Wertschatzung von Anzeigen starken. Tropen konnen Menschen zum Denken anregen und sie dazu bringen, uber Informationen zu sprechen, die sie sonst eher ignorieren wurden. Folglich wird die Information auf diese Weise geprimed, und dabei die Chancen erhoht, dass sie relevantes Verhalten beeinflussen kann. Gleichzeitig kann die Verwendung von Tropen auch ungewunschte Effekte haben, wie zum Beispiel das Nicht- oder Missverstehen der Botschaftsbedeutung. Abstract (Spanish): Resumen Usando la Forma del Mensaje para Estimular Conversaciones: El Caso de los Tropos El uso de los tropos o las figuras del lenguaje (por ejemplo, metaforas, elipsis) en los mensajes de la salud a traves de las campanas de los medios de comunicacion puede provocar conversaciones. Los tropos requieren una elaboracion cognitiva adicional para llegar a la interpretacion pretendida, de ese modo proveen a la audiencia del ''placer del texto. '' Estas caracteristicas los hacen utiles para las conversaciones en las cuales los avisos publicitarios son usados para demonstrar las habilidades de interpretacion que uno tiene o para fortalecer la identidad de grupo a traves de una apreciacion compartida de los avisos. Los tropos pueden asi estimular a la gente a pensar y hablar sobre informacion que de otra manera ignorarian. Como resultado, esta informacion es preparada, incrementando las chances de influenciar el comportamiento relevante. Al mismo tiempo, el uso de tropos puede tener efectos secundarios no deseados tales como la produccion de incomprension o desentendimiento de los significados del mensaje. Author Affiliation: (1)Department of Business Communication Studies, Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen, NL 6500 HD, The Netherlands (2)Department of Afrikaans & Theory of Literature, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa Article note: Hans Hoeken; e-mail: h.hoeken@let.ru.nl

Text formats that follow a hypertext design are more readable than documents presented in linear format, as revealed by a study involving 46 first-year Dutch students. By exposing the subject to online reading and text tasks, it was shown that text transcribed in hypertext format was read faster by students compared to the linear text format. However, the results do not imply that linear text format contribute to inferior reading results.

Document designers who present procedural instructions can choose several formats: prose, table, logical tree, or flow chart. In all cases, however, it is essential that the instructions are ordered in a way that allows users to reach the outcome in as little time as possible. In this article two formal methods are discussed that help determine which order is most efficient. The first method is based on the selection principle. The second method is based on the principle of the average least effort.

An advanced online advisory system, which is an integral part of any sophisticated authoring system, offers guidelines and tips to authors by providing them with easy access to relevant information required in creating a text. This service proves its versatility to writers by providing for user-friendly transformation of the text processing software into online communications.

Many government services are underused because the paperwork is complex and was designed without the appropriate audience in mind. Moreover, most people do not adequately read instructions. Government form compilers make incorrect assumptions concerning the respondents' attitudes, ability and knowledge. Compilers expect that respondents will read the whole form and have a higher reading level than most possess, while assuming an unavailable background knowledge. Reductions in the forms' complexity are necessary, as well as changing the respondents' attitudes toward reading instructions.

Objectives: This study compared the effects of two types of health warnings on cigarette packages: 'narrative visual warnings', showing an image portraying people plus a corresponding slogan that could evoke a story-like interpretation, and 'non-narrative visual warnings' with non-narrative content (i.e. body parts). Moreover, the mechanisms underlying the effects of these health warnings were explored. Design: A within-participants experiment was conducted comparing narrative and non-narrative visual warnings. Path analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between the narrative concepts transportation and identification, the emotions evoked by the health warning and the perceived effectiveness of the message. Method: Participants (N = 200) were presented with one narrative warning and one non-narrative warning. After each warning, they answered questions on narrative perception, transportation, identification, emotions and perceived effectiveness. Results: The narrative warnings were seen as more story-like than the non-narrative warnings. There was a statistical trend for narrative warnings to be perceived as more effective than the non-narratives. The narrative warnings caused more transportation, fear, sadness, compassion and anger; the non-narrative warnings evoked more disgust and surprise. For the narrative warnings, both narrative concepts of transportation and identification were directly related to perceived effectiveness, and also indirectly via sadness. For the non-narrative warnings, transportation was related to perceived effectiveness, both directly and indirectly via disgust. Conclusion: Seeing a story in a still picture with a slogan helps to increase the effectiveness of the antismoking message. Both narrative and non-narrative visual warnings may persuade receivers directly, but also by the evoking of emotions, although the specific emotions responsible for the persuasive effects may differ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of a health-related fotonovela about crystal meth (S-methamphetamine hydrochloride) among "Colored" people (an ethnic label for people of mixed race) in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Crystal meth use is most common among Colored people in this province and it is considered a major social problem. The fotonovela was compared to a no-message control group and a traditional brochure in a randomized controlled trial (N = 303). The fotonovela outperformed the control condition for knowledge level and it outperformed the traditional brochure on intention toward starting conversations about crystal meth. Especially readers with relatively low levels of education clearly preferred the fotonovela over the traditional brochure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]