CS170: Programming for the World Around Us - Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level (100 Points)

Assignment Goals

The goals of this assignment are:

1. To implement a mathematical formula in Python or on the micro:bit

The Assignment

The Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level is a measurement of the writing level of text. It calculates the recommended grade level for the reader of the text using the following formula:

\(gradeLevel = 0.39 \times wps + 11.8 \times spw - 11.59\)

Where wps is the number of words per sentence, and spw is the number of syllables per word in the text. In this lab, you will write a program either in Python or using the micro:bit to implement this formula.

What to Do

Write a program to input the wps and spw variables and implement the formula using micro:bit or Python.

If you are Using Python

In python, you can input a floating point value (a decimal value like 4.5) like this:

wps = input("Enter the number of words per sentence:") 
wps = float(wps) # convert from text to a floating point number

With the micro:bit, you can enter the values as variables in the on start block.

Calculate the Flesch-Kincaid reading level and display it as output.

What inputs would give you a grade level between 4 and 5?

What grade level do you think a typical newspaper targets? Count a few sentences of a news article and try it out! Write down which article you used and what results you obtained.

Extra Credit (10%): Write the Other Version

For extra credit, implement your program using both Python and the micro:bit! Be sure to submit both versions.

Extra Credit (10%): Calling the Program with Real Text

These functions will count the number of words per sentence and syllables per word of a text variable. Paste these into your python program and modify your program to input a few sentences of text from the keyboard to compute the reading level.

def numSyllables(s):
  return sum(list(map(lambda x: 1 if x in ["a","i","e","o","u","y","A","E","I","O","U","y"] else 0,s)))

def numWords(s):
  return len(s.split(" "))

def numSentences(s):
  return sum(list(map(lambda x: 1 if x in [".", "!", "?"] else 0,s)))

def numWordsPerSentence(s):
  if numSentences(s) == 0:
    return 0
  else:
    return numWords(s) / numSentences(s)

def numSyllablesPerWord(s):
  if numWords(s) == 0:
    return 0
    
  syllables = 0
  for word in s.split(" "):
    syllables += numSyllables(word)

  return syllables / numWords(s)

What to Turn In

When you’re done, write a README for your project, and save all your files, before exporting your project to ZIP. Using micro:bit, you can right-click in your code space, and choose the Snapshot menu to save a screenshot of your code to ZIP and submit. In your README, answer any bolded questions presented on this page. In addition, write a few paragraphs describing what you did, how you did it, and how to use your program. If your program requires the user to type something in, describe that here. If you wrote functions to help solve your problem, what are they, and what do they do? Imagine that you are giving your program to another student in the class, and you want to explain to them how to use it. What would you tell them? Imagine also that another student had given you the functions that you wrote for your program: what would you have wished that you knew about how to call those functions?

Submission

In your submission, please include answers to any questions asked on the assignment page in your README file. If you wrote code as part of this assignment, please describe your design, approach, and implementation in your README file as well. Finally, include answers to the following questions:

• Describe what you did, how you did it, what challenges you encountered, and how you solved them.
• Please answer any questions found throughout the narrative of this assignment.
• If collaboration with a buddy was permitted, did you work with a buddy on this assignment? If so, who? If not, do you certify that this submission represents your own original work?
• Please identify any and all portions of your submission that were not originally written by you (for example, code originally written by your buddy, or anything taken or adapted from a non-classroom resource). It is always OK to use your textbook and instructor notes; however, you are certifying that any portions not designated as coming from an outside person or source are your own original work.
• Approximately how many hours it took you to finish this assignment (I will not judge you for this at all...I am simply using it to gauge if the assignments are too easy or hard)?
• Your overall impression of the assignment. Did you love it, hate it, or were you neutral? One word answers are fine, but if you have any suggestions for the future let me know.
• Using the grading specifications on this page, discuss briefly the grade you would give yourself and why. Discuss each item in the grading specification.
• Any other concerns that you have. For instance, if you have a bug that you were unable to solve but you made progress, write that here. The more you articulate the problem the more partial credit you will receive (it is fine to leave this blank).

Assignment Rubric

Description	Pre-Emerging (< 50%)	Beginning (50%)	Progressing (85%)	Proficient (100%)
Algorithm Implementation (60%)	The algorithm fails on the test inputs due to major issues, or the program fails to compile and/or run	The algorithm fails on the test inputs due to one or more minor issues	The algorithm is implemented to solve the problem correctly according to given test inputs, but would fail if executed in a general case due to a minor issue or omission in the algorithm design or implementation	A reasonable algorithm is implemented to solve the problem which correctly solves the problem according to the given test inputs, and would be reasonably expected to solve the problem in the general case
Code Quality and Documentation (30%)	Code commenting and structure are absent, or code structure departs significantly from best practice, and/or the code departs significantly from the style guide	Code commenting and structure is limited in ways that reduce the readability of the program, and/or there are minor departures from the style guide	Code documentation is present that re-states the explicit code definitions, and/or code is written that mostly adheres to the style guide	Code is documented at non-trivial points in a manner that enhances the readability of the program, and code is written according to the style guide
Writeup and Submission (10%)	An incomplete submission is provided, or the README file submitted is blank	The program is submitted, but not according to the directions in one or more ways (for example, because it is lacking a readme writeup or missing answers to written questions)	The program is submitted according to the directions with a minor omission or correction needed, including a readme writeup describing the solution and answering nearly all questions posed in the instructions	The program is submitted according to the directions, including a readme writeup describing the solution and answering all questions posed in the instructions

Please refer to the Style Guide for code quality examples and guidelines.