Journal of new advances in English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics

Journal of new advances in English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics

Syntactic Complexity in the Discussion Sections of Master's and Doctoral Theses: A Cross-Linguistic Study in Applied Linguistics

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 MA in English Language Teaching, Department of Literature and Foreign language, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jeltal.2024.6.1.7
Abstract
The current study investigates syntactic complexity in the discussion sections of master's and doctoral dissertations in applied linguistics. To this end, 30 local Iranian MA theses and 30 local Iranian PhD dissertations in applied linguistics were randomly selected from those published in IranDoc (Iran Document Center). Additionally, an international corpus comprising 30 doctoral dissertations in applied linguistics was randomly selected from research databases such as ProQuest. The data were then analyzed using syntactic complexity variables through both descriptive (frequency) and inferential (chi-square) analyses. Furthermore, eight indices of syntactic complexity were considered as the basis for this comparative study. The findings indicate a significant effect of education on the use of these eight syntactic complexity indices. At the conclusion of this paper, the significance of syntactic complexity in terms of structural writing is discussed, along with the implications of these findings for English for academic purposes writing research and pedagogy. Finally, the results and statistics support the conclusion of meaningful differences and considerable frequency in the use of certain syntactic structures over others. Given its practical implications, further research is necessary to better understand the impact of syntactic complexity on writing quality and development.
Keywords

Ai, H. & Lu, X., (2015), Syntactic complexity in college-level English writing: Differences among writers with diverse L1 backgrounds: Journal of Second Language Writing, 29, 16-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2015.06.003
Arya, D. J., Hibeart, E.H., & Pearson, D. (2011). The effects of syntactic and lexical complexity on the comprehension of elementary science texts. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education 4(1), 107-125.
Bi, P., & Jiang, J. (2020). Syntactic complexity in assessing young adolescent EFL learners’ writings: Syntactic elaboration and diversity. System, 91, 102248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102248
Bulte, B., & Housen, A. (2015). Evaluating short-term changes in L2 complexity development: Círculo de Lingüística Aplicada a la Comunicación 63, 42-76. http://dx.doi.org/10.5209/rev_CLAC.2015.v63.50169
Bulte, B., & Housen, A. (2014). Conceptualizing and measuring short-term changes in L2 writing complexity. Journal of Second Language Writing, 26, 42–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2014.09.005
Brooks, G. (2017). Teaching academic writing in content-based classes: In P. Clements, A. Krause, & H. Brown (Eds.), Transformation in language education (pp. 386-391). Tokyo: JAL
Casal, J., & Lee, J. (2019). Syntactic complexity and writing quality in assessed first-year L2 writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 44, 51–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2019.03.005
Casal, J., Lu, X., Qiu, X., Wang, Y., & Zhang, G. (2021). Syntactic complexity across academic research article part genres: A cross-disciplinary perspective: Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 52, 100996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2021.100996
Crossley, S., & McNamara, D. (2014). Does writing development equal writing quality? A computational investigation of syntactic complexity in L2 learners: Journal of Second Language Writing 26, 66–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2014.09.006
Crossley, S., Russell, D., Kyle, K., & Romer, U. (2017). Applying natural language processing tools to a student academic writing corpus: How large are disciplinary differences across science and engineering fields?, The Journal of Writing Analytics, 1(1),48-81.
Devitt, A. J. (2014). Genre performances: John Swales' genre analysis and rhetorical-linguistic genre studies: Journal of English for Academic Purposes 19, 44-51.
Enk, A.V., & Power, K. (2017). What is a research article?: Genre variability and data selection in genre research: Journal of English for Academic Purposes 29, 1-11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2017.07.002.
Eka Sanhadi Rahayul, F., Utomo, A., & Setyowati, R. (2021). Syntactic and lexical complexity of undergraduate students’ essays: A comparison study between L1 and L2 writings:  Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 5(2), 251-263, Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v5i2.706.
Foster, P., & Tavakoli, P. (2009). Native speakers and task performance: Comparing effects on complexity, fluency, and lexical diversity. Language Learning, 59(4), 866-896, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2009.00528.x
Hu, G., & Liu, Y. (2018). Three minutes thesis presentations as an academic genre: Across disciplinary study of genre moves, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 35, 16-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2018.06.004
Hyland, K. (2002). Options of identity in academic writing. ELT Journal, 56(4), 351-358. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/56.4.351
Heidari Kaidan, Z., Jalilifar, Z., & Don, A. (2021). On the significance of disciplinary variation in research articles: Perspectives from nominalization, Cogent Education, 8, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2021.1890872
Johnson, I., & William, B. (2017). Choice of academic major at a public research university: The role of gender and self-efficacy. Research in Higher Education,58, 365-394. 10.1007/S11162-016-9431-1
Jagaiah, T. (2017). Analysis of syntactic complexity and its relationship to writing quality in argumentative essays. Doctoral dissertations. University of Connecticut. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations/1571.
Jin, T., & Lu, X. (2020). Syntactic complexity in adapted teaching materials: Differences among grade levels and implications for benchmarking. Modern Language Journal, 104(1), 192-208, https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12622
Kuiken, F., Vedder, I., Housen, A., & De Clercq, B. (2019). Variation in syntactic complexity: Introduction: International Journal of Applied Linguistics. 29, 161–170, 10.1111/ijal.12255.
Lahuerta, A. C. (2018). Analysis of syntactic complexity and L2 proficiency in EFL writing. Paper presented in International Conference on Research in Education, Teaching and Learning, Paris, France.
Lambert, C., & Nakamura, S. (2018). Proficiency-related variation in syntactic complexity: A study of English L1 and L2 oral descriptive discourse. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 20(2),1–17.  https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.12224
Larsson, T., & Kaatari, H. (2020). Syntactic complexity across registers: Investigating (in)formality in second-language writing. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 45, 100850, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.
Mancilla, R., Polat, N., & Akcay, A. O. (2015). An investigation of native and nonnative English speakers’ levels of written syntactic complexity in asynchronous online discussions. Applied Linguistics, 38(1), 112–134, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amv012
Mao, Z., & Jiang, L. (2017). Exploring the effects of the continuation task on syntactic complexity in second language writing. English Language Teaching, 10(8), 1916-4742, http://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v10n8p100.
Mazgutova, D., & Kormos, J. (2015). Syntactic and lexical development in an intensive English for Academic Purposes programme: Journal of Second Language Writing, 29, 3-15.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2015.06.004
North, S. (2005). Disciplinary variation in the use of theme in undergraduate essays: Applied Linguistics, 26(3) 431–452. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/ami023
Ortega, L. (2015). Syntactic complexity in L2 writing: Progress and expansion. Journal of second language writing 29, 82-94, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2015.06.008
Ortega, L. & Norris, J. M. (2009). Towards an organic approach to investigating CAF in instructed SLA: The case of complexity. Applied Linguistics, 30(4), 555–578, https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amp044
Wu, X., Mauranen, A., & Lei, L. (2020). Syntactic complexity in English as a lingua franca academic writing: Journal of English for Specific Purposes, 43, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2019.100798.
Wang, J., & Zeng, L. (2021). Disciplinary recognized self-presence: Self-mention used with hedges and boosters in PhD students’ research writing. SAGE Open, 11(2), 1–13 https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211005454
 
Volume 6, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
March 2024
Pages 124-150

  • Receive Date 12 January 2024
  • Revise Date 20 April 2024
  • Accept Date 25 April 2024