刊讯｜SSCI 期刊 《学术英语杂志》 2022年第55-60卷

JOURNAL OF ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

Volume 55-60, January-November 2021

JOURNAL OF ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES（SSCI一区，2021 IF：2.811）2022年第55-60卷共刊文74篇。

2022年第55卷共发文13篇，其中研究性论文9篇，书评4篇；第56卷共发文10篇，其中研究性论文6篇，书评4篇；第57卷发表研究性论文10篇；第58卷共发文15篇，其中研究性论文11篇，书评4篇；第59卷发表研究性论文13篇；第60卷共发文13篇，其中研究性论文5篇，书评2篇。研究论文涉及议论文写作、第二语言写作、基于阅读的写作、学术写作、多模态分析、语料库分析、行动研究、教师身份、高等教育研究、基于大型语料库的研究等。（2022年已更完）

目录

VOLUME 55

REGULAR ARTICLES

■ Investigating the effects of technology-enhanced vocabulary learning strategy instruction on supporting mixed-ability EMI learners studying a journalism and communication major: An action research project at a university in China, by Freddie Gay, Article 101068.

■ Phrasal complexity in English argumentative writing: Variations across Chinese STEM versus English majors' production and EFL textbook essays, by Zimeng Shao, Hanbo Zhang, Jiaqi Zhang, Yuexin Zhong, Xiaoyan Xu, Article 101070.

■ Beyond comprehension: Reading requirements in first-year undergraduate courses, by Aynur Ismayilli Karakoç, Rachael Ruegg, Peter Gu, Article 101071.

■ Grammatical and functional characteristics of preposition-based phrase frames in English argumentative essays by L1 English and Spanish speakers, by Joe Geluso, Article 101072.

■ Methodology in EAP: Why is it largely still an overlooked issue? by Douglas E. Bell, Article 101073.

■ “Now I hear what you say” - How short EAP courses can foster successful academic interactional strategies, by Clare Wright, Anna Tsakalaki, Mei Lin, Article 101074.

■ A multi-dimensional analysis of English-medium massive open online courses (MOOCs) video lectures in China, by Xiaoli Yu, Article 101079.

■ The citational practice of social science research articles: An analysis by part-genres, by Genggeng Zhang, Article 101076.

Article(s) from the "Anniversary" special issue; Edited by Sarah Brewer and Olwyn Alexander

■ EAP 1975–2019: Past issues and future directions, by Maggie Charles, Article 101060.

BOOK REVIEWS

■ Educational Change amongst English Language College Teachers in China: Transitioning from Teaching for General to Academic Purposes, by Nana Long, Jinhui Zhang, Article 101057.

■ Understanding Chinese Multilingual Scholars’ Experiences of Writing and Publishing in English: A Social-Cognitive Perspective, by Shuozi Wu, Xiqin Liu, Article 101059.

■ Assessing Speaking in Context: Expanding the Construct and its Applicationsl, by John Read, Article 101069.

■ Demystifying academic writing: Genres, moves, skills, and strategies, by Fei Li, Xiaohan Dai, Article 101075.

VOLUME 56

REGULAR ARTICLES

■ A corpus-assisted analysis of grammatical metaphors in successful student writing, by Darby McGrath, Cassi Liardét, Article 101090.

■ Chinese international students’ social interaction and use of cultural resources in online discussions in an ESL classroom, by Tamara Mae Roose, Article 101092.

■ Titles in research articles, by Ken Hyland, Hang (Joanna) Zou, Article 101094.

■ Transfer of knowledge across genres and media: Investigating L2 learners’ multiple composing practices, by Joohoon Kang, Article 101096.

■ Autonomous corpus use by graduate students: A long-term trend study (2009–2017), by Maggie Charles, Gregory Hadley, Article 101095.

■ Development of syntactic complexity in Chinese university students’ L2 argumentative writing, by Yang Li, Larisa Nikitina, Patricia Nora Riget, Article 101099.

BOOK REVIEWS

■ The Art and Architecture of Academic Writing, by Weiying Chen, Article 101093.

■ Review of Introducing English for Research Publication Purposes, by Lu Zhang, Lawrence Jun Zhang, Article 101080.

■ Problem questions for law students: A study guide, by Neil Adam Tibbetts, Article 101078.

■ Writing Using Sources for Academic Writing: Theory, Research and Practice, by Rosa Pezoa Tudela, Article 101097.

VOLUME 57

REGULAR ARTICLES

■ Evaluating co-production as a guiding philosophy for EAP teacher training course development, by Diana Mazgutova, Tineke Brunfaut, Kamola Muradkasimova,  Rano Khodjieva, Gulhayo Qobilova, Aziza Yunusova, Article 101098.

■ Adopting critical-pragmatic pedagogy to address plagiarism in a Chinese context: An action research, by Yao Du, Article 101112.

■ Exploring the technicality of LIQUID metaphorical chunks in business discourse, by Ya Sun, Zixuan Cui, Yang Hu, Qiong Wang, Article 101113.

■ Fine-grained measures of syntactic complexity in the discussion section of research articles: The effect of discipline and language background, by Elahe Ziaeian, Seyyed Ehsan Golparvar, Article 101116.

■ An ‘academic war’ – A case study of confrontation in academia, by Irena Vassileva, Article 101115.

■ “It's complicated and nuanced”: Teaching genre awareness in English for general academic purposes, by Christine M. Tardy, Rachel Hall Buck, Brad Jacobson, Rachel LaMance, Madelyn Pawlowski, Jennifer R.Slinkard, Stefan M.Vogel, Article 101117.

■ The emergence of a new inclusive meta-scientific genre; ‘the Bigger Picture’, by Kallia Katsampoxaki-Hodgetts, Article 101114.

■ Language-related perceptions: How do they predict student satisfaction with a partial English Medium Instruction in Higher Education? by Elvira Barrios, Aurora López-Gutiérrez, Luis-Alejandro Lopez-Agudo, Article 101121.

Article(s) from the "Anniversary" special issue; Edited by Sarah Brewer and Olwyn Alexander

■ The transition of EAP practitioners into scholarship writing, by Simon Webster, Article 101091.

■ Practitioner research in a UK pre-sessional: The synergy between Exploratory Practice and student motivation, by Sal Consoli, Article 101108.

VOLUME 58

REGULAR ARTICLES

■ Resistance and agency in second language academic discourse socialisation: Undergraduate students’ experiences of an EAP course, by Shi Pu, Hao Xu, Article 101122.

■ Exemplification in Chinese English-major MA students' and expert writers’ academic writing: A local grammar based investigation, by Hang Su, Yuqing Zhang, Meng Huat Chau, Article 101120.

■ A corpus-based analysis of discourse strategy use by English-Medium Instruction university lecturers in Turkey, by Fatma Ege, Dogan Yuksel, Samantha Curle, Article 101125.

■ Modal density and coherence in science dissemination: Orchestrating multimodal ensembles in online TED talks and youtube science videos, by Julia Valeiras-Jurado, Edgar Bernad-Mechó, Article 101118.

■ A phraseological exploration of university lectures through phrase frames, by Chen-Yu Liu, Hao-Jan Howard Chen, Article 101135.

■ The construction of translanguaging space through digital multimodal composing: A case study of students' creation of instructional videos, by Wing Yee Jenifer Ho, Article 101134.

■ Suitability of science & technology documentaries for EAP and EST listening, by Milica Vuković-Stamatović, Article 101137.

■ A corpus-based analysis of research article macrostructure patterns, by Heng Gong, Michael Barlow, Article 101138.

Article(s) from the "Anniversary" special issue; Edited by Sarah Brewer and Olwyn Alexander

■ ‘Clearly you have nothing better to do with your time than this’: A critical historical exploration of contributions to the BALEAP discussion list, by Alexander Ding, Bee Bond, Ian Bruce, Article 101109.

Article(s) from the special issue "Lecture discourse and lecturer training"; Edited by Katrien L. B. Deroey

■ Vocabulary in academic lectures, by Thi Ngoc Yen Dang, Article 101123.

■ A multimodal analysis of pair work engagement episodes: Implications for EMI lecturer training, by Teresa Morell, Vicent Beltrán-Palanques, Natalia Norte, Article 101124.

BOOK REVIEWS

■ Systemic Functional Linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory, by Neil Evan Jon Anthony Bowen, Article 101133.

■ Corpus Linguistics for English for Academic Purposes, by Hongyan Zhao, Jingyuan Zhang, Article 101132.

■ Cultivating Critical Language Awareness in the Writing Classroom, by Majed Abdullah Alharbi, Article 101136.

■ Teaching International Foundation Year: A Practical Guide for EAP Practitioners in Higher and Further Education, by Nandini Boodia-Canoo, Article 101141.

VOLUME 59

REGULAR ARTICLES

■ “We define X as …”: A local grammar of definition in linguistics research articles and its pedagogical value, by Yimin Zhang, Hang Su, Article 101143.

■ A corpus-based study of vocabulary in conference presentations, by Thi Ngoc Yen Dang, Article 101144.

■ “The findings might not be generalizable”: Investigating negation in the limitations sections of PhD theses across disciplines, by Shuyi Amelia Sun, Peter Crosthwaite, Article 101155.

■ The need for English language development in anglophone higher education settings: A case study from Australia, by Pamela Humphreys, Article 101156.

■ The effect of lexical coverage on L2 learners’ reading comprehension of narrative and expository genres, by Tianjiao Song, Barry Lee Reynolds, Article 101154.

■ In this essay, I will …: Examining variation of communicative purpose in student written genres, by Larissa Goulart, Douglas Biber, Randi Reppen, Article 101159.

■ A linguistic construction of a research gap in reports of randomised controlled trials: A systemic functional perspective, by Dragana Stosic, Article 101158.

■ Novice EAP teacher identity construction: A qualitative study from Iran, by Mahmmod Reza Atai, Mostafa Nazari, Farzaneh Hamidi, Article 101162.

■ Exploration of value arguments in applied linguistics research articles, by Mohammad Azizi, Jalil Abdi, Javad Gholami, Article 101161.

Article(s) from the "Anniversary" special issue; Edited by Sarah Brewer and Olwyn Alexander

■ EAP corrective feedback in an EMI setting: Student and teacher beliefs, by Robert Weekly, Andrew Pollard, James Macpherson, Article 101157.

■ Exploring EAP teachers’ expertise: Reflections on practice, pedagogy and professional development, by Damian Fitzpatrick, Tracey Costley, Parvaneh Tavakoli, Article 101140.

■ EAP teacher observation: Developing criteria and identifying the forms of pedagogic practice they afford, by Steve Kirk, Julie King, Article 101139.

Article(s) from the special issue "Lecture discourse and lecturer training"; Edited by Katrien L. B. Deroey

■ Using the knowledge and expertise of English language specialists to enhance L1 English speaking lecturers’ lectures: A professional development project, by Fiona Aish, Jo Tomlinson, Article 101145.

VOLUME 60

ARTICLES

■ Metadiscourse choices in EAP: An intra-journal study of JEAP, by Ken Hyland, Feng (Kevin) Jiang, Article 101165.

■ “Their encouragement makes me feel more confident”: Exploring peer effects on learner engagement in collaborative reading of academic texts, by Tan Jin, Yishi Jiang, Michelle Mingyue Gu, Jing Chen, Article 101177.

■ Supporting international graduate students’ academic language and literacies development through online and hybrid communities of practice, by Shakina Rajendram, Wenyangzi Shi, Article 101178.

■ ‘Don't become so much high sounding’: Power dynamics in master's thesis viva, by Madhu Neupane Bastola, Victor Ho, Article 101180.

BOOK REVIEWS

■ Introducing Researching English for Specific Purposes, by Masoomeh Estaji, Farhad Ghiasvand, Article 101174.

■ Pedagogical Innovations in Oral Academic Communication, by Heather Boldt, Jane C. O'Connor, Article 101164.

Article(s) from the "Anniversary" special issue; Edited by Sarah Brewer and Olwyn Alexander

■ Using a logic model to evaluate rater training for EAP writing assessment, by Jeanne O'Connell, Article 101160.

摘要

Investigating the effects of technology-enhanced vocabulary learning strategy instruction on supporting mixed-ability EMI learners studying a journalism and communication major: An action research project at a university in China

Freddie Gay

Abstract This paper reports on an action research project conducted at a university in China over the course of an academic year which aimed to investigate the vocabulary development of mixed- ability learners studying on an English medium instruction (EMI) journalism and communica- tion course and evaluate the effect of providing technology-enhanced language support. Learners’ vocabulary proficiency was measured at the start and end of each term. In the first term, the instruction focused on promoting vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) and the use of a website/ app called Memrise. In the second term, a course was created on a Moodle platform that trained learners to use online resources and VLSs. In each term, the assignation of a control group allowed for evaluation of the effectiveness of the interventions on improving learners’ vocabulary profi- ciency and EMI grades. Evidence for the beneficial impact of the interventions was found, in particular for a small group of learners who it is argued demonstrated high levels of self- regulation.

Key words: English medium instruction, Mixed-ability classes, Technology-enhanced language support, Online resources, Vocabulary learning strategies, Self-regulation

Phrasal complexity in English argumentative writing: Variations across Chinese STEM versus English majors’ production and EFL textbook essays

Zimeng Shao, Southwest Jiaotong University, No. 111, North Section 1, Second Ring Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, PR China

Hanbo Zhang, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom

Jiaqi Zhang, Renmin University of China, No. 59 Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District Beijing, 100872, PR China

Yuexin Zhong, Chengdu College of Arts and Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610401, PR China

Xiaoyan Xu, Southwest Jiaotong University, No. 111, North Section 1, Second Ring Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, PR China

Abstract Phrasal complexity is one of the sub-constructs of syntactic complexity, which focuses on phrasal elaboration. This paper identifies the use of different types of phrasal elaboration demonstrated in Chinese college students’ argumentative writing, and investigates phrasal complexity in written production of Chinese EFL tertiary learners majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and English (EM), in comparison to sample essays written by expert writers collected from EFL textbooks (TB). A framework of indices of phrasal elaboration is first estab- lished in this study based on grammatical form and syntactic function of phrases. The study finds that the following grammatical forms appear significantly more in argumentative writing collected from textbooks or produced by proficient English majors (with no significant difference found between the two groups): noun phrases functioning as subjects/objects, prepositional phrases (as against to-infinitives, which are significantly fewer) functioning as adverbials, prepositional phrases as noun post-modifiers and their multiple embedding, multiple attributive embedding as pre- modifiers, and appositive phrases. Pedagogical implications for L2 English writing are provided.

Key words: Phrasal complexity, Argumentative writing, STEM, English major, L2 writing

Beyond comprehension: Reading requirements in first-year undergraduate courses

Aynur Ismayilli Karakoç, School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Rachael Ruegg, School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Peter Gu, School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses play an important role in preparing EAL (English as an Additional Language) learners for their university studies. Reading skills hold a significant place in such preparation courses because they are foundational skills. EAP pedagogy and research on reading have largely focused on reading comprehension skills. While these skills are necessary to include in instruction programs, at university more complex skills of reading are required (Enright et al., 2000; Grabe & Stoller, 2019). Our research was conducted at one New Zealand university to understand the reading types, reading load, and reading requirements in first-year courses in humanities and social sciences. Close analysis suggests that in addition to textbooks and textbook chapters, academic book chapters and journal articles take up a consid- erable proportion of university readings, and the reading load is also quite high. Interviews with lecturers suggest that reading comprehension is important but not sufficient for course writing assignments. Students need to critically engage with the readings, write their assignments based on the course readings, and reflect the readings in their written assignments. The study discusses implications for reading research and pedagogy. Further, suggestions are made for EAP reading instruction and reading assessment tasks.

Key words: Academic reading, University reading, Reading-based writing, Undergraduate reading, Reading skills

Grammatical and functional characteristics of preposition-based phrase frames in English argumentative essays by L1 English and Spanish speakers

Joe Geluso, Nihon University College of Law, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract This study investigates recurrent discontinuous multiword sequences, or phrase frames, of the pattern preposition + the * of in English argumentative essays authored by L1 English and L1 Spanish speakers. This pattern of phrase frames is important as it comprises prepositional phrases which are a conspicuous feature of grammatical complexity in academic writing. The target frames are analyzed through the lens of grammatical complexity and discourse function, while also exploring trends in frequency and accuracy. The principal finding is that both L1 groups often used the target frames to serve as a textual bridge within sentences, with the frames usually fulfilling an adverbial or post modifying function while simultaneously identifying an intangible quality or marking a procedure or process of a following noun phrase. The major difference between the two L1 groups is that the L1 English speakers used the frames for postnominal modification and an intangible framing discourse function at higher rates than the L1 Spanish speakers. This was particularly evident with the frame on the * of. Finally, more errors with the definite article and prepositions were identified among the L1 Spanish group, suggesting that instruction of the target frames could be a worthwhile pedagogical endeavor.

Key words: Formulaic language, Phrase frames, Academic writing, Grammatical complexity, Discourse function

Methodology in EAP: Why is it largely still an overlooked issue?

Douglas E. Bell, School of Education & English, University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), 199 Taikang East Road, 315100, Ningbo, China

Abstract In 2003 it was suggested that insufficient attention had been paid to methodology and pedagogy in EAP and that there had been an over-emphasis on the ‘what’ at the possible expense of the ‘how’. While conferences and other professional events have gone some way towards addressing this issue, in terms of EAP journal outputs, as a survey of the Journal of English for Academic Purposes (JEAP) shows, not very much seems to have changed. The pages of JEAP still suggest a dearth of research interest in issues related to EAP methodology. This paper argues that much greater prominence should be given to methodological matters in EAP, not least because teaching accounts for the bulk of what most EAP practitioners do. The paper further suggests that the transfer of pedagogical practices from mainstream ELT to EAP should perhaps be considered a little more critically than has hitherto been the case.

Key words: Methodology Pedagogy, Teaching approaches, Knowledge transfer, Classroom practice

“Now I hear what you say” - How short EAP courses can foster successful academic interactional strategies

Clare Wright, University of Leeds Department of Linguistics and Phonetics, Michael Sadler Building, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Anna Tsakalaki, University of Reading Institute of Education, London Road Campus, Building L19, 4 Redlands Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5EX, United Kingdom

Mei Lin, Newcastle University School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, King George VI Building, Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom

Abstract In globalised higher education, strategies to build academic interactional competence can be key to international students’ success, e.g. in seminars and oral assessments. Linguistically, academic interaction requires meaning-focused, other-oriented oral skills, which can be challenging for international second-language (L2) students to acquire, even with specific training. This study reports on data from 230 postgraduate students of mixed L1s, comparing use of L2 listening and speaking strategies at the start and end of a 5-week English for Academic Purposes (EAP) pro- gramme at a UK university. We found a moderate significant improvement over time in meaning- focused listening strategies, and some evidence in increased use of a wider range of speaking strategies. Further factor analysis revealed a subtle but clear shift towards more other-oriented stance in both listening and speaking strategy use, although with much individual variation, and no significant correlation with proficiency. This study, one of the first to use speaker stance analysis in studying L2 academic communication, shows that even short-term EAP courses can have valuable potential in boosting strategies and skills, particularly in listening, which are needed for successful academic interactional competence.

Key words: Academic interactional competence EAP, Strategies, Skills, Disposition, Speaker stance

A multi-dimensional analysis of English-medium massive open online courses (MOOCs) video lectures in China

Xiaoli Yu, Middle East Technical University, Department of Foreign Language Education, Faculty of Education, Middle East Technical University Üniversiteler, Dumlupinar Bulvari 1/6-133, 06800, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have widely transformed teaching and learning of higher education worldwide. Based on Biber’s (1988) multi-dimensional analysis framework, this study uncovers linguistic features of English-medium MOOC video lectures in China and reveals lin- guistic variation across different disciplinary areas. The results suggest that the video lecture language in English-medium MOOCs provided by Chinese universities tends to be highly infor- mational, non-narrative, explicitly referential, low in persuasion, abstract, and formally planned. Different from traditional university lectures, the closest registers to the target MOOC video lectures in China include academic prose, official documents, and press reportage. Significant differences also exist across disciplinary areas regarding all six functional linguistic dimensions. Findings of this study may provide insights into how language is used in the emerging spoken register, which may further be taken into consideration by instructional designers and instructors of MOOCs. For countries where English is used as a second or additional language, such as China, the results may be of particular interest when designing English-medium MOOC video lectures.

Key words: Massive open online courses in China, Multi-dimensional analysis, Academic register, Spoken register

The citational practice of social science research articles: An analysis by part-genres

Genggeng Zhang, Department of Applied Linguistics, The Pennsylvania State University, 312 Sparks Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

Abstract Citational practice has been an important feature of academic writing. This study analyzed the in- text citations of 30 social science research articles (RAs) by part-genres. The citations identified in their rhetorical contexts were analyzed for densities, surface forms, roles of cited authors, reporting verbs (RVs), and functions. This multi-perspective analysis shows substantial differ- ences of citation patterns across the Introduction-Method-Result-Discussion (IMRD) part-genres, which illustrates how forms and functions of citations are connected to various rhetorical pur- poses of RA part-genres. Findings contribute to a better understanding of the citational practice in social science RAs and provide useful implications for research writing pedagogy.

Key words: Citations, Academic research writing, Research article part-genres

EAP research in BALEAP 1975–2019: Past issues and future directions

Maggie Charles, Oxford University, Oxford, UK

Abstract BALEAP is a global association which aims to advance the learning and teaching of EAP in higher and further education. At its fiftieth anniversary, it is timely to examine its contribution to EAP research. This paper draws on evidence from a corpus of 1,310 titles of papers from volumes of BALEAP proceedings and accounts of Professional Issues Meetings over 1975–2019. Bottom-up corpus analyses and top-down examination of the titles were used to ascertain the most frequently researched topics and the extent to which they varied over the 45 years. Six topics were each mentioned in over 10% of titles: students, language, writing, courses, assessment and specificity, but only assessment experienced a rising trend over the period. Low results were found for five approaches: intercultural, critical, corpora, genre and academic literacy. Topics that increased in popularity included in-sessional issues, technology and teacher education, while de- creases occurred for graduates, language, and specificity. These trends suggest research gaps to be addressed in the least popular or declining areas e.g. digital and multimodal genres, disciplinary/ interdisciplinary contexts, and with non-traditional participants e.g. teaching staff or displaced academics. This study strongly argues that the current wide diversity of research topics in BALEAP should be maintained.

Key words: BALEAP research, EAP topics, EAP research, EAP approaches, EAP communicative skills, BALEAP publications

A corpus-assisted analysis of grammatical metaphors in successful student writing

Darby McGratha, Macquarie University (Australia), Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (Japan), Center for Language Education, 1-1 Jumonjibaru, Beppu-shi, Oita-ken, 874-8577, Japan

Cassi Liardét, Macquarie University (Australia), Department of Linguistics, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia

Abstract Research has established the critical role grammatical metaphor (GM) plays in academic discourse and argues for its explicit instruction. However, despite a growing body of research investigating students’ use of GM, there is as yet no reference tool to assist researchers or instructors examining or teaching this powerful resource. Although some automated analyses are enabled through corpus tools, these studies are limited to derivational GMs. To respond to these inefficiencies, the present study presents a profile of GMs used in a 164,925-word sample of the British Academic Written English Corpus (BAWE). Our aim in compiling this profile was to identify which GMs successful students most commonly use in the four disciplinary groupings provided in the BAWE. By doing so, we are able to provide an introductory list of 2702 experiential GMs instructors could use to inform their teaching of GM and researchers could use to inform further GM investigations in other corpora.

Key words: Grammatical metaphor, Academic writing, Nominalisation

Chinese international students’ social interaction and use of cultural resources in online discussions in an ESL classroom

Tamara Mae Roose, The Ohio State University, Department of Teaching and Learning, 1945 North High Street, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

Abstract While research on Academic Literacies has continued to develop, students’ cultural and linguistic differences have only been superficially explored within this framework without consideration of their contribution to writers’ practices, identities, and meaning-making processes. There is a need to continue extending the scope of this promising framework as both a pedagogical design frame and a logic of inquiry. To this end, this qualitative case study grounded in discourse analysis explores the writing moves Chinese international students make as they construct text meaning within the context of online discussions. This paper focuses on excerpts from two online discussion groups, including assignment prompts, news articles, student responses, and comments to one another within a university ESL Composition course in the U.S. An intertextual analysis suggests that when students socially interacted within online discussions in response to written texts and brought their perspectives and experiences into relationship with other writers’ ideas, they took the opportunity to draw upon the dialogue and their own cultural knowledge and experience, positioning these as valuable sources in co-constructing the meaning of texts and negotiating their stances toward them.

Key words: Academic literacies, Intertextual analysis, Online discussions, ESL composition, Second language writing, Chinese international students

Titles in research articles

Ken Hyland, School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia, UK

Hang (Joanna) Zou, School of Foreign Languages, East China Normal University, China

Abstract Titles are a key part of every academic genre and are particularly important in research papers. Today, online searches are overwhelmingly based on articles rather than journals which means that writers must, more than ever, make their titles both informative and appealing to attract readers who may go on to read, cite and make use of their research. In this paper we explore the key features of 5070 titles in the leading journals of six disciplines in the human and physical sciences to identify their typical structural patterns and content foci. In addition to proposing a model of title patterns, we show there are major disciplinary differences which can be traced to different characteristics of the fields and of the topics of the articles themselves. Our findings have important implications for EAP and ERPP teachers working with early career academic writers.

Key words: Research articles, Titles, Academic writing, Disciplinary differences, Corpus analysis

Transfer of knowledge across genres and media: Investigating L2 learners’ multiple composing practices

Joohoon Kang, Department of English Education, Hanyang University, 222, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, South Korea

Abstract Drawing upon adaptive transfer as a conceptual framework, this study aims to investigate adolescent second language (L2) learners' transfer of knowledge across different genres (narratives and arguments) and media (print-based writing and digital multimodal composition). Data were gathered from class observations, interviews, and student artifacts. The collected data were analyzed based on inductive and deductive approaches as well as adaptive transfer. This study demonstrated that adolescent L2 learners applied the prior knowledge learned in narrative writing to argumentative writing, both within and beyond the current program. Another finding in this study is that the participants' knowledge acquired from digital multimodal composition influenced their print-based writing, and vice versa. The current study's demonstration of the transfer across genres and media confirms the existence of adaptive transfer which supports the reshaping of prior knowledge from familiar to unfamiliar contexts. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research and pedagogical implications for L2 teaching and learning.

Key words: Transfer of learning, Adaptive transfer, Digital multimodal composition, Genre knowledge, Second language writing, Argumentative writing

Autonomous corpus use by graduate students: A long-term trend study (2009–2017)

Maggie Charles, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Gregory Hadley, Faculty of Humanities, Niigata University, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan

Abstract Corpus use by EAP students has reportedly increased over the last decade, with considerable optimism about the future of this approach (Chen & Flowerdew, 2018a). However, much research employs data from short classroom courses; little is known about how student corpus use has varied over a span of multiple years. This paper uses long-term trend data from a corpus-based course for graduates which ran 50 times (2009–2017) at a UK university. The course taught students to build do-it-yourself corpora based on their research topic and promoted autonomous consultation of this resource. Questionnaires on corpus use were administered at three stages: pre-course (544 students), immediate post-course (343) and delayed post-course, after one year (221). The data show that pre-course corpus use was constant (mean 24%), while immediate post-course use (mean 87%) and delayed post-course use rose only slightly (mean 62%) from 2009 to 2017. The lack of appreciable growth in corpus use over nine years does not support the expectation of increased take-up in future. However, the means for regular autonomous use (≥1/week) at 61% (immediate post-course) and 37% (delayed post-course), show the success of the do-it-yourself corpus approach in fostering the autonomous use of corpora by graduates.

Key words: Do-it-yourself corpora, Student corpus use, EAP learner, Autonomy, Long-term corpus use, Graduate EAP, Data-driven learning

Development of syntactic complexity in Chinese university students’ L2 argumentative writing

Yang Li, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; School of Western Languages, Mudanjiang Normal University, 157000, Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang, China

Larisa Nikitina, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Patricia Nora Rigeta, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract This study examines how syntactic complexity evolves in argumentative L2 writing by Chinese first-year university students (N = 102). The participants were at either a low- or upper intermediate level of English language proficiency, like the majority of the first-year non-English language major undergraduates in China. Notably, there has been little research on L2 writing development among such learners of English. The present study addresses this gap. The participants produced three argumentative essays throughout a semester-long academic L2 academic writing course. Drawing on a multidimensional perspective on syntactic complexity, the analysis employed twelve holistic complexity measures of three types. The data were analyzed with the aid of the Second Language Syntactic Complexity Analyzer (L2SCA) and Stanford Tregex. The findings showed a non-linear trajectory of syntactic complexity development. Notably, there was less of the coordinated clausal complexity and more of nominal complexity in the students’ L2 writing. The upper-intermediate group showed greater progress in employing complex nominal types, and there were statistically significant differences in the measures of pre-adjective, post-preposition and nominal clauses between the two groups. Pedagogical implications are drawn from these findings.

Key words: Syntactic complexity, Second language writing, Writing development, Academic writing, Argumentative essays, First-year university students

Evaluating co-production as a guiding philosophy for EAP teacher training course development

Diana Mazgutova, University of Leeds, School of Education, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom; Lancaster University, Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster, LA1 4YL, United Kingdom

Tineke Brunfaut, Lancaster University, Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster, LA1 4YL, United Kingdom

Kamola Muradkasimova,  Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Department of English Philology, Tashkent, 1000138, Uzbekistan

Rano Khodjieva, Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Department of English Philology, Tashkent, 1000138, Uzbekistan

Gulhayo Qobilova, University of World Economy and Diplomacy, Department of English Language, Tashkent, 100007, Uzbekistan

Aziza Yunusova, Bukhara State University, English Linguistics Department, Bukhara, 200118, Uzbekistan

Abstract This paper considers the research philosophy of co-production for use in the field of EAP, where it has been little utilised as a guiding principle for research and development projects. The central question to be addressed is the appropriacy of co-production in a specific setting, and the challenges and benefits it brings to the research process. For projects situated in settings that are relatively unfamiliar to professional researchers, co-production provides a promising framework to i) ensure diversity of contextually appropriate perspectives, ii) engender collaboration and egalitarianism, iii) build capacity for action, and iv) engage with and bring together the community to work towards a common goal.

We explored the potential of co-production through a project aiming to improve EAP teaching quality in tertiary education in Uzbekistan. The project was designed and implemented by one UK-based and four Uzbekistan-based team members who trained tertiary-level teachers to better instruct EAP, and it successfully reached approximately 300 teaching professionals across Uzbekistan. We detail how co-production brought value to the project but also ways in which it could not be fully implemented. We intend this paper to be an introduction to the application of co-production, through which others in EAP can explore its exciting possibilities.

Key words: Co-production, Co-construction, Teacher training, Needs analysis, Course development, English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

Adopting critical-pragmatic pedagogy to address plagiarism in a Chinese context: An action research

Yao Du, Foreign Languages Department, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 (A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, PR China

Abstract Source-attribution instruction in the EAP curriculum is typically designed and presented in a pragmatic way because Pragmatic EAP is usually considered effective for EFL students learning a range of source-attribution norms to avoid plagiarism. However, students may still fail to adhere to referencing norms prevalent in Anglo-American academic practice in their actual L2 academic writing. In this three-year action research project, a critical-pragmatic approach was adopted for source-attribution instruction in an EAP writing curriculum, during which students learned source-attribution conventions needed for target situations. The instruction, at the same time, called for their critical engagement with these conventions through carefully-designed in-class activities. The effectiveness of this new EAP pedagogy was evaluated through students’ source-attribution performance in their source-based writing as well as their responses to each activity through a questionnaire. This study reveals that a positive result of critical-pragmatic EAP lies in how it gives students confidence toward thinking that academic conventions are not permanent and unyielding but are avenues to develop more effective expression and critical insight.

Key words: Critical-pragmatic EAP, Source-attribution instruction, Plagiarism, Action research

Exploring the technicality of LIQUID metaphorical chunks in business discourse

Ya Sun, School of International Studies, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China

Zixuan Cui, School of International Studies, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China

Yang Hu, School of International Studies, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China

Qiong Wang, School of International Studies, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China

Abstract LIQUID metaphors, usually used to conceptualize core concepts in economics, tend to be realized linguistically to be chunks or multi-word expressions in form (such as cash flow) and to be more or less technical in meaning. Yet few studies have been conducted on how far liquid metaphorical chunks in business discourse, consisting of a word from the source domain liquid and a word in the target domain related to business, are technical and what their technicality is associated with. This study aims to explore the association between their technicality and frequency, collocational strength, concreteness asymmetry, and construction type, using corpus analysis, multinomial logistic regression and chi-square tests. Results show that their technicality is significantly correlated with their frequency, collocational strength, concreteness asymmetry, and construction type. liquid metaphorical chunks with low frequencies, low collocational scores and high concreteness asymmetry scores are likely to be more technical than those with high frequencies, high collocational scores and low concreteness asymmetry scores. Those in the constructions of N(Source)-N(Target) and A(Source)-NP(Target) are likely to be more technical than others. The findings may shed light on how far learners and practitioners grasp technical vocabulary and metaphorical chunks in business communication.

Key words: LIQUID metaphorical chunks, Technicality, Frequency, Collocation, Concreteness, Construction

Fine-grained measures of syntactic complexity in the discussion section of research articles: The effect of discipline and language background

Elahe Ziaeian, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Iran

Seyyed Ehsan Golparvar, University of Bojnord, Iran

Abstract Previous research on syntactic complexity in academic writing has mostly examined traditional large-grained indices to capture this construct, measuring complexity at clause or sentence level. However, due to the heavier reliance of academic writing on complex noun phrases, these traditional indices of syntactic complexity are not adequate for operationalizing this linguistic feature in academic writing. Therefore, the present research used fine-grained phrasal and clausal indices to investigate syntactic complexity in the discussion section of research articles (RAs) in three disciplines, namely applied linguistics, chemistry, and economics. In addition, texts from two groups of writers, L1-English authors and L2-English authors, were compared with respect to clausal and phrasal indices. Nine indices of clausal complexity and thirteen indices of phrasal complexity were examined. The findings revealed significant disciplinary differences in both types of complexity. It was found that in clausal measures, applied linguistics and economics discussions were generally more complex than those of chemistry, while in phrasal measures chemistry texts were generally more complex than those of applied linguistics and economics. However, the picture related to L1 vs. L2 differences was not that clear. The results are discussed and theoretical and pedagogical implications are offered.

Key words: Syntactic complexity, Discussion section, Disciplinary variation, L1 vs. L2 writers

An ‘academic war’ – A case study of confrontation in academia

Irena Vassileva, Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures, New Bulgarian University, 21 Montevideo Str., 1618, Sofia, Bulgaria

Abstract The aim of the case study is to look at the argumentation strategies (or schemes) used by writers belonging to two different schools of linguistics in their attempt to refute the theoretical, methodological, ideological, etc. approaches of the opponents’ group in order to promote their own viewpoints instead. The corpus consists of 12 texts, containing altogether 70,771 words - reviews and review articles of specific publications - and constitutes a chain of opinion exchanges. The research methodology is based on the modern theory of argumentation schemes with special focus on refutations as main carriers of critical argumentation and confrontation. The expression of criticism is analysed in terms of the premises it is based on and the topoi employed by the writers. The discussion of the critical argumentation schemes considers the language means employed for their realization and is supported by examples. The results demonstrate domination of epistemic argumentation, but also a high degree of usage of deontic argumentation, of personalization and thus of ethical argumentation more than in any other academic genre. A distinctive feature of the means of argumentation observed in the corpus is the employment of numerous metaphors and irony/sarcasm that often go beyond the generally accepted ethics in academia in their interpersonal pragmatic effect.

Key words: Academic confrontation, Argumentation schemes, Book review, Topoi, Linguistics

“It's complicated and nuanced”: Teaching genre awareness in English for general academic purposes

Christine M. Tardy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA

Rachel Hall Buck, American University of Sharjah, PO Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Brad Jacobson, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Ave, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA

Rachel LaMance, The Pennsylvania State University Abington, 1600 Woodland Road, Abington, PA, 19001, USA

Madelyn Pawlowski, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Avenue, Marquette, MI, 49855, USA

Jennifer R.Slinkard, Eastern Oregon University, One University Blvd, La Grande, OR, 97850, USA

Stefan M.Vogel, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA; University of Connecticut, Storrs, 215 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4025, Storrs, CT 06269-4025, USA

Abstract This article shares a year-long qualitative study of six writing instructors' experiences with genre-based pedagogy (GBP). Through a collaborative research approach, the study examines these teachers' perspectives on their challenges and successes with GBP in an English for general academic purposes writing classroom. Findings highlight challenges related to course aims, content, and structure, as well as successes related to the ability to use their content knowledge of genre to troubleshoot and further develop their use of GBP in the classroom. The findings suggest that teacher pedagogical content knowledge of genre develops in interaction with teachers’ practice and should be supported by robust and on-going teacher training and support. The paper concludes by offering examples of how teacher support might address the challenges unique to genre-based pedagogy.

Key words: Genre-based pedagogy, Genre awareness, Teacher research, Teacher education, Teacher knowledge

The emergence of a new inclusive meta-scientific genre; ‘the Bigger Picture’

Kallia Katsampoxaki-Hodgetts, University of Crete, School of Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Greece

Abstract Parascientific genres often do not abide by the established norms and conventions of science communication in research articles (RAs) and they are not included in the RA. This work examines the linguistic and communicative exigencies of an emerging digital genre, the Bigger Picture, an obligatory post-publication section in the journal Chem which deviates considerably from RA norms, yet it is included in the RA. This work aims to examine its rhetorical functions and determine users' initial perceptions: rhetorical analysis of twenty Bigger Picture sections in Chemistry RAs in Chem, a survey and an interview were conducted to determine users' perceptions. Novice researchers/writers were also asked to write think aloud reports as part of the qualitative analysis. The analysis of the genre moves and featuring conventions showed an intentional blurring of boundaries between scientific and general discourse, technical, non-technical and inter-disciplinary communication which gives rise to a new more inclusive ‘meta-scientific’ genre. Participants agreed that the Bigger Picture's main purpose is to involve, engage and reach out to a wider audience, adapting a discipline-specific discourse and re-contextualising research outcomes from a highly specialised context to a nominally specialised one, using recontextualisation strategies which aim to include a broader pool of potential interdisciplinary users.

Key words: Digital genre, Bigger picture, Context collapse, Recontextualisation strategies, GenreInclusivity, Awareness-raising

Language-related perceptions: How do they predict student satisfaction with a partial English Medium Instruction in Higher Education? 

Elvira Barrios, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain

Aurora López-Gutiérrez, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain

Luis-Alejandro Lopez-Agudo, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain

Abstract This study investigated language-related predictors of satisfaction with a partial English Medium Instruction (EMI) programme in teacher education at a Spanish university. More specifically, it explored the impact on programme satisfaction of students' perceptions of language improvement, of opportunities to use English, of lecturers' English proficiency, and language improvement as a motivation for enrolling in the programme. Additionally, it examined how self-rated proficiency affects the association between these language-related variables and satisfaction. Results show that students were more satisfied than they were dissatisfied, that they acknowledged having made an improvement in their English skills, and that the lecturers' English proficiency was below their expectations. Most importantly, the language-related variables under study were found to be significant predictors of student satisfaction with EMI, and each of them explained a high percentage of the variance in programme satisfaction. It was also found that these variables impacted student satisfaction differently across different self-rated proficiency groups. The article discusses that, at a time when competition among universities is taking a global dimension and students’ general English proficiency is getting progressively higher, most attention needs to be paid to the language when designing and resourcing EMI initiatives in order to make them competitive and sustainable.

Key words: English medium instruction (EMI), Higher education, Bilingual programme, Language-related factors, Satisfaction, Student perceptions

The transition of EAP practitioners into scholarship writing

Simon Webster, EAP Lecturer, Language Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Abstract EAP practitioner scholarship is a key element of EAP teacher professional development (Martin, 2014) and the credibility of EAP as a discipline (Hamps-Lyon, 2011; Ding & Bruce, 2017). It also allows a professional knowledge base to develop and pedagogical advancements to be made (Borg, 2013). Whilst the BALEAP community values and promotes such scholarship (Gillett, 2021), limited research has been conducted into EAP practitioner beliefs about the written outputs of this activity (Davis, 2019). In particular, there is an absence of research exploring the process by which EAP practitioners begin their scholarship writing. This paper presents a case study of an EAP setting in which a workload allocation has been introduced for scholarship. It explores the motivations, challenges and professional identity implications of scholarship writing for EAP practitioners in this context. The findings suggest that the institutional workload initiative facilitated a cultural shift in which scholarship writing became more normalised and academic identities of EAP practitioners were strengthened. The inclusive institutional understandings of scholarship were also seen to promote practitioner agency in overcoming perceived challenges to the production of early written scholarship outputs.

Key words: EAP practitioner, Scholarship, Teacher identity, Institutional change, Motivation

Practitioner research in a UK pre-sessional: The synergy between Exploratory Practice and student motivation

Sal Consoli, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Abstract This paper will illustrate the affordances which Exploratory Practice may offer to both EAP teachers and learners. In particular, the focus will be on a UK pre-sessional course where the author was the EAP teacher for a group of Chinese students preparing to complete an MSc in Project and Programme Management. This paper will demonstrate that, despite some initial dilemmas, EP was highly beneficial for these students and the teacher. By devising Potentially Exploitable Pedagogic Activities (PEPAs) which suited this specific pre-sessional context, the author was able to engage the students in classroom-based inquiries which aligned with the students’ interests and questions about life in the UK as well as the new cultures of learning and teaching. Some questions were raised about the power dynamics and the egalitarian research approach promoted by EP. However, overall, the students viewed the experience as ‘relevant, social practice’ which led to skills development and better clarity about the new academic practices and norms. Importantly, EP also helped them engage more actively with the EAP course. This paper thus shows that practitioner research can enhance EAP practices whilst motivating teachers and students to work together to develop mutual understandings of Quality of (classroom) Life.

Key words: Practitioner research, Exploratory Practice, Pre-sessionals, Motivation

Resistance and agency in second language academic discourse socialisation: Undergraduate students’ experiences of an EAP course

Shi Pu, National Research Centre for Foreign Language Education, Beijing Foreign Studies University, 19 Xi San Huan Bei Road, 100089 Beijing, PR China

Hao Xu, National Research Centre for Foreign Language Education, Beijing Foreign Studies University, 19 Xi San Huan Bei Road, 100089 Beijing, PR China

Abstract Resistance is a common issue in academic discourse socialisation (ADS), especially for learners who study in their second language. How learners enact agency to negotiate their resistance can largely determine the outcomes of their ADS. In this article, we report the findings of a case study on four Chinese undergraduate students' experiences of an English-for-Academic-Purposes course in an EFL setting. Data sources of the study consist of individual and group interviews with students, observation notes of students' learning processes, students' written reflections, and instructors’ teaching journals. By comparing the four individual cases, we analyse the processes and conceptual basis for learners to enact their agency in ADS, underlying their resistance and negotiation of resistance. Specifically, we unravel how their existing conceptions of learning objectives and of learning processes frame their enactment of agency, including their identification of affordances and resources, their formation and development of present-directed intentions, and possibilities for them to construct new future-directed intentions.

Key words: Language socialisation, Academic discourse socialisation, Resistance, Agency, English for academic purposes, Conceptions of learning

Exemplification in Chinese English-major MA students' and expert writers’ academic writing: A local grammar based investigation

Hang Su, Sichuan International Studies University, China

Yuqing Zhang, Sichuan International Studies University, China

Meng Huat Chau, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

Abstract This study adopts a local grammar approach to investigate exemplification in Chinese English-major MA student writers' and expert writers' academic writing. Using corpora compiled of Chinese English-major MA students' degree dissertations and expert writers’ published research articles in the field of Applied Linguistics as the data, the investigation shows that although the Chinese MA student writers used exemplification as frequently as expert writers to specify abstract superordinate categories, they underused exemplification with regard to aspects such as performative verbs, exemplificatory imperatives, and the strategy of exemplifying by citing relevant studies. The implications of local grammar based investigation into academic writing for EAP writing research and pedagogy are further discussed.

Key words: Local grammar, Exemplification, Chinese English-major, MA students, Expert writing

A corpus-based analysis of discourse strategy use by English-Medium Instruction university lecturers in Turkey

Fatma Ege, School of Foreign Languages, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey

Dogan Yuksel, Department of Foreign Language Education, Kocaeli University, Umuttepe Kocaeli, 414001, Turkey

Samantha Curle, Department of Education, University of Bath, UK

Abstract This article reports a descriptive study that analyzed the discourse strategies used by Turkish university lecturers when delivering academic content in English. Through non-participant observation of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) lessons delivered by seven lecturers from five universities, a corpus of 13 h of recorded data was constructed. The lecturers' strategic language behaviors were identified and categorized based on the taxonomy developed by Dörnyei and Scott (1995), later elaborated by Sánchez-García, (2019). Corpus-based analysis revealed that the lecturers employed a wide range of discourse strategies, the majority of which were fillers, self-rephrasing, and code-switching. Thematic analysis showed that these discourse strategies offered two chief functions: (i) to cope with linguistic issues and (ii) to further students' comprehension. The results also revealed that most strategies only have medium communicative potential. This study highlights the necessity and significance of lecturer professional development to enhance the quality of EMI provision through the employment of discourse strategies that warrant greater communicative potential.

Key words: English-medium instruction, Discourse strategies, Communicative potential, EMI lecturers, Higher education

Modal density and coherence in science dissemination: Orchestrating multimodal ensembles in online TED talks and youtube science videos

Julia Valeiras-Jurado, Universitat de València (UV) / IULMA, Spain

Edgar Bernad-Mechó, Universitat Jaume I (UJI), Spain

Abstract As science communication goes beyond the traditional borders of academia, new science dissemination genres emerge. This paper presents a multimodal analysis of two online science videos uploaded to YouTube: a recorded TEDx talk and a PBS Space Time video. We have determined the existence of two layers of modes in online science videos: embodied and filmic modes. The former are deployed by the speaker, while the latter are added to the ensemble during postproduction and editing. Our analysis sheds light on three main aspects of this multimodal orchestration: modal density, modal coherence, and genre definition. Our findings show that online science videos are more modally dense as a result of the incorporation of more filmic modes into the ensemble. In addition, we also find that the use of filmic modes requires some degree of expertise and know-how in order to keep the coherence of the multimodal ensemble. In short, the PBS Space Time video shows a higher degree of density and coherence. We conclude that the two genres are at different stages of development as digital genres.

Key words: Science dissemination, Multimodality, Modal density, Modal coherence, Digital genres

A phraseological exploration of university lectures through phrase frames

Chen-Yu Liu, Ming Chuan University, 250 Zhong Shan N. Rd., Sec. 5, Taipei, 111, Taiwan, China

Hao-Jan Howard Chen, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Section 1, Heping E. Rd., Taipei City, 106, Taiwan, China

Abstract While a recent trend in corpus-based analysis on phraseology has increasingly emphasized the role of phrase frames (p-frames) in developing learner awareness and literacy of academic genres, especially academic writing, p-frames in academic speech still remain understudied. To explore the phraseological profile of academic speech and extend the current efforts in creating lists of academic expressions for pedagogical use, this study aims to derive a list of cross-disciplinary p-frames for university lectures. A combination of corpus statistics along with manual filtering and instructor evaluation results in 117 five-word p-frames and 29 6-word p-frames, with a great majority of them (93.2%) being considered potentially pedagogically useful. Structural and functional analyses of the resulting p-frames further reveal genre-specific features, highlighting phraseological differences between academic speech and writing. The findings of this study can provide implications for research on academic formulaic language and the teaching and learning of English for academic purposes (EAP).

Key words: Phrase frames, University lectures, Cross-disciplinary, English for academic purposes

The construction of translanguaging space through digital multimodal composing: A case study of students' creation of instructional videos

Wing Yee Jenifer Ho, Department of English, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Abstract This paper investigates students' creation of a translanguaging space through engaging in digital multimodal composing (DMC). Engaging in DMC is an act of translanguaging whereby students mobilise a range of resources in their repertoires, including spoken and written language, image, sound effects, also bringing with them their identity and experiences. Focusing on how four bilingual undergraduate students at a Hong Kong university created an instructional video to explain abstract concepts related to multimodality to a lay audience, the study revealed that the process of creating instructional video requires students to mobilise a range of semiotic resources and orchestrate them in a way that the videos are creative, entertaining, and above all, demonstrative of their theoretical and practical knowledge of multimodality. The findings of the study suggest that students' beliefs and experiences of academic essays and presentations, together with their out-of-class exposure to popular YouTube video genres contribute to the creation of a translanguaging space which affords a safe and supportive environment for students to creatively and critically transcend socio-historically defined registers, genre norms and conventions, as well as the distinction between knowledge ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ of the classroom. This paper concludes with pedagogical implications of adopting DMC in classrooms.

Suitability of science & technology documentaries for EAP and EST listening

Milica Vuković-Stamatović, University of Montenegro, Danila Bojovica bb Niksic, Montenegro

Abstract Selecting English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Science and Technology (EST) listening materials is a challenging task as many different criteria could inform that choice. This study examines the suitability of science and technology documentaries for EAP and EST listening based on a corpus of 100 such documentaries. Departing from the premise that criteria such as thematic suitability, appeal and visual support for the vocabulary presented, as well as the fact that they are delivered in standard English, might recommend science and technology documentaries for this purpose, we further explore their lexical profile, lexical density and speech rate, so as to pass a more informed judgement in this regard. The results obtained are compared against those for academic lectures in general and science lectures in particular. They show that science and technology documentaries may be reasonably followed with a vocabulary size of 3,000 to 4,000 words, similar to what is required for lectures. Additionally, this genre is a good source of academic and technical vocabulary. Its higher lexical density is compensated by its slower delivery than that of lectures. Based on this, we support the inclusion of science and documentary films as EAP and EST materials.

Key words: Science and technology documentaries, Lexical level, Academic vocabulary, Technical vocabulary, Lexical density, Speech rate

A corpus-based analysis of research article macrostructure patterns

Heng Gong, School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics, the University of Auckland, New Zealand

Michael Barlow, School of Cultures, Languages and Linguistics, the University of Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract This study investigates how the macrostructure patterns (MSPs) of research articles (RAs) are distributed across different disciplines. The investigation is based on the Elsevier OA CC-BY corpus consisting of 76,835 RAs from 26 disciplines coming from Health Sciences (HS), Social Sciences and Humanities (SH), Life Sciences (LS), and Physical Sciences and Engineering (PE). In this study, we identify 72 salient patterns and show that a higher ratio of functional headings is found in HS, LS, and PE than in SH, which can be attributed, in part, to different emphases with respect to the knowledge mode and knower mode (Maton, 2009). In addition, we explore the connection between specific MSPs and particular fields. We also detail the wide distribution of the I_M_R_D pattern; it appears in the top 10 pattern list for 21 out of the 26 disciplines, and is particularly frequent in medical journals. In sum: this large corpus-based study provides a comprehensive picture of how MSPs vary across RAs from different disciplines and fields.

Key words: Research articles, Macrostructure patterns, Academic disciplines, Large corpus-based study

‘Clearly you have nothing better to do with your time than this’: A critical historical exploration of contributions to the BALEAP discussion list

Alexander Ding, Language Centre, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Bee Bond, Language Centre, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Ian Bruce, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

Abstract Language teaching associations have very rarely been the subject of academic research and the few publications that do exist tend to focus on uncritically exploring the benefits of association for its members. One promising means of examining the evolving identity and agency of a profession is to closely examine the online discussions that take place among the members of such associations over time. This study explores the debates, discussions, and disagreements of BALEAP members through an examination of a corpus of BALEAP discussion list postings from 1998 to 2021 while also noting who contributes and who does not. The study uses both thematic and discourse analysis of posts and has three aims. The first is to provide a historical overview of the issues and topics that practitioners discuss, their concerns, agreements, and disagreements. The second is to investigate the identity of BALEAP, through a critical reading of recurrent discussions that emerged (and still continue) when The British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes changed its name to ‘BALEAP’ in 2010. The third aim is to explore identity and agency with a focus on the ongoing debates and tensions about the roles of private providers in EAP in the UK and elsewhere. The paper concludes with a discussion of our principal findings in relation to practitioner identity and agency with suggestions as to why and how the interests and concerns of the practitioner deserve more concerted analysis and attention of the whole EAP community.

Key words: EAP teachers, Teaching competence, Professional development (PD), Roles and responsibilities, Challenges

Vocabulary in academic lectures

Thi Ngoc Yen Dang, School of Education, University of Leeds, Hillary Place, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Abstract Vocabulary is essential for comprehending lectures in university courses. No studies have explicitly compared vocabulary in lectures from different contexts. In this study, three corpora were developed from university lectures in EMI courses, non-EMI courses, and open access EMI courses. Analysis of the vocabulary load showed that lectures in non-EMI courses were more lexically demanding than open access EMI courses, which were more lexically demanding than EMI courses. Analysis of the coverage of Dang et al.’s (2017) Academic Spoken Word List (ASWL) showed that compared to general words, learning ASWL words is a shortcut for learners to improve their lecture comprehension. Moreover, while knowledge of items from all ASWL levels could benefit learners from the three contexts, attention to Levels 1–3 items would probably be more beneficial for those studying in EMI courses and open access EMI courses. Attention to Level 4 items appeared to be more useful for those studying in non-EMI courses.

Key words: Lexical coverage, Vocabulary, Lecture, Academic listening, Word list, EMI

A multimodal analysis of pair work engagement episodes: Implications for EMI lecturer training

Teresa Morell, Universitat d’Alacant, Spain

Vicent Beltrán-Palanques, Universitat Jaume I, Spain

Natalia Norte, Universitat d’Alacant, Spain

Abstract Lecturers' abilities to use semiotic resources to construct meaning and to create engagement play an important role in university classrooms where English is the medium of instruction (EMI). The main focus of this study is on how EMI lecturers enrolled in a professional development program use semiotic and interpersonal resources to engage students through pair work activities. Two analyses were conducted on a dataset of twelve micro-teaching sessions extracted from an EMI teacher training corpus. The first analysis identified the moves and pedagogical functions lecturers instantiated while carrying out engagement episodes (EEs). The findings of this analysis served to design the “Pair work engagement episodes framework”, which includes five basic moves: 1) contextualizing, 2) setting up, 3) monitoring, 4) eliciting, and 5) summarizing. The second analysis illustrated how the pedagogical functions found in each move of four EEs were constructed multimodally through verbal and non-verbal communicative modes (i.e., spoken, written, non-verbal materials, space, and posture). The pair work EEs framework and the multimodal analysis lend support to strategies that may be implemented in EMI professional development programs to enhance lecturers’ multimodal interactional competence.

Key words: English-medium instruction, Lecturer training, Multimodal competence, Interactional competence, Engagement, Discourse analysis

“We define X as …”: A local grammar of definition in linguistics research articles and its pedagogical value

Yimin Zhang, Chongqing Jiaotong University, China

Hang Su, Sichuan International Studies University, China

Abstract Local grammars have been shown to be useful for accounting for discourse acts (e.g., exemplification, evaluation) in academic writing. Focusing on the specific discourse act of defining, this study develops a local grammar of definition in Linguistics research articles and further discusses its implications and applications for EAP writing research and pedagogy. Using a corpus compiled from published research articles, the study searched for a set of lexicogrammatical markers to retrieve instances of definition and the subsequent analyses identified 36 local grammar patterns of definition. The pedagogical implications and applications are then discussed in relation to EAP course design and the development of local grammar informed EAP teaching materials. The study concludes that systematically developing local grammars of discourse acts of importance in academic writing is a worthwhile undertaking and the findings of such research can usefully inform EAP writing pedagogy.

Key words: Local grammar, Discourse acts, Definition, Linguistics research articles, EAP writing Pedagogy

A corpus-based study of vocabulary in conference presentations

Thi Ngoc Yen Dang, School of Education, University of Leeds, Hillary Place, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Abstract Understanding conference presentations is an important but challenging task for EAP learners in their academic careers. Given the importance of vocabulary knowledge for comprehension, this study examines (a) the lexical demands of conference presentations, (b) the coverage of the Academic Spoken Word List (ASWL) (Dang, Coxhead, & Webb, 2017) in these presentations, and (c) the extent to which this list can help EAP learners deal with the lexical demands of these conferences. A 565,758-word corpus was created from conference presentations of 20 academic subject areas. Analysis revealed that together with proper nouns and marginal words, the most frequent 3,000 word families of general English covered 96.84% and the most frequent 5,000 word families covered 98.22% of conference presentations. The ASWL itself covered 87.52% of the academic conference presentation corpus and more than 87% of its sub-corpora. If learners’ prior knowledge of general vocabulary is taken into account, learning the ASWL word families may help users to achieve potential coverage from nearly 95% to 97% of conference presentations. Implications on how to transfer the findings to teaching will also be discussed.

Key words: Vocabulary, Conference presentation, Lexical coverage, Listening comprehension, Academic spoken word list

“The findings might not be generalizable”: Investigating negation in the limitations sections of PhD theses across disciplines

Shuyi Amelia Sun, School of Foreign Language Education, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China

Peter Crosthwaite, School of Languages and Cultures, The University of Queensland, Room 510 Gordon Greenwood Building, St. Lucia, 4072, Australia

Abstract Ph.D. thesis writers' abilities to effectively use interpersonal language and engage with disciplinary communities are recognized as key features of successful thesis writing (Hyland, 2006). As a high-stakes part-genre in Ph.D. theses, the ‘limitations’ section often contains caveats about writers' findings/methods/claims as realized through negation, functioning to convince disciplinary expert examiners to view any shortcomings more favorably (Paltridge & Starfield, 2020). Negation, as a disclaim marker within Martin and White’s (2005) appraisal framework, combines with other interpersonal resources to construct writer-reader relationships. Nevertheless, discipline-specific forms/functions of negation in theses' ‘limitations’ sections remain underexplored. Accordingly, this study investigated negation using the appraisal framework within the ‘limitations’ sections of 120 Ph.D. theses across disciplines (hard-applied, hard-pure, soft-applied, soft-pure). Results showed common as well as discipline-specific properties of negation devices alongside their co-articulations with other relevant appraisal resources. The corpus-informed results are expected to shed light on the nature and practice of each discipline that educators may take into account during thesis writing instruction.

Key words: Negation, Appraisal, Limitations, PhD theses, Disciplinary academic writing

The need for English language development in anglophone higher education settings: A case study from Australia

Pamela Humphreys, Macquarie University College, Room 115, Level 1, 8 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Avenue, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia

Abstract The literature focusing on the linguistic development of students with English as an additional language (EAL) in higher education has tended to focus on settings where English is not the first language of the majority of the population. This has led to the implicit assumption that English language outcomes in English-taught programs in anglophone higher education institutions (HEIs) are unproblematic. Yet the linguistic outcomes of EAL students in Australian HEIs have come under considerable scrutiny in recent years, and the available research provides evidence that improvement is not guaranteed over the course of a university degree.

The national focus on international EAL students and the volume of research on the topic makes Australia a useful case study, specifically for anglophone nations with similar international student profiles. Using Australia as a case study, this article outlines the issue to evidence that this is still not being adequately addressed. It describes the national sets of principles and standards and the research evidence around EAL graduates' English language outcomes. It makes the case that it is necessary to measure and evaluate English language outcomes and to ensure that English language proficiency is explicitly developed as part of a university's core business, even in traditional anglophone nations. Recommendations to assist universities to develop and evaluate English language outcomes are provided, along with a call to action for HEIs to evaluate and assure context-specific graduating English language outcomes.

Key words: English as an additional language (EAL), English language proficiency (ELP), English as a medium of instruction (EMI), Higher education, International students

The effect of lexical coverage on L2 learners’ reading comprehension of narrative and expository genres

Tianjiao Song, Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Faculty of Foreign Languages, Guangdong Ocean University, China

Barry Lee Reynolds, Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China

Abstract Understanding the relationship between lexical coverage (i.e., the number of words known in a text) and second language (L2) reading comprehension is pivotal to L2 instruction as it helps teachers set sensible vocabulary learning goals and select suitable reading materials. This study examined the unique contribution of 7 lexical coverage figures (i.e., 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, and 100%) to the comprehension of narrative and expository texts read by Chinese EFL undergraduate students (N = 234). Participants completed the Vocabulary Size Test, a L2 reading ability test, a background knowledge test, reading comprehension tests, and topic familiarity ratings. Results of hierarchical regression analyses showed that after accounting for L2 vocabulary size and L2 reading ability, lexical coverage remained a steady, though weak, predictor of narrative and expository comprehension scores. No indication of a lexical threshold for reading comprehension was found. Instead, lexical coverage was found to be a stronger predictor of expository comprehension scores than narrative. While findings suggested 98% lexical coverage was reasonable for satisfactory comprehension of L2 narrative texts, 100% lexical coverage may be needed for satisfactory comprehension of L2 expository texts without the support of background knowledge. Pedagogical implications were discussed in relation to the findings.

Key words: Lexical coverage, L2 reading comprehension, L2 vocabulary size, Narrative, Expository

In this essay, I will …: Examining variation of communicative purpose in student written genres

Larissa Goulart, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Ave, Montclair, NJ, 07043, USA

Douglas Biber, Northern Arizona University, S San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA

Randi Reppen, Northern Arizona University, S San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA

Abstract Several previous researchers have developed taxonomies of the written genres produced by students in university content classes. These studies have often described the communicative purposes of university writing genres, with the implication that these categories are well-defined in terms of purpose. However, even a casual inspection of university student texts reveals that many texts perform multiple communicative purposes, and that there is considerable variation among texts within the same genre.

Motivated by such observations, the present study seeks to empirically analyze the communicative characteristics of texts in five university writing genres: essays, critiques, case studies, methodology recounts, and explanations. The study is based on analysis of 308 student texts, extracted from 3rd year students in the BAWE corpus. Each text is coded for its communicative purposes, including the possibility that a given text can realize multiple purposes to differing extents. The results reveal that there is considerable variation in major purpose among texts within a genre, and that most texts contain more than one communicative purpose. However, these patterns differ across genres. For example, 55.7% of essays combine two communicative purposes, while 56.1% of critiques combine three communicative purposes. The specific combination of purposes also varies for each genre.

Key words: University writing, Communicative purpose, Assignment types, Genres

A linguistic construction of a research gap in reports of randomised controlled trials: A systemic functional perspective

Dragana Stosic, Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Sydney, Australia

Abstract In clinical research, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered to be “the gold standard” for evaluating treatments. Accordingly, RCT reporting in top English-medium medical journals is specifically regulated by The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) Statement. However, although the CONSORT Statement prescribes the content items that are to be included in a report, little guidance is offered on how the content can be communicated effectively. This paper explores a linguistic construction of a research gap in the introductory sections of medical research articles that report on RCTs (i.e., RCT reports), which has been identified as crucial in the process of RCT justification. In this study, a sample of Introduction sections extracted form recently published RCT reports was analysed using a systemic functional linguistic (SFL) approach to genre and evaluation. The findings indicate that RCT report writers tend to create a research gap by embedding the rhetorical structures of three arguing genres – expositions, discussions, and challenges – into their research warrants. The results of this study carry pedagogical implications for RCT report writing training.

Key words: Systemic functional linguistics, Genre embedding, Appraisal analysis, Mental health discourse, Research warrant, Genre analysis

Novice EAP teacher identity construction: A qualitative study from Iran

Mahmmod Reza Atai, Applied Linguistics, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

Mostafa Nazari, Applied Linguistics, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

Farzaneh Hamidi, Applied Linguistics, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teachers' job description involves contextual particularities that have roots in sociocultural and disciplinary dimensions. Such complexities may profoundly influence the identities novice teachers construct as they need to handle different dimensions of their career. However, there is little documented research on novice EAP teachers' identity construction. The present study reports on the identity construction of a novice Iranian EAP teacher (Alborz). Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and classroom observations and the associated stimulated recall sessions. Our analysis of the data revealed three major themes in relation to Alborz's identity construction: (1) tensions between claimed and constructed EAP identities, (2) content-related emotional conflicts, and (3) EAP teacher as an undervalued professional. Alborz experienced various conceptual, emotional, and agency-related conflicts that had roots in contextual parameters of EAP teaching in Iran, yet at each stage of his development, these conflicts intensified, diminished, and took different shapes. In particular, managing the connection between language and content was a site of struggle for Alborz as he had to adopt identities that clashed with his professional understandings and idiosyncratic descriptions of EAP instruction.

Key words: English for academic Purposes (EAP), EAP teaching, Teacher identity construction, Novice teachers

Exploration of value arguments in applied linguistics research articles

Mohammad Azizi, Baneh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Baneh, Iran

Jalil Abdi, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

Javad Gholami, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

Abstract While research on Academic Literacies has continued to develop, students’ cultural and linguistic differences have only been superficially explored within this framework without consideration of their contribution to writers’ practices, identities, and meaning-making processes. There is a need to continue extending the scope of this promising framework as both a pedagogical design frame and a logic of inquiry. To this end, this qualitative case study grounded in discourse analysis explores the writing moves Chinese international students make as they construct text meaning within the context of online discussions. This paper focuses on excerpts from two online discussion groups, including assignment prompts, news articles, student responses, and comments to one another within a university ESL Composition course in the U.S. An intertextual analysis suggests that when students socially interacted within online discussions in response to written texts and brought their perspectives and experiences into relationship with other writers’ ideas, they took the opportunity to draw upon the dialogue and their own cultural knowledge and experience, positioning these as valuable sources in co-constructing the meaning of texts and negotiating their stances toward them.

Key words: Academic writing, Carter's framework, Introduction sections, Marketization, Promotion

EAP corrective feedback in an EMI setting: Student and teacher beliefs

Robert Weekly, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China

Andrew Pollard, Charles Darwin University, Australia

James Macpherson, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China

Abstract This study examines the oral corrective feedback (CF) beliefs of Chinese students and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) tutors in an English Medium Instruction (EMI) setting in China. Despite considerable variation in spoken English around the world many EAP tutors tend to correct students' spoken language in relation to native speaker norms, while for students the native model is constructed as the ideal model. This exploratory study looks at listening and speaking classes on an EMI undergraduate preparatory course at a Sino-British University in China. This paper focuses on classes delivered by three different EAP teachers and draws on the beliefs of these teachers and their students, as expressed through interviews. The study revealed variation in students' opinions about CF, with some asserting the limited importance of CF and an acceptance of language variability, with others stressing the importance of accurate language. For their part, the EAP teachers feel it is important to correct students because of language policy, assessment, and student expectations, while also being open to language variation. This paper proposes that CF needs to be reorientated to reflect the changing social environments in which English is spoken, from the current ‘form focused correction’ to ‘meaning focused correction’.

Exploring EAP teachers’ expertise: Reflections on practice, pedagogy and professional development

Damian Fitzpatrick, University of the Arts, London, UK

Tracey Costley, Department of Language and Linguistics (University of Essex), London, UK

Parvaneh Tavakoli, Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics, London, UK

Abstract The last 10–15 years has seen significant change in the ways in which English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is labelled and positioned within higher education institutions in the U.K. (Hyland, 2018). EAP teachers are often viewed and treated as a uniform group even though they work under a number of often interchangeable and locally specific titles, deploying their teaching expertise across a range of different settings. Despite such generic perceptions of EAP teachers and teaching, little is known about what EAP teachers see as central to their profession, what constitutes EAP teaching expertise, and how this expertise is gained and enhanced. This paper reports on a mixed-methods design study that sought an emic perspective on what EAP teachers consider as their expertise and what opportunities they have to develop professionally. Drawing on 116 questionnaires and 15 interviews with EAP teachers the data gives voice to EAP practitioners, which has often been missing from research in the field (Ding & Bruce, 2017). Initial findings highlight issues including the types of training and development colleagues feel they need and what they receive, where EAP professional knowledge and expertise is located and the position of EAP knowledge within the broader academy.

Key words: Expertise, EAP teachers, Professional development

EAP teacher observation: Developing criteria and identifying the forms of pedagogic practice they afford

Steve Kirk, Durham Centre for Academic Development, Teaching & Learning Centre, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LS, UK

Julie King, Centre for Academic English Level 3, Sherfield Building Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

Abstract Here we critically revisit a scheme for EAP teacher observation and development, created in response to particular challenges in a UK pre-sessional context. The scheme was closely informed by the BALEAP Competency Framework for Teachers of EAP (CFTEAP). Our view that observation criteria should reflect broader course principles – and thus shape what becomes valued classroom practice – guided a significant shift from ‘the how’ of classroom management to a more appropriate focus on ‘the what’ of academic discourses and practices. With current global changes and developments in EAP, it is timely to re-examine the principles underpinning the scheme and assess its enduring value. We do this through the lens of epistemic relations from Legitimation Code Theory to reveal different orientations to ‘the what’ and ‘the how’ of EAP practice and what this enables. A mapping of both pre-CFTEAP and CFTEAP-informed criteria makes visible the underpinning values, forms of pedagogy and affordances for professional conversations, but also spaces for seeing alternatives and possibilities, offering a practical tool for teachers and observers.

Key words: BALEAP Competency framework, EAP practitioner, Epistemic relations, Legitimation Code Theory, Teacher observation, Teacher development, Teacher knowledge

Using the knowledge and expertise of English language specialists to enhance L1 English speaking lecturers’ lectures: A professional development project

Fiona Aish, Target English, Plaza de la Administración Vieja, 1, 1°izq, 04003, Almería, Spain

Jo Tomlinson, Target English, Plaza de la Administración Vieja, 1, 1°izq, 04003, Almería, Spain

Abstract This paper reports on a professional development project between a lecturer in a UK university and two EAP practitioners. The aim was to assess the extent to which EAP practitioners’ knowledge of academic English and teaching strategies common to the EAP and ELT sectors could be harnessed to enhance the lectures of an L1 English lecturer for international students. The methodology included recording and reviewing sample lectures, conducting focus groups with students and a reflection discussion with the lecturer. It provided the lecturer with an opportunity to engage with practices drawn from the ELT and EAP sectors in order to develop her lecturing style for these students. The project explored ideas relating to lecturing skills, features of lecture language and discourse, and adopting EAP and ELT teaching techniques in higher education.

Metadiscourse choices in EAP: An intra-journal study of JEAP

Ken Hyland, School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia, UK

Feng (Kevin) Jiang, School of Foreign Language Education, Jilin University, China

Abstract Interest in language variation is a staple of English for Academic Purposes research and underpins its distinctive character as a field of inquiry. It is the specific nature of language use which defines EAP, yet this definition has been established almost entirely on the basis of inter-discoursal studies, with comparisons of register, genre, discipline, first language, etc. dominating our understanding. In this paper we take a different approach and focus on variation within the field, and specifically within its flagship journal, JEAP. Categorising every paper between volume 1 and 52 as principally taking a textual, critical, contextual or pedagogical orientation, we explore writers’ preferences for metadiscourse use. The differences which emerge can be attributed to the argumentation preferences of sub-fields and their knowledge-making practices. The findings offer evidence of intra-disciplinary variation in discoursal preferences and hopefully contribute to our understanding of both the journal and our field.

Key words: Metadiscourse, Academic writing, Intra-disciplinary variation, Intra-journal variation

“Their encouragement makes me feel more confident”: Exploring peer effects on learner engagement in collaborative reading of academic texts

Tan Jin, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China

Yishi Jiang, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

Michelle Mingyue Gu, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Jing Chen, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

Abstract Although it has been well noted that peer interaction can affect language learning outcomes, how it specifically impacts the learning process in group reading tasks remains underexplored. This article reports on a longitudinal case study, examining how peer interactions influence the engagement of five first-year university students in collaborative academic reading tasks and tracing the changes of peer effects on learner engagement over one academic semester. Data from multiple sources were collected, including audiotaped recordings of group discussions, peer feedback forms, and semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that peers exerted influences on learners' behavioral, cognitive, social, and emotional engagement in the collaborative academic reading tasks. Throughout the semester, the participants demonstrated a developmental change of peer effects on different dimensions of their peers' engagement, veering their influence on each other from behavioral engagement to cognitive engagement and social engagement. Peer effects on each other's emotional engagement remained stable. This study identifies that students' metacognitive knowledge, familiarity with group members, and leadership play a critical role in shaping learner engagement. The findings provide important insights for researchers and teachers on the connection of students' peer influence with learning process in collaborative learning tasks.

Key words: Peer effect, Learner engagement, Collaborative reading, Academic reading

Supporting international graduate students’ academic language and literacies development through online and hybrid communities of practice

Shakina Rajendram, Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1V6, Canada

Wenyangzi Shi, Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1V6, Canada

Abstract This paper reports on the implementation of online and hybrid communities of practice (CoPs) in an academic English course for international graduate students in a Canadian university. The study aimed to examine how participation in CoPs supported students in developing the academic language and literacies required in their programs. The research was informed by sociocultural theory and Scarcella's (2003) academic English framework. Each student self-identified an area of academic English they wished to develop, designed strategies to help them improve in that area, and carried out their strategies over three months. The 23 students were put into CoPs, and they collaborated with their CoP members to provide feedback and support to each other. The data for the study were artefacts shared by students online, including written posts, discussions, video and audio clips, images, links, and drafts of their work. Data from seven focal participants were analyzed deductively using codes generated inductively through a literature review. The results indicated that the CoPs developed students' academic language competencies, facilitated constructive feedback, affirmed students' diverse identities, and provided a supportive space for academic socialization. The study recommends the integration of CoPs into academic language support for international students.

‘Don't become so much high sounding’: Power dynamics in master's thesis viva

Madhu Neupane Bastola, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Victor Ho, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, AG428, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China

Abstract The viva is a crucial component of the master's thesis examination process. It offers students opportunities to defend their thesis and engage in scholarly dialogue with disciplinary experts. As the viva involves participants with unequal and hierarchical power relations, the possibility of a scholarly dialogue in the viva is primarily shaped by the positioning of the examiners in relation to the students. Although master's students writing a thesis outnumber those doing a PhD, the research on master's thesis viva is in the embryonic stage. This study set out to extend this research by examining ten master's thesis vivas at a comprehensive university in Nepal. The analysis of audio-recorded feedback sessions revealed that the vivas were primarily examiners' monologic and directive talk. There was little negotiation of power because the students contributed minimally to the dialogue. The examiners acted as custodians and gatekeepers of the discipline to ensure the reproduction of academic norms and conventions. The implications of the study for enhancing the effectiveness of the viva are provided.

Key words: Master's thesis, Viva, Power dynamics, Interests in knowing, Graduate research

Using a logic model to evaluate rater training for EAP writing assessment

Jeanne O'Connell, The Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK; The Centre for English Language Education, The University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China

Abstract Assessment by written exams and coursework is common practice in pre-sessional and preliminary year EAP programmes, but the allocation of marks for written assessment is complex, as is training raters to apply specified assessment standards. This practitioner research uses a Logic Model, a visual diagram commonly used in programme evaluation, to evaluate the rater training procedure for writing assessment in an English-medium university department. This study integrates data from surveys, interviews and workshops with the stakeholders involved in the rater training procedure to develop a Logic Model as part of an ongoing theory of change evaluation. The final product is a Model that reveals the guiding principles of rater training in the department, text that describes the evaluation process, and a measurement plan. This paper showcases how practitioner research can enhance EAP practice by demonstrating how an essential component of EAP assessment, rater training, and the rationale behind it, can be made cogent to the various stakeholders involved in the procedure. This paper offers considerations for EAP practitioners, managers, and testing staff when developing or working with rater training, bridging the gap between EAP and language testing and assessment communities.

Key words: Logic model, Rater training, EAP writing assessment, Language testing and assessment

期刊简介

The Journal of English for Academic Purposes provides a forum for the dissemination of information and views which enables practitioners of and researchers in EAP to keep current with developments in their field and to contribute to its continued updating. JEAP publishes articles, book reviews, conference reports, and academic exchanges concerning the linguistic, sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic description of English as it is used for the purposes of academic study and scholarly exchange. A wide range of linguistic, applied linguistic and educational topics may be treated from the perspective of English for academic purposes; these include: classroom language, teaching methodology, teacher education, assessment of language, needs analysis; materials development and evaluation, discourse analysis, acquisition studies in EAP contexts, research writing and speaking at all academic levels, the sociopolitics of English in academic uses and language planning.

《学术英语杂志》（JEAP）提供了一个传播信息和观点的论坛，使 EAP 的从业者和研究人员能够及时了解其领域的发展并为其持续更新做出贡献。 JEAP 发表关于英语的语言、社会语言和心理语言描述的文章、书评、会议报告和学术交流，用于学术研究和学术交流。出于学术目的，可以从英语的角度处理广泛的语言、应用语言和教育主题；其中包括：课堂语言、教学方法、教师教育、语言评估、需求分析；材料开发和评估、话语分析、EAP 语境中的习得研究、所有学术水平的研究写作和演讲、学术使用中的英语社会政治学和语言规划。

Also of interest are review essays and reviews of research on topics important to EAP researchers. No worthy topic relevant to EAP is beyond the scope of the journal. The journal also carries reviews of scholarly books on topics of general interest to the profession.

同样令人感兴趣的是评论文章和EAP 重要主题的研究评论。 与 EAP 相关的任何有价值的主题都不会超出期刊的范围。 该期刊还对有关该行业普遍感兴趣主题的学术书籍进行评论。

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