{"id":{"repo_id":"uiuc","oai_identifier":"oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/125932"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uiuc/oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/125932","repository":{"repo_id":"uiuc","name":"University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign","base_url":"https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh"},"display":{"title":"An investigation of second language learners' ability to resolve Anaphora in texts","abstract":"This study investigated the resolution of anaphora by adult ESL learners of different proficiency levels. Two reading tests were given containing several common pro-forms. These represented two types of anaphora, NP and VP, in two conditions, context and no context. NP anaphora was presented in two conditions, near and distant. VP anaphora also had two conditions depending on the location of the pronoun with respect to its antecedent: forward and backward. The influence of vocabulary was also examined. Within the same study, the performance of four language groups was compared in order to check current hypotheses about directionality preference. The results of the study revealed that context did not facilitate resolution of anaphora; that distance was a significant factor, and that backward anaphora was definitely more difficult than forward anaphora. Therefore, the forward preference hypothesis is supported. Also, the results indicated that NP anaphora was easier than VP anaphora, and vocabulary was a significant factor in resolving anaphoric ties. Some implications for future research and teaching of English as a second language are discussed.","abstract_html":"This study investigated the resolution of anaphora by adult ESL learners of different proficiency levels. Two reading tests were given containing several common pro-forms. These represented two types of anaphora, NP and VP, in two conditions, context and no context. NP anaphora was presented in two conditions, near and distant. VP anaphora also had two conditions depending on the location of the pronoun with respect to its antecedent: forward and backward. The influence of vocabulary was also examined. Within the same study, the performance of four language groups was compared in order to check current hypotheses about directionality preference. The results of the study revealed that context did not facilitate resolution of anaphora; that distance was a significant factor, and that backward anaphora was definitely more difficult than forward anaphora. Therefore, the forward preference hypothesis is supported. Also, the results indicated that NP anaphora was easier than VP anaphora, and vocabulary was a significant factor in resolving anaphoric ties. Some implications for future research and teaching of English as a second language are discussed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Yerkovic, Maria Eugenia Boudeguer"],"institution":"University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign","degree_name":"M.A.","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Teaching English as a Second Language","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Cowan, Ron"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1991,"date_issued":"1991","date_published":"1991","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:02Z","subjects":["Teaching English as Second Language","Anaphora resolution ESL learners","Proficiency levels Vocabulary and anaphoric ties"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["Copyright owned by the author."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125932","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Cowan, Ron"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Yerkovic, Maria Eugenia Boudeguer"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["1991"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation/Thesis","text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Teaching English as a Second Language"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A."]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Teaching English as Second Language","Anaphora resolution ESL learners","Proficiency levels Vocabulary and anaphoric ties"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright owned by the author."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125932"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["This study investigated the resolution of anaphora by adult ESL learners of different proficiency levels. Two reading tests were given containing several common pro-forms. These represented two types of anaphora, NP and VP, in two conditions, context and no context. NP anaphora was presented in two conditions, near and distant. VP anaphora also had two conditions depending on the location of the pronoun with respect to its antecedent: forward and backward. The influence of vocabulary was also examined. Within the same study, the performance of four language groups was compared in order to check current hypotheses about directionality preference. The results of the study revealed that context did not facilitate resolution of anaphora; that distance was a significant factor, and that backward anaphora was definitely more difficult than forward anaphora. Therefore, the forward preference hypothesis is supported. Also, the results indicated that NP anaphora was easier than VP anaphora, and vocabulary was a significant factor in resolving anaphoric ties. Some implications for future research and teaching of English as a second language are discussed."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An investigation of second language learners' ability to resolve Anaphora in texts"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Cowan, Ron"],"dc:creator":["Yerkovic, Maria Eugenia Boudeguer"],"dc:date":["1991"],"dc:description":["This study investigated the resolution of anaphora by adult ESL learners of different proficiency levels. Two reading tests were given containing several common pro-forms. These represented two types of anaphora, NP and VP, in two conditions, context and no context. NP anaphora was presented in two conditions, near and distant. VP anaphora also had two conditions depending on the location of the pronoun with respect to its antecedent: forward and backward. The influence of vocabulary was also examined. Within the same study, the performance of four language groups was compared in order to check current hypotheses about directionality preference. The results of the study revealed that context did not facilitate resolution of anaphora; that distance was a significant factor, and that backward anaphora was definitely more difficult than forward anaphora. Therefore, the forward preference hypothesis is supported. Also, the results indicated that NP anaphora was easier than VP anaphora, and vocabulary was a significant factor in resolving anaphoric ties. Some implications for future research and teaching of English as a second language are discussed."],"dc:identifier":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125932"],"dc:language":["eng"],"dc:rights":["Copyright owned by the author."],"dc:subject":["Teaching English as Second Language","Anaphora resolution ESL learners","Proficiency levels Vocabulary and anaphoric ties"],"dc:title":["An investigation of second language learners' ability to resolve Anaphora in texts"],"dc:type":["Dissertation/Thesis","text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Teaching English as a Second Language"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A."],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:02Z"}