18.901, Jobs: Comp Ling & Discourse Analysis: PhD Position, U of Groningen

Mon Mar 26 16:30:47 UTC 2007

LINGUIST List: Vol-18-901. Mon Mar 26 2007. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 18.901, Jobs: Comp Ling & Discourse Analysis: PhD Position, U of Groningen

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1)
Date: 26-Mar-2007
From: Wyke Van der Meer < w.a.van.der.meer at rug.nl >
Subject: Computational Linguistics & Discourse Analysis: PhD Position, University of Groningen, Netherlands 

-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:27:39
From: Wyke Van der Meer < w.a.van.der.meer at rug.nl >
Subject: Computational Linguistics & Discourse Analysis: PhD Position, University of Groningen, Netherlands 

University or Organization: University of Groningen, Faculty of Arts 
Department: Center for Language and Cognition
Web Address: http://www.rug.nl/let/onderzoek/onderzoekinstituten/clcg/index

Job Rank: PhD Position

Specialty Areas: Computational Linguistics; Discourse Analysis; Text/Corpus
Linguistics 

Description:

Two PhD positions (90%) in Modelling Discourse Structure  

For the Center of Language and Cognition research group 'Discourse and
Communication', we are looking for two PhD students. The successful
candidates will participate in the NWO-funded research programme 'Modelling
Discourse Structure'. This programme investigates the hierarchical
organisation of textual units into structured entities by the joint
contributions of relational coherence (the way smaller textual units
combine into larger ones) and lexical cohesion (relations between elements
within textual units, e.g., synonyms, anaphora, or collocations). Corpora
from different genres (journalistic, encyclopaedic, and persuasive texts)
will be investigated to take into account genre-dependent differences in
textual organisation. We are inviting applications for two projects within
the programme:

Project 1  [supervisor: Markus Egg]  
While most of the work on relational coherence centres round local
coherence relations and their signalling, the first project focusses on the
configuration of discourse that relational coherence imposes on complex
text segments. The hypothesis to be investigated in this project is that
binary trees suffice to model the configuration of the chosen corpora.
Seeming counterexamples are to be explained in terms of interacting
factors, in particular, lexical cohesive devices.

Project 2  [supervisor: Gisela Redeker] 
The second project investigates the interaction between relational
coherence and lexical cohesion by looking at their predictions concerning
the paragraph structure and the centrality of discourse units. While a fair
amount of correlation between the two predictions in all genres
investigated in the programme is to be expected, a hypothesis to be
explored is the claim that lexical cohesion will be particularly closely
aligned with discourse structure in expository texts, which are mainly
thematically organised.

Requirements
- a MA degree in (Computational) Linguistics, Communication and Information
Science, Computer Science, or a related field 
- excellent record of undergraduate and Master's level study
- knowledge of Dutch or the willingness to learn it
- ability to work together with other researchers

Conditions of employment
Maximum salary amount in Euro's a month 2502  
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period
Duration of the contract: Four years (90%), starting as soon as possible.
The positions require residence in Groningen, 36 hours/week research, and
must result in a PhD dissertation. After the first year there will be an
assessment of the candidates' results and the progress of the project to
decide whether the employment will be continued.

Additional information can be obtained from:

Dr. Markus Egg  (principal investigator)
Tel. +31 50 3635800
E-mail: k.m.m.egg at rug.nl

Or additional information can be obtained through the following link:

http://www.rug.nl/let/onderzoek/onderzoekinstituten/clcg/index

Interviews will take place in week 21-25 May 2007.

Please include
- a letter of application
- your CV
- a copy of your diplomas and a list of grades
- a list of publications (if applicable)
- the names and e-mail addresses of two referees
- a short statement (no more than 2,000 words) about  your motivation to
apply for this project

When applying, please quote the vacancy number 207076-77

Application Deadline: 05-May-2007 

Mailing Address for Applications: 
	University of Groningen Personnel & Organization Dept. 
	P.O. Box 72 
	Groningen 9700 AB 
	Netherlands 

Email Address for Applications: vmp at bureau.rug.nl 

Contact Information:
	Ms Wyke Van der Meer 
	Email: w.a.van.der.meer at rug.nl

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