A corpus-based study of lexical bundles in students‘ dissertations in Cameroon Prof Daniel A. Nkemleke Department of English Ecole Normale Supérieure University

A corpus-based study of lexicalA corpus-based study of lexicalbundles in students‘ bundles in students‘

dissertations indissertations inCameroonCameroon

Prof Daniel A. NkemlekeProf Daniel A. NkemlekeDepartment of EnglishDepartment of English

Ecole Normale SupérieureEcole Normale SupérieureUniversity of Yaounde IUniversity of Yaounde I

BSC Symposium, April 7 - BSC Symposium, April 7 - 10, 201010, 2010

Prof. Daniel A. NkemlekeProf. Daniel A. Nkemleke 22

OutlineOutline

1. Introduction1. Introduction

2. Objective2. Objective

3. Controversy: status of lexical bundles3. Controversy: status of lexical bundles

4. Data and methodology4. Data and methodology

5. Findings5. Findings

6. Conclusion6. Conclusion



1.1. Introduction: Lexical bundles & Introduction: Lexical bundles & academic discourseacademic discourse

(EAP) focus on a “thicker” description (EAP) focus on a “thicker” description of language use in the academia (cf. of language use in the academia (cf. Hyland 2006)Hyland 2006)

investigation of lexical bundles or investigation of lexical bundles or recurrent multi-word expressions in recurrent multi-word expressions in academic registers (Biber 1999; Hyland academic registers (Biber 1999; Hyland 2004)2004)

• computer technology as enhancement computer technology as enhancement of this practice (Biber 1988 pioneering of this practice (Biber 1988 pioneering work)work)



2. Objective2. Objective

stimulate interest in a “novel stimulate interest in a “novel approach” ??approach” ??

awareness-raising of the forms and awareness-raising of the forms and functions of lexical bundles functions of lexical bundles

Enhancement of students’ expertise in Enhancement of students’ expertise in writing academic English and gaining writing academic English and gaining disciplinary credibilitydisciplinary credibility



3. Controversy:Status of lexical 3. Controversy:Status of lexical bundlesbundles

Grounded in many studies: (Biber Grounded in many studies: (Biber et alet al. 1999; . 1999; Cortes 2004; Sinclair 1991; Stubbs & Barth Cortes 2004; Sinclair 1991; Stubbs & Barth 2003), but disagreements persist2003), but disagreements persist

Hyland (2008): ‘[lexical] bundles, extended Hyland (2008): ‘[lexical] bundles, extended collocations defined by their frequency of collocations defined by their frequency of occurrence occurrence

They may include such strings as They may include such strings as do you want do you want toto and and I don’t know whatI don’t know what. .



Controversy: Status, con‘tControversy: Status, con‘t

cut-off point (3-,4-,5-words etc.) varies cut-off point (3-,4-,5-words etc.) varies and depends on occurrence in textsand depends on occurrence in texts

conservative approaches (cf. Hyland 2008; conservative approaches (cf. Hyland 2008; Biber 2006) set a minimum frequency of Biber 2006) set a minimum frequency of 20 times per million words and an 20 times per million words and an occurrence in at least 10 % of textsoccurrence in at least 10 % of texts



Controversy: status, con‘tControversy: status, con‘t

Biber Biber et alet al. (1999:994): reduction to . (1999:994): reduction to combinations that recur at least 10 combinations that recur at least 10 times per million words and across five times per million words and across five or more textsor more texts

This is the view taken in this short This is the view taken in this short

surveysurvey



4. Data and methodology4. Data and methodology

150 Student‘s dissertations (2007-2009) 150 Student‘s dissertations (2007-2009)

1,000,000 words count, excluding ‘theory 1,000,000 words count, excluding ‘theory parts‘parts‘

Reliance on a group of already established Reliance on a group of already established expressions as a basis for comparison of expressions as a basis for comparison of current workcurrent work (Hyland 2008 corpus of MA (Hyland 2008 corpus of MA dissertations)dissertations)



5. Findings: 3-wod bundles5. Findings: 3-wod bundles

in order to, in terms of, one of the, the use of, as in order to, in terms of, one of the, the use of, as well as, the number of, due to the, on the other, in well as, the number of, due to the, on the other, in this study, a number of, the fact that, most of the, this study, a number of, the fact that, most of the, there is a, according to the, the present study, part there is a, according to the, the present study, part of the, the end of, the relationship between, in the of the, the end of, the relationship between, in the following, the role of, some of the, as a result, it following, the role of, some of the, as a result, it can be, based on the, the other handcan be, based on the, the other hand

Total CamE: Total CamE: 17,182 BrE: 18,463 (diff.17,182 BrE: 18,463 (diff. > >BrE BrE 1,2811,281))



4-word bundles4-word bundles

on the other hand, at the same time, in the case on the other hand, at the same time, in the case of, the end of the, as well as the, at the end of, of, the end of the, as well as the, at the end of, in terms of the, on the basis of, in the present in terms of the, on the basis of, in the present study, is one of the, in the form of, the number study, is one of the, in the form of, the number of the, the result of the, the fact that the, as a of the, the result of the, the fact that the, as a result of, in relation to the, at the beginning of, result of, in relation to the, at the beginning of, with respect to the, the other hand the, the with respect to the, the other hand the, the relationship between the, in the context of, can relationship between the, in the context of, can be used to, to the fact that, as shown in be used to, to the fact that, as shown in table/figure, it was found thattable/figure, it was found that

Total CamE: Total CamE: 4,978 BrE: (5,508) (diff. >BrE 530)4,978 BrE: (5,508) (diff. >BrE 530)



5-word bundles5-word bundles

on the other hand the, at the end of the, it should be on the other hand the, at the end of the, it should be noted that, it can be seen that, due to the fact that, noted that, it can be seen that, due to the fact that, at the beginning of the, may be due to the, it was at the beginning of the, may be due to the, it was found out that, to the fact that the, there are a found out that, to the fact that the, there are a number of, in the case of the, as a result of the, at number of, in the case of the, as a result of the, at the same time the, is one of the most, it is possible the same time the, is one of the most, it is possible that the, one of the most important, play the that the, one of the most important, play the important role in, can be seen as a, the result of important role in, can be seen as a, the result of this study, from the point of view, the point of view this study, from the point of view, the point of view of, it can be observed that, this may be due to, an of, it can be observed that, this may be due to, an important role in the, in the form of aimportant role in the, in the form of a

Total CamE: Total CamE: 1,650 1,650 BrE: BrE: (1,445)(1,445) (diff. > CamE 205) (diff. > CamE 205)



6. Functional classification6. Functional classification

05

10152025

Categories of lexical bundles

Ove

rall

fre

qu

en

cy in

%

Text-oriented Research-oriented Participant-oriented



Text-oriented bundlesText-oriented bundles

Text-oriented bundles: concerned with Text-oriented bundles: concerned with the organization of the text and its the organization of the text and its meaning as a message or argumentmeaning as a message or argument

E.g. transition markers, structuring E.g. transition markers, structuring signals, resultative signals, framing signals, resultative signals, framing signals, terms of referencesignals, terms of reference



Research-oriented bundlesResearch-oriented bundles

Essentially help writers to structure Essentially help writers to structure their experiences of the real world of their experiences of the real world of the text, helping reader identify the text, helping reader identify location,location, procedureprocedure and to and to quantify quantify facts, experiencesfacts, experiences etc. etc.

E.g. ‘E.g. ‘in the present study’, ‘in this in the present study’, ‘in this work’, ‘the use of the’, ‘the purpose of work’, ‘the use of the’, ‘the purpose of the’, ‘most of the’, ‘many of the’the’, ‘most of the’, ‘many of the’



Participant-oriented bundlesParticipant-oriented bundles

Focus on the writer or reader of the text Focus on the writer or reader of the text and include: and include:

stance features (‘are likely to’)stance features (‘are likely to’)

Engagement features (‘can be seen as’)Engagement features (‘can be seen as’)



6. Conclusion6. Conclusion

Less use and less diversification of bundles in Less use and less diversification of bundles in dissertations (BrE exceed dissertations (BrE exceed CamE by a wide CamE by a wide margin of 1,606 bundles)margin of 1,606 bundles)

Relevance of study:Relevance of study:disciplinary-based literacy disciplinary-based literacy development essentialdevelopment essential

Disciplinary credibility enhanced ??Disciplinary credibility enhanced ??



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A corpus-based study of lexical bundles in students‘ dissertations in Cameroon Prof Daniel A. Nkemleke Department of English Ecole Normale Supérieure University