Identifying Writing Strategies Through Text Analysis

Written Communication Jan 1999

Identifying Writing Strategies Through Text Analysis

CAREL VAN WIJK ; TED SANDERS

Abstract

A structural analysis of an explanatory text written by a 12-year-old pupil is discussed to demonstrate how the PISA technique (the Procedures for Incremental Structural Analysis; Sanders & Van Wijk, 1996a) may contribute to the understanding of conceptual processes in writing. First, the validity of PISA is supported by showing that the hierarchical text structure corresponds with the (idiosyncratic) punctuation conventions of the writer. Then, it is explained how the writer's strategies and procedures can be reconstructed from the text structure. Evidence for the validity of these inferred cognitive plans is obtained from the distribution within the text of spelling errors, language errors, and self-corrections. Finally, the generalizability of these results is discussed together with the desirability of combining this off-line method with on-line techniques such as pause measurements.

Journal: Written Communication
Published: 1999-01-01
DOI: 10.1177/0741088399016001003
Open Access: Closed
Topics: quantitative research multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

Jones (2008)

Patterns of Revision in Online Writing

Written Communication
Faber (2003)

Creating Rhetorical Stability in Corporate University Discourse

Written Communication

Cites in this index (1)

Matsuhashi (1981)

Pausing and Planning: The Tempo of Written Discourse Production

Research in the Teaching of English

Also cites 6 works outside this index ↓

10.1111/j.2044-8317.1963.tb00206.x

↗
10.1080/01638538609544632

↗
10.1515/text.1.1988.8.3.243

↗
10.1515/text.1.1996.16.1.91

↗
Schilperoord, J. (1996). It's about time: Temporal aspects of cognitive processes in text production. Unpubli…

↗
10.1037/0278-7393.22.5.1196

↗

CrossRef global citation count: 7 View in citation network →