Test for Evaluation of Printed Educational Materials What Is Cloze Procedure?
The cloze procedure is a widely used method for evaluating the comprehensibility of written texts. Derived from the concept of “closure” in Gestalt psychology, the cloze procedure involves systematically removing words from a passage and asking the reader to fill in the blanks with appropriate words. This method helps assess how well a reader understands and processes the context of the text.
Key Aspects of Cloze Procedure:
- Contextual Understanding: Unlike readability formulas that provide a grade-level estimate of text difficulty, the cloze procedure considers the context in which words are used. This method helps evaluate not just the readability but also the reader’s ability to understand and reconstruct meaning from the text.
- Procedure: In the cloze test, every nth word (often every fifth word) is deleted from a passage. The reader is asked to replace the missing words based on the context provided by the surrounding text. The number of correctly filled blanks is used to calculate the reader’s score.
- Scoring: The cloze score is determined by the number of correct word replacements. The final score can be converted into a percentage to assess the reader’s understanding. For example, if a passage contains 20 blanks and the reader correctly fills in 15, their score would be 75%.
- Assessment: A high cloze score indicates that the reader can effectively use contextual clues to understand the material, reflecting a good grasp of the text’s content and structure.
- Application: The cloze procedure is particularly useful in evaluating the appropriateness of educational texts for specific audiences. It helps identify texts that match the readers’ comprehension levels and can be applied to various types of instructional materials.
Advantages of Cloze Procedure:
- Contextual Evaluation: Provides insight into how well readers can use context to infer missing information.
- Adaptability: Can be used to assess various types of written materials, including health education literature.
- Detailed Feedback: Offers specific feedback on comprehension based on context rather than just readability.
Limitations:
- Complexity: Requires more time and resources compared to readability formulas.
- Reader Level: Not suitable for readers with lower literacy levels, as it may be too challenging for them.
Best Use of Cloze Test
The cloze test is best utilized in specific scenarios where understanding of health education materials needs to be assessed. It is particularly useful in the following contexts:
- Individual Assessment: Administer the cloze test to individual clients who show difficulties with comprehending health materials. This approach helps identify specific areas where a reader might struggle.
- Sample Testing: Instead of administering the test to every patient, it is recommended to use a representative sample of consumers. This approach helps gather general insights into the effectiveness of educational materials without overwhelming individual patients.
- Material Comparison: Use the cloze test to compare the readability and comprehensibility of different texts covering similar content. This comparison can help select the most appropriate material for the target audience.
- High Literacy Levels: The cloze test should be administered to individuals with reading skills at the sixth grade level or higher. For readers below this level, the test may be too challenging and not provide accurate results.
- Feedback and Improvement: Analyze the results to make informed revisions to educational materials, ensuring they are appropriate for the intended audience.
What Is Listening Test?
The listening test is another valuable method for assessing comprehension, particularly for individuals with lower literacy levels. Unlike the cloze procedure, which requires reading skills, the listening test evaluates comprehension through oral instruction.
Key Aspects of Listening Test:
- Procedure: Select a passage from instructional materials that takes about 3 minutes to read aloud and is written at approximately the fifth-grade level. After reading the passage to the participant, ask 5 to 10 short questions related to the content of the passage.
- Questioning: The questions should focus on key points from the passage to assess how well the listener has understood and remembered the information. Record the listener’s responses for evaluation.
- Scoring: Calculate the percentage of correct answers by dividing the number of questions answered correctly by the total number of questions. For example, if the participant answers 8 out of 10 questions correctly, their score would be 80%.
- Interpretation:
- 75% – 89%: Indicates that the material is appropriate for the client’s comprehension level, though some additional assistance might be needed for complete understanding.
- 90% or higher: Suggests that the material is easily understood by the client and can be comprehended independently.
- Less than 75%: Implies that the material is too difficult, and simpler instructional material should be used.
Advantages of Listening Test:
- Accessibility: Suitable for individuals with low literacy levels who may struggle with reading but can comprehend spoken instructions.
- Practicality: Takes less time to administer compared to developing and scoring cloze tests.
- Direct Feedback: Provides immediate feedback on comprehension based on oral instruction, which can be particularly useful in healthcare settings.
Limitations:
- Development Time: Requires time to create and formulate questions, although administration is relatively quick.
- Variable Listening Skills: Comprehension might vary based on the participant’s listening skills and attention levels.
Conclusion
Both the cloze procedure and the listening test offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of printed educational materials. While the cloze procedure assesses comprehension through written context and is best suited for higher literacy levels, the listening test provides a practical solution for evaluating understanding among individuals with lower literacy. Using these methods in conjunction with readability formulas can help ensure that educational materials are both readable and comprehensible, ultimately enhancing patient education and care outcomes.