HarderToRead

HarderToRead is a term used to describe written content that is more difficult for readers to process than standard or expected. In typography and readability research, it may refer to text with higher cognitive load or perceptual difficulty, due to factors such as complex sentence structure, specialized or abstract vocabulary, dense information packaging, or poor typographic choices.

Common factors include long sentences, nested clauses, low-frequency words, high syllable-to-word ratio, nominalizations, high lexical density, and organization that disrupts flow. Visual factors such as small font size, low contrast, crowded lines, wide line length, tight letterspacing, or decorative fonts can also contribute.

HarderToRead is used to analyze the accessibility of writing and to guide editorial and design decisions aimed at improving comprehension. In practice, researchers and practitioners may assess such text using readability formulas (for example, Flesch Reading Ease) or user testing to determine time to read, error rate, and perceived effort.

Interventions commonly recommended include simplifying syntax, using short sentences, replacing jargon with plain language, increasing typographic contrast, and improving layout with adequate white space and line length.

Some projects or datasets may label texts by their relative difficulty, categorizing segments as easy, intermediate, or harder to read, for use in experiments on reading strategies or in accessibility audits.

HarderToRead thus functions as a descriptor within broader discussions of readability, typography, and inclusive design.

See also: readability, legibility, typographic accessibility, plain language.