According to this scale, your document is <% if analysis.forcast_grade_level.round > 12 %> Understandable by a <%= (analysis.forcast_grade_level.round - 12).ordinalize %>-year college student. <% else %> Understandable by a <%= analysis.forcast_grade_level.round.ordinalize %>-grade reader. <% end %>

The FORCAST Readability Formula was first published by UNESCO’s International Institute for Adult Literacy in 1973 in the Literacy Discussion journal. It focuses on functional literacy and how likely it is the average reader will completely understand a passage.

This formula is recommended for short-form nonfiction applications such as multiple-choice quizzes, tests, entrance forms, and technical regulations, as well as when documents include many tables or lists.

A higher score on this scale indicates a document is harder to understand.