Thesis and Dissertation (TAD) Website
Martha C. Pennington, Project Leader
Language Research Centre, University of Luton
Aim To provide support in writing a thesis or dissertation
for postgraduate students and their supervisors
Project Partners
Ylva Berglund, Oxford University
Caroline Coffin, Open University
James Donohue, Hillcroft College
Phil Hubbard, Stanford University
Lawrence Lau, University of Luton
Oliver Mason, University of Birmingham
Tony McEnery, University of Lancaster
Panos Petratos, University of Luton
Vladimir Zegarac, University of Luton
Analyses
Computational Y. Berglund, O. Mason
Cross-Disciplinary M. Pennington
Cross-Linguistic L. Lau
Discourse-Pragmatic T. McEnery, V. Zegarac
Functional C. Coffin, J. Donohue
Literature Review M. Pennington
Resources
Online Survey P. Hubbard, M. Pennington
Web Content M. Pennington, P. Hubbard
Web Design P. Petratos, M. Pennington
ANALYSes (Phase I)
Case studies
Writing problems and error pattern of students
from different first languages and disciplines
Cross-disciplinary analysis
Literature survey
Structural comparison of theses
Cross-linguistic analysis
Comparative review of grammatical structure
Comparative analysis of error patterns
Computer-based comparison
Student samples (thesis draft sections)
with a closely matched completed thesis
Student participants
Language Arabic, Cantonese, Georgian, Greek
Discipline Computing, Film Studies, Linguistics, Tourism
Lexical Analysis – Ylva Berglund
KEY TTII Tourism thesis II (Canadian) TT Tourism thesis (British)
TSD Tourism student draft chapters TS Tourism student samples1+2
LT Linguistics Thesis
LS Linguistics student samples 1+2
FT Film thesis
FS Film student sample 1
CT Computing thesis (formulas removed)
CS Computing student samples 1+ 2
Cross-Linguistic Analysis – Lawrence Lau
Errors Made by Students in the Major Categories of Analysis (%)
|
|
Arabic |
Cantonese |
Georgian |
Greek |
|
Syntax Errors |
29.08 |
44.30 |
48.01 |
32.69 |
|
Mechanical Errors |
22.89 |
16.29 |
14.63 |
32.69 |
|
Lexicogram-matical Errors |
38.46 |
27.19 |
30.21 |
28.85 |
|
Discourse Errors |
9.57 |
12.28 |
7.15 |
5.77 |
|
Total |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
Top 3 Categories of Errors (%) Per Student in Subcategories
|
|
Arabic |
Cantonese |
Georgian |
Greek |
|
Article |
|
7.02 |
21.94 |
|
|
Capitalization |
12.76 |
|
|
|
|
Comma |
|
|
6.84 |
15.38 |
|
Number |
11.07 |
|
|
|
|
Precision |
11.44 |
9.21 |
|
17.31 |
|
Run-on sentence |
|
|
5.56 |
7.69 |
|
Spelling |
|
7.02 |
|
|