CAF across proficiency levels and profiles: an investigation of ESL student writings in an English placement test

This study was an examination of the predictive value of complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF) across proficiency levels and profiles in second language writing. 150 ESL essays of international students registered at a North American university were analyzed using various CAF measures. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA results indicate that fluency is the strongest indicator of proficiency. Accuracy is also found to distinguish across proficiency levels. Length-based complexity measures are found to better predict proficiency while subordination is found to be a comparatively weak indicator. For lexical complexity, number of different words could better distinguish writers across proficiency levels. When results are analyzed for language profiles, it is found that syntactic complexity and accuracy better distinguish across profiles.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Teaching of English Sec Lang

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Avci, Arzu

Contributors dc:contributor

• Yan, Xun

• complexity
• accuracy
• fluency
• second language writing
• language testing

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2020 Arzu Avci

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/108618

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/108618