5 | Prose is clear, concise, and direct. Based on user needs and provides a logical user pathway to an action. Format optimizes content clarity, provides an intuitive user experience, and enables interactivity when necessary. - Measures at a 5th-8th grade reading level.
- Language is inclusive and uses words and grammar appropriately.
- No passive voice.
- Grammar score is at 90 or above.
- Answers a clear, distinct question or problem based on user research.
- Has a clear owner and timeline for refresh.
- Ready for publication.
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4 | Generally effective. Clear, well structured, supports a general concept and uses language understandable to a wide audience. Supports user needs with actionable information. May benefit from additional consolidation, editing or a different format. - Measures at 9th grade reading level
- Language is inclusive, but uses language that references old adages, titles that were historically inappropriate.
- Grammar score is at 80 or above.
- Very few instances of passive voice.
- Answers a clear, distinct question or problem based on user research.
- Has a clear owner and timeline for refresh.
- Ready for publication, but ready for iteration.
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3 | Meets basic requirements, but has noticeable shortcomings. May be disorganized, difficult to follow, redundant or attempts to cover more than one subject. Has multiple goals and/or calls to action. - Measures at the 10-12th grade reading level
- Language attempts to be inclusive, but uses words inappropriately in specific places.
- Grammar score at 70 or above.
- Some passive voice.
- Partially answers a distinct question or problem based on user needs.
- Has multiple owners, but a timeline for refresh.
- May be published in an emergency, but must be revised within 48 hours.
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2 | Below acceptable standards. Poor organization, ineffective sentence construction, unnecessary details and imprecise or misleading wording, incomplete, repetitive or uses excessive jargon. May include typos, broken links or other proofreading errors. - Measures above 12th grade reading level
- Language attempts to be inclusive, but uses words inappropriately throughout the text.
- Grammar score at 60 or above.
- Some passive voice.
- Partially answers a distinct question or problem based on user needs.
- Clear owner of the content, but no timeline for refresh.
- Not ready for publication.
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1 | Inaccurate, unnecessary or so poorly written that it’s likely to confuse or mislead users. May include dense prose, acronyms and irrelevant material and located in a place that doesn’t match users expectations. - Post-graduate reading level (i.e. muni code and heavy legal language).
- Language is exclusive, and clearly implies bias based on race, gender, sexuality and/or citizenship status.
- Grammar score of 50 or above.
- Heavy use of passive voice.
- Does not directly address a user based question or need.
- No owner of the content and no timeline for refresh.
- Not ready for publication.
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