Using Gunnnig-Fog Index to Assess Instant Messages Readability from ECAs

In this paper, we examine the readability of the human-machine conversation transcripts in the instant messaging environment based on the Gunning-fog index. The study is based on an embodied conversational agent (ECA) called artificial intelligent natural-language identity (AINI) which was designed to mimic human conversation. The ECA is also expected to supply answers with a sense of humour. We report on the collection and analysis of a corpus containing over 3,280 utterances in a series of real instant messages exchanged between AINI with 65 online "buddies".

[1]  Naomi S. Baron.  Instant messaging and the future of language , 2005, CACM.

[2]  A. F. Rovers,et al.  HIM: a framework for haptic instant messaging , 2004, CHI EA '04.

[3]  Carolyn Snyder,et al.  Web Site Usability: A Designer's Guide , 1997 .

[4]  George Kingsley Zipf,et al.  Human behavior and the principle of least effort , 1949 .

[5]  James F. Allen,et al.  A Task-Based Evaluation of the TRAINS-95 Dialogue System , 1996, ECAI Workshop on Dialogue Processing in Spoken Language Systems.

[6]  Sylvana Sofkova Hashemi,et al.  Exploring the Writing of Children and Adolescents in the Information Society , 2004 .

[7]  S. Livingstone,et al.  UK children go online: surveying the experiences of young people and their parents , 2004 .

[8]  Leysia Palen,et al.  Instant messaging in teen life , 2002, CSCW '02.

[9]  William H. DuBay.  The Principles of Readability. , 2004 .

[10]  Kok Wai Wong,et al.  A multilevel natural language query approach conversational agent systems , 2007 .

[11]  Amanda Lenhart,et al.  How Americans Use Instant Messaging , 2004 .

[12]  Scott E. Hudson,et al.  Communication characteristics of instant messaging: effects and predictions of interpersonal relationships , 2006, CSCW '06.

[13]  Steve Whittaker,et al.  The character, functions, and styles of instant messaging in the workplace , 2002, CSCW '02.

[14]  James D. Herbsleb,et al.  Introducing instant messaging and chat in the workplace , 2002, CHI.

[16]  Jacki O'Neill,et al.  Text chat in action , 2003, GROUP.

[17]  Kok Wai Wong,et al.  A Crisis Communication Network Based on Embodied Conversational Agents System with Mobile Services , 2006 .

[18]  Ong Sing Goh,et al.  A Black-box Approach for Response Quality Evaluation of Conversational Agent Systems , 2007 .

[19]  Lucius Adelno Sherman,et al.  Analytics of Literature: A Manual for the Objective Study of English Prose and Poetry , 2009 .

[20]  Dekang Lin,et al.  Dependency-Based Evaluation of Minipar , 2003 .