20.1553, Diss: Applied Ling: Connerty: 'Variation in Academic Writing among ...'

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LINGUIST List: Vol-20-1553. Thu Apr 23 2009. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 20.1553, Diss: Applied Ling: Connerty: 'Variation in Academic Writing among ...'

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1)
Date: 23-Apr-2009
From: Mary Connerty < mcc12 at psu.edu >
Subject: Variation in Academic Writing among Generation 1.5 Learners, Native English-Speaking Learners and ESL Learners: The discoursal self of G1.5 student writers
 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:33:43
From: Mary Connerty [mcc12 at psu.edu]
Subject: Variation in Academic Writing among Generation 1.5 Learners, Native English-Speaking Learners and ESL Learners: The discoursal self of G1.5 student writers

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Institution: University of Birmingham 
Program: Applied Linguistics 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2009 

Author: Mary Constance Connerty

Dissertation Title: Variation in Academic Writing among Generation 1.5
Learners, Native English-Speaking Learners and ESL
Learners: The discoursal self of G1.5 student writers 

Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics

Subject Language(s): English (eng)


Dissertation Director(s):
Susan Hunston

Dissertation Abstract:

This thesis appears in three parts: Modules I, II, & III. The purpose of
these units was to argue that Generation 1.5 (G1.5) learners are a distinct
group of English language learners with unique ways of representing
themselves in academic writing, and to identify those salient linguistic
differences among G1.5, traditional ESL, and NS student writers. Using
multiple methodologies, the text explores the discourse patterns of G1.5
students in their academic writing. Elements in each section include:

Module I:
- A discussion and literature review of research on Generation 1.5 students
and design criteria for an extended corpus study.

Module II:
- A pilot study of early results from a corpus study comparing G1.5, ESL,
and NES student academic writing, with a focus of pronoun and modal use.

Module III:
- A study involving surveys and interviews to evaluate what both students
and instructors consider good academic writing and expect of student essays.
- Corpus data from G1.5, ESL, and NS student corpora to determine
lexico-grammatical and syntactic patterns in G1.5 student writers and how
they differ from both ESL and NS students. Salient features are analyzed
using a framework where features are mapped onto an adapted version of
Halliday's (2004) three macrofunctions of language, allowing for an
analysis of semantic and lexico-grammatical features in terms of
ideational, interpersonal, and textual positioning.
- Case studies of three essays to test corpus results and a framework of
self-representation against individual performance.

The resulting text concludes that G1.5 students' self-representation in
writing is distinct from other student writers, and manifests in their
semantic choices, narrative style, and elements of a hybrid of academic and
personal/interpersonal writing. 

The text appearing herein is presented as it was to examiners at the
University of Birmingham, U.K.; however, page numbers (in text and in Table
of Contents entries) have been changed to reflect page numbers in a single
document, rather than three individual documents. 




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