Re: Public Information

["DAVE GILMORE" <DGILMORE@navajo.astate.edu>]

Andy Mattox wrote:
 The idea that the average level of education in this
> country is between grades six and eight is preposterous. I certainly
> wouldn't accept something like this as fact without good insights into the
> data. Maybe they factor in all of the population regardless of age, those
> septuplets would certainly lower the average.

My understanding is that the newspapers are written to be understood 
at that level, not that this is the level of education.  We all 
understand the scientific papers in our field, but what's easier to 
read, those, or a newspaper?  The newspapers are simply written to 
make them easy to read without having to think hard, wrestle over big 
words, etc.  That doesn't mean that the public isn't capable of 
understanding text written at a higher age level, but when you're 
selling newspapers, you want to to be read, and the easier the 
better, the more likely someone will pay for your newspaper.

Sorry if this is becoming off-topic...

HANDBELL PEOPLE have all gone campan-

David F. Gilmore
Assistant Professor of Environmental Biology   
P.O. Box 599, Dept. of Biological Sciences  
Arkansas State University 
State University, AR 72467
dgilmore@navajo.astate.edu
ph  501-972-3082    fax 501-972-2638