Skip to main content

The Use of Online Corpora as Reference Resources for Revision Tasks in Writing

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Advances in Web-Based Learning -- ICWL 2015 (ICWL 2015)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 9412))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 1127 Accesses

Abstract

The current study reports on an experiment with 60 Chinese college students, aiming to explore the effects of using online corpora BFSU CQP web for revision tasks in EFL writing. Quantitative data about the 60 lower level EFL learners’ scores in the post writing test show that there is a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in terms of the lexical accuracy and the use of cohesion devices, which prove that corpora as reference resources are more useful than the online dictionary in helping learners improve their linguistic competence in writing. The follow-up interviews on the selected participants in the experimental group reveal different learners’ perceptions of using online corpora in the process of revising essays and the reasons behind their opinions, which can provide guidance for teachers to apply corpora effectively in teaching writing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Corder, P.: Error Analysis and Interlanguage. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Johns, T.: Should you be persuaded: two examples of data-driven learning. In: Johns, T., King, P. (eds.) Classroom Concordancing. ELR, Birmingham (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Gaskell, D., Cobb, T.: Can learners use concordance feedback for writing errors? System 32(3), 301–319 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Gilmore, A.: Using online corpora to develop students’ writing skills. ELT J. 11, 1–10 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chambers, A., O’Sullivan, Í.: Corpus consultation and advanced learners’ writing skills in French. ReCALL 16(1), 158–172 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. O’Sullivan, Í., Chambers, A.: Learners’ writing skills in French: corpus consultation and learner evaluation. J. Second Lang. Writ. 15(1), 49–68 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tono, Y., Satake, Y., Miura, A.: The effects of using corpora on revision tasks in L2 writing with coded error feedback. ReCALL 26, 147–162 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Pérez-Paredes, P., Sánchez-Tornel, M., Alcaraz Calero, J.M.: Learners’ search patterns during corpus-based focus-on-form activities. Int. J. Corpus Linguist. 17(4), 483–516 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Chang, J.Y.: The use of general and specialized corpora as reference sources for academic English writing: a case study. ReCALL 26(2), 243–259 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lee, D., Swales, J.: A corpus-based EAP course for NNS doctoral students: moving from available specialized corpora to self-compiled corpora. Engl. Specif. Purp. 25(1), 56–75 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Boulton, A.: Testing the limits of data-driven learning: language proficiency and training. ReCALL 21(1), 37–51 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Cotos, Elena: Enhancing writing pedagogy with learner corpus data. ReCALL 26(2), 202–224 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Yeh, Y., Liou, H.C., Li, Y.H.: Online synonym materials and concordancing for EFL college writing. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 20(2), 131–152 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kennedy, C., Miceli, T.: Corpus-assisted creative writing: introducing intermediate Italian learners to a corpus as a reference resource. Lang. Learn. Technol. 14(1), 28–44 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Xu, J.J., Wu, L.P.: Web-based fourth generation corpus analysis tools and the BFSU CQP web case. Comput.-Assist. Foreign Lang. Educ. 5, 10–15 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Smart, J.: The role of guided induction in paper-based data-driven learning. ReCALL 26, 184–201 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wolfe-Quintero, K., Inagaki, S., Kim, H.Y.: Second language development in writing: measures of fluency, accuracy, and complexity (Report No. 17). Second Language Teaching and Curriculum Center, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Ortega, L.: Syntactic complexity measures and their relationship to L2 proficiency: a research synthesis of college-level L2 writing. Appl. Linguist. 24(4), 492–518 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Huang, Z.P.: The effects of paper-based DDL on the acquisition of lexico-grammatical patterns in L2 writing. ReCALL 26, 163–183 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. O’Sullivan, I.: Enhancing a process-oriented approach to literacy and language learning: the role of corpus consultation literacy. ReCALL 19(3), 269–286 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Southwest Petroleum University Science and Technology Foundation (Grant No. 2012XJR013) and Web Culture Project Sponsored by the Humanities and Social Science Research Base of the Sichuan Provincial Education Department (Grant No. WLWH15-28).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qinqin Luo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this paper

Cite this paper

Luo, Q., Huang, W., Liao, Y. (2015). The Use of Online Corpora as Reference Resources for Revision Tasks in Writing. In: Li, F., Klamma, R., Laanpere, M., Zhang, J., ManjĂłn, B., Lau, R. (eds) Advances in Web-Based Learning -- ICWL 2015. ICWL 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9412. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25515-6_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25515-6_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-25514-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-25515-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics