Capturing Second Language Writing Competence: Analysis of Shell Noun Use and Lexical Richness

Abstract This study investigates the developmental features of lexical richness in Chinese compositions by Cambodian native speakers (n = 40) and the relationship between lexical richness and writing quality in Chinese Second Language (CSL) writing from three dimensions of lexical variation, lexical sophistication and lexical error rate.The results show that with the improvement of Chinese level, there are notable increases in lexical variation (p = 0.000 < 0.05) and lexical sophistication (p = 0.000 < 0.05). As for lexical errors, the overall lexical error rate is decreasing. Among which, the form error rate is decreasing obviously (p = 0.000 < 0.05), while the usage error rate is increasing, but not significantly (p = 0.039 > 0.005). Multiple regression analysis shows that lexical sophistication and lexical error rate are more closely related to CSL writing quality, which can predict writing quality well, while lexical variation has less impact on writing quality.

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An Experiment in the Ability of Raters to Evaluate Lexis in Writing

Language in Focus ◽

10.1515/lifijsal-2015-0003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 38-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rachael Ruegg

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Second Language Writing ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Face Validity ◽

Lexical Variation ◽

Lexical Richness ◽

Corpus Studies ◽

Language Writing ◽

Lexical Content

Abstract For many years, people have considered lexis and grammar separately in the context of teaching and learning English. In the assessment of second language writing, lexis and grammar continue to be considered separately. However, recent corpus studies have questioned this approach and argued that lexis and grammar are fundamentally inseparable. While the assessment of lexis and grammar as two distinct qualities lends face validity to assessment criteria, the corpus literature suggests that raters may not be able to accurately distinguish the two. The current study examines the ability of raters to separate lexis and grammar when using an analytic rating scale to assess timed essays. In this experiment, the lexical content of 27 essays was manipulated before rating in order to determine the effect of lexical accuracy, lexical variation and lexical richness on lexis and grammar scores. From the results, it seems that raters are sensitive to lexical accuracy, but not lexical variation nor lexical richness. In addition, the manipulation of lexical qualities had a significant effect on grammar scores but not on lexis scores, supporting the idea that raters find it challenging to distinguish lexis from grammar

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A REVIEW OF THEORIES AND RESEARCH INTO SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

VNU Journal of Foreign Studies ◽

10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4371 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Duong Thu Mai

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Writing Assessment ◽

Second Language Writing ◽

Language Education ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Ministry Of Education ◽

Major Development ◽

Language Writing ◽

Criterion Referenced ◽

Writing Competence

As language assessment in Vietnam is being intensively attended to by the Ministry of Education and Training and is actually critically transformed, criterion-referenced assessment has gradually been a familiar term for language teachers, assessors and administrators. Although the name of the approach has been extensively used, most teachers of English at all levels of language education still face the challenge of identifying “criteria” for writing assessment scales. This paper attempts to provide a reference for teachers and researchers in second language writing concerning on the major development in the field in defining this construct of “writing competence”. The paper focuses more on the existing and published literature globally on English writing teaching approaches, research and practices. These contents are reviewed and summarized into two major strands: the product-oriented considerations and the process-oriented considerations.

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Exploring the Concept of Emergent Coherence in a Corpus of Korean EFL Texts

Learning Culture and Language through ICTs ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-166-7.ch009 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 139-152

Author(s):

Terence Murphy

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Writing ◽

Corpus Analysis ◽

Functional Linguistics ◽

Central Task ◽

Seven Principles ◽

Lexical Richness ◽

Language Writing

One central task faced by those interested in the corpus analysis of second language writing is how to measure ESL textual sophistication. While many applied linguists have focused on the notion of lexical richness, Robert de Beaugrande has provided the outlines of an approach that highlights the importance of textual efficiency. In his book, Text, Discourse, and Process (1980), Beaugrande defines the wellwritten text as an efficient self-regulating system. If Beaugrande’s definition is accepted, it follows that the majority of ESL texts are inefficient acts of textual communication. In this chapter, the author will explore textual inefficiency by means of the concept of emergent coherence in a corpus of Korean ESL texts. Within the framework of Hallidayean functional linguistics, emergent coherence will be explained in terms of seven principles of textual efficiency: the SPOCA Principle, the Principle of Natural Hierarchy, the Principle of End Weight, the Principle of End Focus, the Principle of Textual Economy, the Principle of Unified Elaborations, and the Principle of Genuine Extensions.

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Lexical richness and collocational competence in second-language writing

IRAL - International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching ◽

10.1515/iral-2016-0015 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ineke Vedder ◽

Veronica Benigno

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Writing ◽

Written Production ◽

Lexical Richness ◽

Intermediate Learners ◽

Language Writing ◽

Set Up

AbstractIn this article we report on an experiment set up to investigate lexical richness and collocational competence in the written production of 39 low-intermediate and intermediate learners of Italian L2. Lexical richness was assessed by means of a lexical profiling method inspired by

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