A written examination may discriminate against candidates if the reading difficulty level of the test is higher than the minimum educational level required for entry into the position for which the examination is used as a screening device. Tests used for examining applicants for positions in a large heterogeneous merit jurisdiction and in a city police department were assessed for reading level required for comprehension of test content, using the SMOG index. Of the 134 examinations developed by the merit system, 47 percent required a reading level above the minimum educational requirement, and for jobs with no minimum educational requirement, 44 percent required a reading level beyond high school. Of six purchased professionally developed tests used by this merit system, however, only one required verbal facility above the educational level required for the job for which it is used. Of the six police department tests, all required a reading level above the minimum entry educational attainment requirement. It is recommended that tests be more carefully evaluated from the point of view of reading difficulty, and that those tests which exceed in reading difficulty the minimum educational qualifications for the job be revised to reduce this discrepancy. (Author)