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Sentence Sequence and Coherence [microform] : In Search of Readers' Problems in Academic Discourse / Desmond Allison
Bib ID 5555149
Format BookBook, MicroformMicroform, OnlineOnline
Author
Allison, Desmond
 
Online Versions
Description [Washington, D.C.] : Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse, 1989 
10 p. 
ISSN 1015-2059 
Summary

A study looks at two broad issues: (1) the relationship between sentence sequence and 'coherence' in writing of academic discourse in a second language; and (2) identification of likely areas of difficulty for second-language readers. Two approaches to the diagnosis of coherence problems, using experimental manipulation of sentence orders in paragraphs or extended text, are discussed. One involves reconstruction of a text from scrambled sentences, and the other looks at changes in sentence order on cloze test performance. The study used one of these approaches, the reconstruction of text, to investigate student ability to reconstitute original sentence orders for each of 6 paragraphs from a science textbook. Subjects were 49 University of Botswana science students; none were first-language speakers of English. Results indicate that students had problems with contrast relationships, sometimes leading to misrepresentation of original meaning. Other anomalies often concerned the order of old and new information. Few problems were found with level of generality. Implications for reading difficulties are examined briefly. A brief bibliography and the texts used, with synopses, are appended. (MSE)

Notes

ERIC Note: For the serial issue from which this paper is analyzed, see FL 020 934.

Hongkong Papers in Linguistics and Language Teaching, v12 p29-38 Apr 1989.

May also be available online. Address as at 14/8/18: https://eric.ed.gov/

Reproduction Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive. 
Subjects Academic Discourse.  |  Cloze Procedure.  |  Coherence.  |  College Students.  |  English for Academic Purposes.  |  English (Second Language)  |  Foreign Countries.  |  Higher Education.  |  Language Research.  |  Reading Comprehension.  |  Reading Difficulties.  |  Science Education.  |  Second Languages.  |  Technical Writing.  |  Writing (Composition)  |  University of Botswana
Form/genre Reports, Research.  |  Journal Articles.
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