Biber, D., Gray, B. and Poonpon, K. (2011) Should We Use Characteristics of Conversation to Measure Grammatical Complexity in L2 Writing Development? TESOL Quarterly, 45, 5-35.
https://doi.org/10.5054/tq.2011.244483

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: A Comparative Analysis of Syntactic Complexity in Applied Linguistics Abstracts Written by Chinese Novice Writers and Native English Advanced Writers

  AUTHORS: Mingming Zhao, Tianshuang Ge

  KEYWORDS: Syntactic Complexity, Rhetorical Functions, Research Article Abstract, L2 Academic Writing

  JOURNAL NAME: Open Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol.14 No.1, January 2, 2024

  ABSTRACT: The rhetorical structure of abstracts has been a widely discussed topic, as it can greatly enhance the abstract writing skills of second-language writers. This study aims to provide guidance on the syntactic features that L2 learners can employ, as well as suggest which features they should focus on in English academic writing. To achieve this, all samples were analyzed for rhetorical moves using Hyland’s five-rhetorical move model. Additionally, all sentences were evaluated for syntactic complexity, considering measures such as global, clausal and phrasal complexity. The findings reveal that expert writers exhibit a more balanced use of syntactic complexity across moves, effectively fulfilling the rhetorical objectives of abstracts. On the other hand, MA students tend to rely excessively on embedded structures and dependent clauses in an attempt to increase complexity. The implications of these findings for academic writing research, pedagogy, and assessment are thoroughly discussed.