Dynamic development of syntactic complexity in second language writing: A longitudinal case study of a young Chinese EFL learner

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Dynamic Systems Theory works at the system level and explains the system's behavior, not at the elemental level.

“DST works at the system level and explains the system’s behavior, not at the elemental level (Larsen-Freeman and Cameron, 2008).”

• cites Larsen-Freeman and Cameron, 2008 sourceSupported

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

From a Dynamic Systems Theory perspective, language development is a complex system containing many subsystems that interact, are interconnected, and are interdependent.

“From this perspective, language development is considered a complex system which contains many subsystems that interact, are interconnected, and are interdependent.”

• cites Larsen-Freeman and Cameron, 2008 sourceSupported

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Several studies have recommended that much narrower measures are needed to capture L2 learners' writing development.

“Besides the large-grained measures, several studies have recommended that much narrower measures are needed to capture L2 learners’ writing development (e.g., Biber et al., 2011; Mazgutova and Kormos, 2015).”

• cites Biber et al., 2011 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites Mazgutova and Kormos, 2015 sourceSupported

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The approach of using fine-grained measures is helpful in understanding the types of detailed structures learners expand in the sentences.

“The approach of using fine-grained measures is helpful in understanding the types of detailed structures learners expand in the sentences (Kyle and Crossley, 2018).”

• cites Kyle and Crossley, 2018 sourceSupported

May combine two claims.

There is a moderate positive relationship among SUB, MLS and MLC (rsub-mls = 0.543, P < 0.05; rprep-mlt = 0.544, P < 0.05).

“There is a moderate positive relationship among SUB, MLS and MLC (rsub–mls = 0.543, P < 0.05; rprep–mlt = 0.544, P < 0.05).”

May combine two claims.

ADJA, PREP, and REL showed an upward trend.

“ADJA, PREP, and REL showed an upward trend;”

May combine two claims.

When the participant used more Subject + verb + predicative structures (SVP) simple sentence structures, the MLSs, T-units, and clauses tended to decrease, and noun phrases were rarely used.

“When the participant used more Subject + verb + predicative structures (SVP) simple sentence structures, the MLSs, T-units, and clauses tended to decrease, and noun phrases were rarely used.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

In week 45, Alice wrote a diary titled Money, listing specific examples of daily consumption of her peers and expressing disapproval of excessive spending and high consumption.

“While reading the corpus of the 45th week, I found that Alice wrote one diary titled Money, listing specific examples of daily consumption of her peers and expressing her disapproval of excessive spending and high consumption.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In week 51, when Christmas, New Year's Day, and her mother's birthday were approaching, Alice described in detail how she prepared birthday gifts and how much she looked forward to Christmas and New Year holiday.

“In week 51, when Christmas, New Year’s Day, and her mother’s birthday were approaching, Alice described in detail how she prepared birthday gifts and how much she looked forward to Christmas and New Year holiday.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

In week 29, Alice had gone on a trip with her family during the summer vacation and described what she saw and felt on the way to the destination.

“On reading the diary entries for week 29, I found that Alice had gone on a trip with her family during the summer vacation. She described what she saw and felt on the way to the destination.”

May combine two claims.

C/T and DC/T showed an upward trend.

“C/T and DC/T all showed an upward trend while T/S was relatively stable.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The eight syntactic complexity indices obtained from L2SCA validly measure syntactic complexity in English writing.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

The graph representing the growth and decline trends are curved, and reflect obvious dynamic characteristics.

“The graph representing the growth and decline trends are curved, and reflect obvious dynamic characteristics.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The eight syntactic complexity indices obtained from L2SCA validly measure syntactic complexity in English writing.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

In week 32, Alice attended badminton training class and described her experience during the game, including how to play well under the guidance of the coach.

“In week 32, Alice attended badminton training class, and described her experience during the game (i.e., how to play well under the guidance of the coach).”

May combine two claims.

PREP and SUB were found to be moderately correlated with DC/T and C/T (rprep-dc/t = 0.604, P < 0.05; rprep-c/t = 0.616, P < 0.05; rsub-dc/t = 0.654, P < 0.05; rsub-c/t = 0.580, P < 0.05).

“PREP and SUB were found to be moderately correlated with DC/T and C/T (rprep–dc/t = 0.604, P < 0.05; rprep–c/t = 0.616, P < 0.05; rsub–dc/t = 0.654, P < 0.05; rsub–c/t = 0.580, P < 0.05).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Syntactic modifiers are used in beginner young learners' syntax in the written output.

“Besides, syntactic modifiers are used in beginner young learners’ syntax in the written output”

May combine two claims.

The frequency of both PREP and REL increased over time, as in the case of ADJA.

“The frequency of both PREP and REL increased as in the case of ADJA.”

May combine two claims.

PREP curves were steeper and exhibited an early rise, and prepositional phrases were used more frequently.

“The PREP curves were steeper and exhibited an early rise, and prepositional phrases were found to be used more frequently.”

May combine two claims.

The frequency of ADV adverb usage was almost zero in the first 6 weeks but increased significantly with the passage of time.

“The frequency of ADV adverb usage was almost zero in the first 6 weeks but increased significantly with the passage of time.”

May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

In Alice's corpus, the frequency of ADJP ranked higher than the other fine-grained indicators but decreased gradually over time.

“As evident from Figure 3, the frequency of ADJP in learners’ corpus ranked higher than the other fine-grained indicators but decreased gradually over time”

May combine two claims.

The increase in the length of sentences and of the T-units takes place not only through expansion at the phrasal level via the use of prepositional phrases but also through expansion at the clausal level via adverbial clauses by adding adjuncts (of time, place, etc.).

“The correlation results indicate that the increase in the length of sentences and of the T-units takes place not only through expansion at the phrasal level via the use of prepositional phrases but also through expansion at the clausal level via adverbial clauses by adding adjuncts (of time, place, etc.).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

According to Wolfe-Quintero et al. (1998), correlation greater than 0.650 is a strong correlation, 0.450-0.650 is a moderate correlation, and less than 0.450 is a weak correlation.

“According to Wolfe-Quintero et al. (1998), correlation greater than 0.650 is a strong correlation, 0.450–0.650 is a moderate correlation, and less than 0.450 is a weak correlation.”

• cites Wolfe-Quintero et al. (1998)Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The use of complex syntactic structures in the week 45 diary is reflective of Alice's attempt to state her stand with regard to daily expenses, while discussing and asserting her viewpoint supplemented with examples.

“and is reflective of her attempt to state her stand with regard to daily expenses, while discussing and asserting her viewpoint supplemented with examples”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

There are significant differences between MLS, MLT, and DC/T in the writing of beginners and intermediate English learners.

“According to the findings of Jiang et al. (2019), there are significant differences between MLS, MLT, DC/T in the writing of beginners and intermediate English learners.”

• cites Jiang et al. (2019) sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Usage of different modifiers can serve as developmental indicators for young beginner learners progressing from pre-attributive modifiers to post-phrasal and clausal modifiers.

“Jiang et al. (2019) found that usage of different modifiers can serve as developmental indicators for the young beginner learners progressing from pre-attributive modifiers to post-phrasal and clausal modifiers.”

• cites Jiang et al. (2019) sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Lu (2011) found that syntactic complexity in argumentative essays, which need more causal reasoning, is higher than in narrative essays.

“Lu (2011) found the syntactic complexity in argumentative essays which needed more causal reasoning are higher than that in narrative essays.”

• cites Lu (2011)Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

These types of modifiers can be included in the basic list of grammatical modifiers.

“According to Vyatkina et al. (2015), these types of modifiers can be included in the basic list of grammatical modifiers.”

• cites Vyatkina et al. (2015) sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Vyatkina et al. (2015) investigated the written output in the writing of English of beginner learners of German using seven indicators: ADJA, CARD, ADJP, ADV, PREP, SUB, and REL.

“Vyatkina et al. (2015) investigated the written output in the writing of English of beginner learners of German using seven indicators an adjective placed before a noun, ordinal numerals are indicated (ADJA), cardinal numeral (CARD), predicative adjective, adverbial adjective (ADJP), adverbs (ADV), prepositional phrases (PREP), subordinate (SUB), and relative clause (REL).”

• cites Vyatkina et al. (2015) sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Complexity can be viewed as an index of language development and progress, and as a valid and basic descriptor of second language performance in L2 research.

“Bulté and Housen (2014) have stated that complexity can be viewed as an index of language development and progress, being treated as a valid and basic descriptor of second language performance in L2 research.”

• cites Bulté and Housen (2014) sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

The quote only partly states this claim.

The interrater reliability for the manual annotation of the seven types of modifiers in the corpus, measured by Cohen's kappa, was 0.91.

“The interrater reliability was measured by using Cohen’s kappa, which had the value 0.91”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Children's language development is the product of the interaction between their innate psychological cognitive ability and objective experience.

“Children’s language development is the product of the interaction between their innate psychological cognitive ability and objective experience.”

• cites Piaget (1997)Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The daily diary represented completely natural English output spontaneously written without any time limit, without any given topic, and word limit.

“The daily diary represented the completely natural English output spontaneously written without any time limit, without any given topic, and word limit.”

May combine two claims.

During the observation period, a competitive relation occurs between ADJA and ADJP subsystems, such that growth of ADJA is usually accompanied by a decrease in the usage of ADJP.

“During the observation period, a competitive relation occurs between ADJA and ADJP subsystems.”

• Also stated in: § Fine-grained measures · plain

  “That is, the growth of ADJA is usually accompanied by a decrease in the usage of ADJP.”

May combine two claims.

The interaction between Alice's life experience and her psychological cognitive ability directly encodes experience into word representations, enriching sentence expression and leading to an increase in the length of sentences and clauses.

“Owing to the interaction between Alice’s own life experience and her psychological cognitive ability, it is directly encoded into her thinking and is transformed from experience into word representations; thus the sentence expression is enriched, and an increase in the length of sentences and clauses can be observed.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Piaget (1997) emphasized the relationship between children's language development and their active experiences in his theory of cognitive development.

“Piaget (1997) emphasized the relationship between children’s language development and their active experiences in his theory of cognitive development.”

• cites Piaget (1997)Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

Both the global measures of syntactic complexity, MLS, MLT, DC/T, and CN/C, and the more specific indices of syntactic modifiers, ADJP, ADJA, ADV, SUB, and PREP, can capture the syntactic development changes of the beginner level learners.

“Based on the above correlation analysis, it was found that both the global measures of syntactic complexity, MLS, MLT, DC/T, and CN/C, and the more specific indices of syntactic modifiers, ADJP, ADJA, ADV, SUB, and PREP, can capture the syntactic development changes of the beginner level learners.”

May combine two claims.

In case of insufficient input, the MLC system failed to get out of the attractor states with fluctuations; thus, the whole development appeared stable.

“In case of insufficient input, the MLC system failed to get out of the attractor states with fluctuations; thus, the whole development appeared stable.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Chinese primary school English curriculum is limited to the alphabet and simple daily communication.
• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Chinese primary school students are not required to do writing work as part of school learning.
• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Chinese English classes have limited teaching hours and there is very limited access to the target language outside the classroom.

May combine two claims.

The use of adverbs is a strong discriminator of different proficiency levels or indicator of language development.

“The use of adverbs is a strong discriminator of different proficiency levels or indicator of language development”

• cites Jiang et al. (2019) sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

May combine two claims.

Some subsystems in dynamic systems support each other while others compete for limited resources, and the development of one leads to the retreat of the other.

“Some subsystems support each other while others compete for limited resources, and the development of one leads to the retreat of the other (Van Geert, 1991).”

• cites Van Geert, 1991 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The finding is in line with Yang et al. (2015), who found that topic had a significant effect on syntactic complexity features.

“This is also in line with the results reported by Yang et al. (2015), who found that topic had a significant effect on syntactic complexity features.”

• cites Yang et al. (2015) sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

May combine two claims.

Alice's usage of basic English syntactic structures was reduced while more varied syntactic structures were gradually increasing during the dynamic developmental process.

“indicating that the participant’s usage of basic English syntactic structures was reduced while more varied syntactic structures were gradually increasing in the dynamic developmental process.”