Predicting Second Language Writing Proficiency: The Roles of Cohesion and Linguistic Sophistication

Scott A. Crossley; Danielle S. McNamara

Journal of Research in Reading Vol. 35, No. 2 (May 2012) pp. 115–135

This study addresses research gaps in predicting second language (L2) writing proficiency using linguistic features. Key to this analysis is the inclusion of linguistic measures at the surface, textbase and situation model level that assess text...

Computational Assessment of Lexical Differences in L1 and L2 Writing

Scott A. Crossley; Danielle S. McNamara

Journal of Second Language Writing Vol. 18, No. 2 (June 2009) pp. 119–135

The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed analysis of how lexical differences related to cohesion and connectionist models can distinguish first language (L1) writers of English from second language (L2) writers of English. Key to this...

What's so Simple about Simplified Texts? A Computational and Psycholinguistic Investigation of Text Comprehension and Text Processing

Scott A. Crossley; Hae Sung Yang; Danielle S. McNamara

Reading in a Foreign Language Vol. 26, No. 1 (April 2014) pp. 92–113

This study uses a moving windows self-paced reading task to assess both text comprehension and processing time of authentic texts and these same texts simplified to beginning and intermediate levels. Forty-eight second language learners each read 9...

Linguistic Features of Writing Quality

Danielle S. McNamara; Scott A. Crossley; Philip M. McCarthy

Written Communication Vol. 27, No. 1 (2010) pp. 57–86

In this study, a corpus of expert-graded essays, based on a standardized scoring rubric, is computationally evaluated so as to distinguish the differences between those essays that were rated as high and those rated as low. The automated tool, Coh...

The Writing Pal Intelligent Tutoring System: Usability Testing and Development

Rod D. Roscoe; Laura K. Allen; Jennifer L. Weston; Scott A. Crossley; Danielle S. McNamara

Computers and Composition Vol. 34, No. 1 (December 2014) pp. 39–59

The Writing Pal (W-Pal) is an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) designed to improve students’ writing proficiency via a unique combination of explicit strategy instruction, game-based practice, essay writing practice, and automated formative...

Language: English

L2 Writing Practice: Game Enjoyment as a Key to Engagement

Laura K. Allen; Scott A. Crossley; Erica L. Snow; Danielle S. McNamara

Language Learning & Technology Vol. 18, No. 2 pp. 124–150

The Writing Pal (W-Pal) is an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) designed to provide students with explicit writing strategy instruction and practice. W-Pal includes a suite of educational games developed to increase writing engagement and provide...