> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.learningcommons.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Reference Knowledge Demands

> Score how much a text's meaning relies on prior references, genre conventions, and cultural knowledge with the Intertextuality complexity evaluator.

[Evaluator last updated August 27, 2026.](#evaluator-release-history)

<EarlyAccess isBreaking={false} />

## Overview

The Reference Knowledge Demands evaluator assesses how much a text's meaning depends on relational knowledge – i.e., what a text assumes students have already encountered (from another text, a cultural reference, genre conventions, etc.) and then builds on to create meaning.

Reference knowledge demands are one of the least visible qualitative dimensions of text complexity – unlike [Vocabulary Complexity](/evaluators/text-complexity-evaluators/vocabulary-complexity) or [Sentence Structure](/evaluators/text-complexity-evaluators/sentence-structure), there is no word to flag or clause to count.

<Note>
  Reference Knowledge Demands is distinct from [Background Knowledge Demands](/evaluators/text-complexity-evaluators/background-knowledge-demands):

  * **Background Knowledge Demands** – Content that a text assumes (facts, concepts, domain knowledge)
  * **Reference Knowledge Demands** – Relational knowledge that a text assumes (prior encounters with texts, references and conventions)
</Note>

## At a glance

|                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| :------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Supported grades** | 3–12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| **Rubric**           | [Student Achievement Partners (SAP)](https://learnwithsap.org/) ↗'s [Qualitative Text Complexity Rubric for Informational Text](https://learnwithsap.b-cdn.net/app/uploads/2026/04/Qualitative-Text-Complexity-Rubric-Informational.pdf) ↗ (Intertextuality) |
| **Model used**       | Gemini 3 Flash preview (`gemini-3-flash-preview`) with temperature of 0 <Note>The evaluator was built and validated using this specific model and temperature. Other configurations will produce different results and may have lower accuracy.</Note>       |

## Getting started

Follow the [Quickstart](/evaluators/getting-started/quickstart) to start using this evaluator:

| Access method             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| :------------------------ | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Evaluators playground** | [View in Platform](https://platform.learningcommons.org/apps/evaluators/playground) ↗                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **SDK**                   | [TypeScript](https://github.com/learning-commons-org/evaluators/blob/main/sdks/typescript/src/evaluators/text-complexity/ela-reading/reference-knowledge-demands.ts) ↗                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Other**                 | [Python notebook](https://github.com/learning-commons-org/evaluators/blob/main/evals/text-complexity/ela-reading/reference-knowledge-demands/example_notebook.ipynb) ↗<br /><br />Prompts: [`system.txt`](https://github.com/learning-commons-org/evaluators/blob/main/evals/text-complexity/ela-reading/reference-knowledge-demands/system.txt) ↗ and [`user.txt`](https://github.com/learning-commons-org/evaluators/blob/main/evals/text-complexity/ela-reading/reference-knowledge-demands/user.txt) ↗ |

## Inputs

| Input           | Description                                                                        | Required |
| :-------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------- |
| **Text**        | Informational text to evaluate<br />10 - 10,000 words (\< 1,200 words recommended) | Yes      |
| **Grade level** | Target student grade level                                                         | Yes      |

## Output

| Field                | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| :------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Complexity score** | Reference Knowledge Demands complexity level, based on how many references or allusions are present, how central they are to meaning, and how widely accessible they are likely to be for students at the target grade.<ul><li><strong>Slightly complex</strong><ul><li>Few or no intertextual references</li><li>Any present are explained in the text or widely familiar</li><li>Meaning is self-contained</li></ul></li><li><strong>Moderately complex</strong><ul><li>Some references, allusions, or genre conventions</li><li>Generally accessible at grade level</li><li>Meaning is enriched but not dependent on them</li></ul></li><li><strong>Very complex</strong><ul><li>Multiple references central to meaning</li><li>Assumes familiarity with texts, cultural touchstones, or genre conventions not introduced in the text</li></ul></li><li><strong>Exceedingly complex</strong><ul><li>Dense, layered references essential to meaning</li><li>Assumes deep familiarity with a body of texts, traditions, or discourse not part of the text</li><li>Largely inaccessible without prior encounters</li></ul></li></ul> |
| **Reasoning**        | Synthesized decision that explains the rating and relevant context, cites specific references and their impact on comprehension, etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Details**          | Individual complexity factors driving the rating, how they manifest in the text, and how they affect the text's reference knowledge demands                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |

## Interpreting results

High or low complexity scores are not inherently good or bad. A higher complexity score simply indicates a text whose meaning depends more substantially on prior cultural or textual encounters.

<Info>
  **Example:** A "Very complex" or "Exceedingly complex" text may be ideal if
  the instructional goal is analyzing how authors use allusion and convention to
  build arguments. However, that same text may not be a good fit if the
  instructional goal is content comprehension.
</Info>

## Evaluator release history

| Date            | Changes              |
| --------------- | -------------------- |
| August 27, 2026 | Minor prompt updates |
| June 24, 2026   | First release        |

## Related topics

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Text Complexity evaluators" icon="book-open" href="/evaluators/text-complexity-evaluators/introduction">
    Explore other evaluators that assess qualitative text complexity.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Text Complexity dataset" icon="database" href="/evaluators/dataset/text-complexity">
    Explore the expert-annotated benchmark behind Text Complexity evaluators.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quickstart" icon="rocket" href="/evaluators/getting-started/quickstart">
    Run an evaluator in the Evaluators playground, a Python notebook, or with
    the SDK.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>