Corpus-based Examinations of L2 Integrated Writing: Reporting verbs and Personal Pronouns

The goals of the present project are to (a) identify how second language (L2) learners make use of reporting verbs (e.g., think, mention, argue, etc.) within the context of integrated (source-based) writing and (b) examine types and functions of personal pronouns (I, we, etc.) in their academic texts. The project will use corpus-based analysis to investigate 926 essays written by L2 learners at an English-medium university in Montreal across two academic genres: argumentative, and cause and effect.

The results from the study will illustrate the differences across L2 writers with different native language backgrounds pertaining to authorial voice (personal pronouns) and source-text integration (reporting verbs) in two frequent genres in academic writing. Therefore, the findings will hold implications for L2 writing classes. Identifying rhetorical and semantic functions of reporting verbs and personal pronouns will help L2 writing instructors address L2 learners’ challenges with academic writing within the classroom environment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kim McDonough

Student:

Partner:

Arizona State University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Concordia University

Program: