Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

arrow_back_ios_new
MENTAL MODEL · M2381

Gunning Fog Index

Gunning Fog Index
CultureHigh supportLinguistics
Included
account_tree

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

A calculation formula that estimates the years of education required to understand a text based on the average sentence length and the proportion of complex words. The higher the index, the more foggy (difficult to read) the text.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Language simplification. After writing an article, test it. If the index shows that a PhD is needed to understand it, but your audience is the general public, immediately shorten long sentences and replace big words with colloquial expressions.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

The Gunning Fog Index uses sentence length and the proportion of difficult words to estimate the years of education required to understand a text; the higher it is, the harder to read.

MINIMUM ACTION

In progress 0/1

Practice this model in one real situation:

Check to track your progress (stored locally)
Learning progress0%
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more

Source support: Explicit

  • link
    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunning_fog_indexZH · Explicit
    verified

RELATED MODELS

Related model

Split-Attention Effect

When learners must mentally integrate separated information sources that need to be understood together, extra search and alignment can increase cognitive load and interfere with learning.

arrow_forwardRelated model

Idea Debt

The accumulation of ideas in your mind that you want to do but haven't done yet.

arrow_forwardRelated model

Pinocchio Effect

Although the nose does not grow longer, research has found that when people lie, the temperature around the tip of the nose rises due to blood flow (visible on thermal imaging), sometimes causing people to unconsciously touch their nose.

arrow_forward