This Bachelor’s thesis in Creative Writing examines how to use metaphors and poetic language in Easy Language/Easy Readers novels. The purpose is to find out how a poetic approach to Easy Language can contribute to a more artistic and literary way of writing, while still keeping in mind the target readers of the text. These readers often face challenges when it comes to reading texts written in standard language. The method includes an analysis of two Easy Language novels in Swedish, Vilhelm Moberg’s Sista brevet till Sverige retold by Johan Werkmäster and Det som inte får hända by Emma Frey-Skøtt, as well as experimentation with writing a new text. The conclusion is that there are many ways to use metaphors and poetic language without making the text more difficult. / <p>C-uppsats i Kreativt skrivande</p>

Bakgrund: Mätning av rörlighet är en elementär del i fysioterapeutiska bedömningar. Spondartrit är en kronisk inflammatorisk sjukdom som framför allt drabbar ryggraden och kan medföra kyfotisk hållning. Mätning av cervikal rörlighet är en del i den kliniska undersökningen av denna patientgrupp och utförs idag med Myrinmätare. Easy Angle är ett nylanserat digitalt mätinstrument som mäter rörlighet i kroppens alla leder. Den behöver dock utvärderas för att kunna användas i klinik.   Syfte: Undersöka mätegenskaper för Easy Angle avseende samtidig validitet samt att undersöka inter- och intrabedömarreliabilitet för Easy Angle och Myrinmätare hos personer med spondartrit.   Metod: Den samtidiga validiteten utvärderades genom att jämföra Easy Angle mot Myrinmätaren. Intra- och interbedömarreliabiliteten utvärderades genom test-retest-förfarande mellan samma mätare och två olika mätare för båda mätinstrumenten. Nitton personer med diagnosen spondartrit genomförde studien. Mätningarna utfördes från höger till vänster sida i given ordning: rotation, lateralflexion, flexion, extension. Den samtidiga validiteten beräknades med Spearmans korrelation (rs) och intra- och interbedömarreliabiliteten beräknades med Interclass correlation (ICC).   Resultat: Resultaten från denna studie påvisar en hög till mycket hög samtidig validitet (rs 0,86–0,95) samt nästintill perfekt intrabedömarreliabilitet för både Easy Angle (ICC 0,90–98) och Myrin (ICC 0,95–0,98) samt mycket hög interbedömarreliabilitet för Easy Angle (ICC 0,95–0,98) och Myrin (ICC 0,92–0,98).    Slutsats: Det förelåg en hög samtidig validitet hos EasyAngle när den jämfördes mot Myrinmätare och en näst intill perfekt intra- och interbedömarreliabilitet för både EasyAngle och Myrinmätaren. Slutsatsen är att Myrinmätare och Easy Angle är utbytbara. Fördelarna med Easy Angle är att fler leder kan mätas med samma instrument, att den inte är känslig för lägesändringar och mer hygienisk. / Background: Measurement of range of motion is an elementary part of physiotherapeutic assessments. Spondarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine and can lead to a kyfotic stance. Measurement of cervical range of motion is part of the clinical examination for this patient group. Easy Angle is a newly launched digital measuring instrument that measures joint range of motion. However, it needs to be validated to be used in clinics.   Objective: This study examined the current validity, inter-tester and intra-tester reliability of Easy Angle and Myrin for the measurement of active cervical range of motion among patients with spondarthritis.   Method: Nineteen individuals with spondarthritis participated in this study. The examiners measured cervical range of motion of each participant. The concurrent validity was evaluated by comparing Easy Angle to the Myrin. Intra- and inter-tester reliability was evaluated by test-retest procedure. Estimates of validity and reliability were then established using the Spearman correlation coefficient and Interclass correlation coefficient. The concurrent validity was concluded with Spearman's correlation (rs) and intra- and inter-tester reliability was calculated using Interclass correlation (ICC).   Results: This study found high to very high concurrent validity (rs 0.86–0.95), almost perfect intra-tester reliability in both Easy Angle (ICC 0,90–0,98) and Myrin (ICC 0,95–0,98) and a very high inter-tester reliability for Easy Angle (ICC 0,95–0,98) and Myrin (ICC 0,92–0,98).   Conclusion: The study found no significant differences between the Myrin and Easy Angle, indicating that Myrin and Easy Angle are interchangeable. However, the benefit of Easy Angle is that more joints can be measured with the same instrument, that it is not sensitive to movement and that it is more hygienic.

O presente trabalho apresenta uma discussão de metodologia para o diagnóstico e ações para redução de perdas de água, auxiliando na determinação do perfil das perdas, permitindo uma melhor priorização das ações de combate e redução de perdas reais (físicas) e perdas aparentes (comerciais). Para o desenvolvimento desta metodologia, foi realizada uma ampla revisão bibliográfica, onde é apresentada a conceituação geral sobre perdas de água, suas causas e ocorrências, indicadores, ações para redução, e uma abordagem detalhada quanto às metodologias existentes para avaliação de perdas e ferramentas disponíveis para isto. A metodologia aqui aplicada desenvolve a avaliação das perdas através do balanço hídrico, utilizando o software gratuito desenvolvido pelo Banco Mundial (W-B Easy Calc - v1.17), e foi aplicada no sistema de abastecimento de água da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP). Foram levantados os dados básicos de controle do sistema e realizados ensaios de campo, com medições de pressão e ensaios para determinação das perdas aparentes. Como estudo de caso, a metodologia foi aplicada em três setores de abastecimento da área central da RMSP, com características distintas. Os resultados do diagnóstico das perdas foram coerentes com as expectativas. Em função dos resultados, em cada setor deverá ser desenvolvida uma estratégia específica para a redução de perdas. / This study presents a discussion of a methodology for diagnosis and actions to reduce water losses, to assist in determining the profile of water losses, allowing a better prioritization of actions to combat and reduce real (physical) losses and apparent (commercial) losses. For developing the methodology, it was conducted an extensive bibliography review, where is presented the general concepts on water losses, its causes and events, indicators, actions to reduce, and a detailed discussion about the existing methodologies to assess losses and tools available for this. The applied methodology consists of an assessment of losses through the water balance, using free software developed by the World Bank (WB Easy Calc - v1.17) and it was applied in the water supply system in metropolitan region of Sao Paulo. To do this, it was necessary to collect basic data of system control and field tests, with pressure measurements and tests to determine apparent losses. As case study, the methodology was applied in three supply zones at the central area of metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, with different characteristics. The results of water losses diagnosis were consistent with expectations. With these results, a specific strategy should be developed in each sector for reducing losses.

O presente trabalho apresenta uma discussão de metodologia para o diagnóstico e ações para redução de perdas de água, auxiliando na determinação do perfil das perdas, permitindo uma melhor priorização das ações de combate e redução de perdas reais (físicas) e perdas aparentes (comerciais). Para o desenvolvimento desta metodologia, foi realizada uma ampla revisão bibliográfica, onde é apresentada a conceituação geral sobre perdas de água, suas causas e ocorrências, indicadores, ações para redução, e uma abordagem detalhada quanto às metodologias existentes para avaliação de perdas e ferramentas disponíveis para isto. A metodologia aqui aplicada desenvolve a avaliação das perdas através do balanço hídrico, utilizando o software gratuito desenvolvido pelo Banco Mundial (W-B Easy Calc - v1.17), e foi aplicada no sistema de abastecimento de água da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP). Foram levantados os dados básicos de controle do sistema e realizados ensaios de campo, com medições de pressão e ensaios para determinação das perdas aparentes. Como estudo de caso, a metodologia foi aplicada em três setores de abastecimento da área central da RMSP, com características distintas. Os resultados do diagnóstico das perdas foram coerentes com as expectativas. Em função dos resultados, em cada setor deverá ser desenvolvida uma estratégia específica para a redução de perdas. / This study presents a discussion of a methodology for diagnosis and actions to reduce water losses, to assist in determining the profile of water losses, allowing a better prioritization of actions to combat and reduce real (physical) losses and apparent (commercial) losses. For developing the methodology, it was conducted an extensive bibliography review, where is presented the general concepts on water losses, its causes and events, indicators, actions to reduce, and a detailed discussion about the existing methodologies to assess losses and tools available for this. The applied methodology consists of an assessment of losses through the water balance, using free software developed by the World Bank (WB Easy Calc - v1.17) and it was applied in the water supply system in metropolitan region of Sao Paulo. To do this, it was necessary to collect basic data of system control and field tests, with pressure measurements and tests to determine apparent losses. As case study, the methodology was applied in three supply zones at the central area of metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, with different characteristics. The results of water losses diagnosis were consistent with expectations. With these results, a specific strategy should be developed in each sector for reducing losses.

In the current landscape of Sweden, easy-to-read literature demand is surging. But the opinions of its shape and form are being questioned: is this type of literature in reality easier to understand, or is the removed content in fact making it less comprehensive? The study’s purpose is to analyze easy-to-read literature’s ability to manage complex motives, and if it changes the reading experience from the original. To attempt that, the study uses a comparative analysis of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and punishment and its easy-to-read adaptation, written by Johan Werkmäster. To understand how Werkmäster’s adaptation manages complex motives, the comparative analysis uses three motives from Professor George Strem, who argues that Crime and punishment is built on suffering, humility and the ideal of the Superman. To answer whether the easy-to-read version changes the reading experience or not, the study uses Professor Rita Felski’s terminology of chock and Anna Nordenstam and Christina Olin-Scheller’s identification.   The analysis shows that the easy-to-read version of Crime and punishment maintains the main story but excludes the ideal of the Superman, which alters the understanding of suffering and humility. As a consequence this also means Felski’s chock is replaced by Nordenstam and Olin-Scheller’s identification, showing that the reading experience is indeed changed.    The conclusion is that the changes in the adaptation cause problems regarding the reader’s ability to understand Raskolnikov. The result also leads to question what the most important factor is when reading easy-to-read literature. Whereas the authors and publishers argue that literacy and motivation is essential to the target audience, Felski and Nordenstam and Olin-Scheller claim that the reading experience is more important. This shows the need of more science in this area to create a consensus of what easy-to-read literature should be, and how it best helps the readers develop their reading ability.

No description available.

<p>Syftet med vårt examensarbete är att skapa ett informationsmaterial för nyinflyttade i Västerås kommun som så många som möjligt ska kunna ta del av. Vårt mål är att både lässvaga och lässtarka människor ska känna sig lika betydelsefulla när de läser informationsmaterialet. Vår forskningsfråga är därför: Går det att kombinera principerna för informationsdesign och principerna för lättläst för att nå både en lässvag och en lässtark grupp så att båda känner sig lika viktiga och tar till sig budskapet? Och om det går, hur kan man då gå tillväga?</p><p>Vår uppdragsgivare är Centrum för lättläst som arbetar med att göra information tillgänglig för dem som har svårt att läsa. De behöver ett utprovat referensmaterial av ett lättillgängligt informationsmaterial som de kan visa upp för olika kommuner i sitt arbete mot ett tillgängligt samhälle.</p><p>För att besvara vår forskningsfråga använder vi oss av litteraturstudier, samt kvalitativa och kvantitativa studier i form av utprovningar. Resultaten från utprovningarna är avgörande för hur informationsmaterialet bearbetas och färdigställs.</p><p>Vår slutsats för examensarbetet är att principerna för informationsdesign och principerna för lättläst är en bra kombination för att göra ett informationsmaterial tillgängligt. För att veta hur tillgängligt ett material är krävs utprovningar på olika målgrupper. Varje målgrupp har sina egna behov och det är omöjligt att tillfredställa <em>alla</em> med ett och samma informationsmaterial. Våra utprovningar visar däremot att det går att nå flera <em>olika</em> målgrupper med ett och samma informationsmaterial.</p>

Many texts we encounter in our everyday lives are lexically and syntactically very complex. This makes them difficult to understand for people with intellectual or reading impairments, and difficult for various natural language processing systems to process. This motivated the need for text simplification (TS) which transforms texts into their simpler variants. Given that this is still a relatively new research area, many challenges are still remaining. The focus of this thesis is on better understanding the current problems in automatic text simplification (ATS) and proposing new data-driven approaches to solving them. We propose methods for learning sentence splitting and deletion decisions, built upon parallel corpora of original and manually simplified Spanish texts, which outperform the existing similar systems. Our experiments in adaptation of those methods to different text genres and target populations report promising results, thus offering one possible solution for dealing with the scarcity of parallel corpora for text simplification aimed at specific target populations, which is currently one of the main issues in ATS. The results of our extensive analysis of the phrase-based statistical machine translation (PB-SMT) approach to ATS reject the widespread assumption that the success of that approach largely depends on the size of the training and development datasets. They indicate more influential factors for the success of the PB-SMT approach to ATS, and reveal some important differences between cross-lingual MT and the monolingual v MT used in ATS. Our event-based system for simplifying news stories in English (EventSimplify) overcomes some of the main problems in ATS. It does not require a large number of handcrafted simplification rules nor parallel data, and it performs significant content reduction. The automatic and human evaluations conducted show that it produces grammatical text and increases readability, preserving and simplifying relevant content and reducing irrelevant content. Finally, this thesis addresses another important issue in TS which is how to automatically evaluate the performance of TS systems given that access to the target users might be difficult. Our experiments indicate that existing readability metrics can successfully be used for this task when enriched with human evaluation of grammaticality and preservation of meaning.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the differences and similarities between the original version and an easy-to-read version of Selma Lagerlöfs novel Gösta Berlings saga. The method used is close reading of the two versions and thereby analysing descriptions of the environment, descriptions and psychological depth of the protagonist, missing chapters and changes of the plot. The results show that 21 chapters along with large parts from some of the remaining chapters are missing in the easy-to-read version due to not being necessary to the main story line. An alteration has been made in order to make the story line chronological. The use of invocation and personification of nature by Lagerlöf are missing in the easy-to-read version. There is also fewer details mentioned about the environments in the novel, which is resulting in the reader having to fill in the gaps on his own. The descriptions of the protagonist are few and over all quite similar, though some details are left out in the easy-to-read version and some clarifications have been made. There is a bigger difference between how thoughts and feelings are described in the texts, resulting in Gösta being a round and dynamic character in the original version and somewhat more flat and static in the easy-to-read version. These differances effect how a classroom discussion might be implemented, since the teacher must adjust the conversation so that it may be relevant for all participants.

<p><strong><strong>Uppsatsens titel:</strong></strong></p><p>Lättläst – för alla?</p><p><strong>Key words: </strong></p><p>Easy-to-Read (Lättläst)<em>, </em>Printed matter (Trycksak)<em>, </em>Readability (Läsbarhet)<em>, </em>Legibility (Läslighet), Reading value (Läsvärde).</p><p><strong>Syfte: </strong></p><p>Vårt syfte med examensarbetet var att med text och layout framställa ett lättläst material, i tryckt form, anpassat till målgruppen.</p><p><strong>Frågeställningar:</strong></p><p>Går det att framställa ett lättläst och tydligt informationsmaterial som fungerar för alla?</p><p>Om det inte går att framställa ett informationsmaterial som fungerar för alla, behövs i stället olika versioner för att alla ska förstå? I så fall hur många versioner?</p><p>Hur ska materialet anpassas till målgruppen när det gäller språkutformning och layout?</p><p><strong>Teori:</strong></p><p> </p><p>Vårt arbetssätt följde den hermeneutiska spiralen. Vi gick från förförståelse och tolkning genom litteratursökning, tidigare forskning och analysering av material och målgrupp, till erfarenheter genom utprovningar. Därefter reviderade vi materialet och vidgade förståelsen genom nya utprovningar och fick återigen ny erfarenhet. Vi fick på så sätt påtaglig kunskap om målgruppens krav och behov.</p><p><strong>Metod:</strong><strong> </strong></p><p>Vi valde att arbeta både kvantitativt och kvalitativt, genom att utföra enkätundersökning samt intervju. Vi använde oss av båda tillvägagångssätten eftersom de kompletterade varandra. De metoder som vi använde oss av var litteratursökning, analysering av material samt målgruppsanalys (intervju- och enkätmetodik). Vi arbetade efter en iterativ metod, det vill säga fortlöpande utprovningar. Under utprovningarna använde vi "tänka högt"-metoden, prestationstest samt synpunkter från experter.</p><p><strong><strong>Slutsats:</strong></strong></p><p>Vår slutsats var att det gick att framställa ett lättläst och tydligt informationsmaterial som fungerade för alla i vår målgrupp, oavsett ålder, kön och bakgrund. Genom utprovningarna framkom det att samtliga av testpersonerna föredrog vår lättlästa version och ingen ansåg att texten var för lätt. Tvärtom var alla positiva till förändringarna i materialet eftersom de förstod informationen och tyckte att innehållet var relevant. Vi skapade ett lättläst material genom att till exempel använda konkreta ord, korta meningar utan bisatser, ordförklaringar, luftig layout samt överskådligt innehåll med tydliga och kortfattade rubriker.</p><p> </p>