Shinjae Park
General Education Department, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Korea
This research seeks to identify recent research trends in analysing fluency in English language studies since 2010. The importance of studying corpora that compile registered research in linguistics is growing; thus, it is time to consider the significance of data mining analysis on the corpora. Considering this emerging research topic, this analysis intends to generate and compare word clouds and word metric charts from speaking and writing abstract corpora in linguistics research centred on the keyword ‘Fluency’. This comparison is minimally addressed in extant research; hence, this investigation aims to fill this gap. The corpus contains 50 speaking and 15 writing abstracts from linguistics journals. To create the word cloud, AntConc4.1.4 software was used to analyse the corpora, while TF-IDF and matrix analysis were conducted using R. As a result, in spoken English, ‘fluency’ studies were largely related to 'teaching' and tended to be dominated by studies focusing on ‘fluency’ alone. In contrast, writing studies were mostly related to learner proficiency and assessment, and many studies analysed the relationship between linguistic abilities by expanding the scope of ‘fluency’ to include ‘accuracy’ and ‘complexity’. This study will benefit researchers in deciding on topics as it provides research directions and trends in analysing fluency in the two interconnected but differently expressed fields (i.e., speaking and writing).
Albino, G., 2017. Improving speaking fluency in a task-based language teaching approach: The case of EFL learners at PUNIV-Cazenga. Sage Open. 7(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244017691077
Baba, K., Nitta, R., 2014. Phase transitions in development of writing fluency from a complex dynamic systems perspective. Language Learning. 64(1), 1-35. Available online: http://www.ebsco.co.kr/linksource/kookmin_ls.bmp (accessed on 12 May 2024).
Bailey, K.M., 2003. Speaking. Practical English Language Teaching. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 47-66.
Barrot, J., Gabinete, M.K., 2021. Complexity, accuracy, and fluency in the argumentative writing of ESL and EFL learners. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. 59(2), 209-232. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2017-0012
Bhatti, I.A., Mustafa, S., Azher, M., 2019. Genre analysis of research article abstract in linguistics and literature: A cross disciplinary study. International Journal of English Linguistics. 9(4), 42-50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v9n4p42
Bui, G., Skehan, P., 2018. Complexity, accuracy, and fluency. In The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, 1st ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0046
Chambers, F., 1997. What do we mean by fluency? System. 25(4), 535-544. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(97)00046-8
De Jong, N.H., Bosker, H.R., 2013. Choosing a threshold for silent pauses to measure second language fluency. In The 6th workshop on disfluency in spontaneous speech (diss) (pp. 17-20). Available online: https://pure.mpg.de/pubman/faces/ViewItemOverviewPage.jsp?itemId=item_1900232 (accessed on 12 May 2024).
Ellis, R., Skehan, P., Li, S., et al., 2019. Task-based language teaching: Theory and practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Fillmore, C.J., 1979. On fluency. In: Filmore, C.J., Kempler, D., Wang, W., (Eds.), Individual differences in language ability and language behavior. San Diego, CA: Academic Press. pp. 85-101.
Freed, B.F., 1995. Second language acquisition in a study abroad context. In Second Language Acquisition in a Study Abroad Context. Noord-Holland: John Benjamins Publishing.
Grabe, W., Stoller, F.L., 2019. Teaching and researching reading. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315726274
Graetz, N., 1982. Teaching EFL students to extract structural information from abstracts. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Language for Special Purposes; August 2--4; Eindhoven, The Netherlands. pp. 1–23.
Hanafiah, R., Yusuf, M., 2016. Lexical density and grammatical intricacy in linguistic thesis abstract: A qualitative content analysis. In Proceedings of the EEIC; November 12--13; Banda Aceh, Indonesia. pp. 43-46.
Ho, P.V.P., 2018. Fluency as successful communication. In 1st National Conference on English Language Teaching Upgrade: A Focus on Fluency; December 1; HoChiMinh, Vietnam. pp. 15-24.
Housen, A., Kuiken, F., Vedder, I., 2012. Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency. Noord-Holland: John Benjamins.
Ju, M., 2021. An analysis of research trends on W. B. Yeats using text mining and network analysis: Based on KCI. The Yeats Journal of Korea. 65, 249-274.
Kim, Y., Nam, J., Lee, S.-Y., 2016. Correlation of proficiency with complexity, accuracy, and fluency in spoken and written production: Evidence from L2 Korean. Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages. 19(Spring), 147-181.
Klein, P.D., Boscolo, P., 2016. Trends in research on writing as a learning activity. Journal of Writing Research. 7(3), 311-350. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2016.07.03.01
Kwon, E.Y., 2020. A study of research trends in ESP using Python and text mining. Foreign Languages Education. 27(2), 111-139.
Lee, Y., 2022. Exploring corpus-related research trends in English education based on big data: Using text mining. Journal of Linguistic Studies. 27(1), 191-215.
Lee, Y., 2014. Quantifying English fluency in Korean speakers' read-aloud and picture-cued storytelling speech. Linguistic Research. 31(3), 465--490. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17250/khisli.31.3.201412.003
Marijuan, S., Vallejos, C., 2023. Complexity, fluency and accuracy in study abroad research. In: Pérez-Vidal, C., Sanz, C., (Eds.). Methods in Study Abroad Research. Noord-Holland: John Benjamins. pp. 209-238.
Muchnik-Rozanov, Y., Tsybulsky, D., 2022. Linguistic analysis of science teachers’ narratives using AntConc software. In Research Anthology on Applied Linguistics and Language Practices. Hershey: IGI Global. pp. 665-684. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-5682-8.ch031
Nation, P., 2014. How much input do you need to learn the most frequent 9,000 words? Reading in a Foreign Language. 26(2), 1-16. DOI: http://hdl.handle.net/10125/66881
Norrish, J., 1983. Language learners and their errors. London: Macmillan Education.
Oh, J.-S., 2020. A study on research trends and knowledge system in cultural contents studies using topic modeling and text network analysis based on Big Data. The Journal of Cultural Policy. 34, 35-70.
Pallotti, G., 2020. Measuring complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Language Testing. London: Routledge. pp. 201-210.
Park, E., 2021. Topic analysis in EFL writing in Korea using text mining. Korean Journal of Applied Linguistics. 37(3), 95-122.
Park, S., 2022. An analysis of domestic study trends in English phonology using text mining. Studies in Phonetics, Phonology and Morphology. 28(1), 83-110.
Segalowitz, N., 2016. Second language fluency and its underlying cognitive and social determinants. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. 54(2), 79-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2016-9991
Shahini, G., Shahamirian, F., 2017. Improving English speaking fluency: The role of six factors. Advances in Language and Literary Studies. 8(6), 100-104. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.8n.6p.100
Shin, Y.S., Kim, Y.H., 2020. Research and trends in English language education from 1990 to 2019: A keyword analysis of published articles in English Language Teaching. English Language Teaching. 32(4), 205-224.
Skehan, P., 2009. Modelling second language performance: Integrating complexity, accuracy, fluency, and lexis. Applied Linguistics. 30(4), 510-532. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amp047
Skehan, P., 2003. Task-based instruction. Language Teaching. 36(1), 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144480200188X
Suzuki, S., Kormos, J., Uchihara, T., 2021. The relationship between utterance and perceived fluency: A meta‐analysis of correlational studies. The Modern Language Journal. 105(2), 435-463. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12706
Tavakoli, P., 2016. Fluency in monologic and dialogic task performance: Challenges in defining and measuring L2 fluency. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. 54(2), 133-150. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2016-9994
Tavakoli, P., Skehan, P., 2005. Strategic planning, task structure and performance testing. In: Ellis, R., (Ed.), Language Learning & Language Teaching. Noord-Holland: John Benjamins. pp. 239-273. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.11.15tav
Van Waes, L., Leijten, M., 2015. Fluency in writing: A multidimensional perspective on writing fluency applied to L1 and L2. Computers and Composition. 38, 79-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2015.09.012
Vidal, C.P., Juan-Garau, M., 2009. The effect of study abroad (SA) on written performance. Eurosla Yearbook. 9(1), 269-295. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/eurosla.9.13per
Wolfe-Quintero, K.E., Inagaki, S., Kim, H.Y., 1998. Second language development in writing: Measures of fluency, accuracy, & complexity. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i, Second Language Teaching & Curriculum Center.
Won, Y.K., Kim, Y.W., 2021. Analysis of Research Trends in Korean English Education Journals Using Topic Modeling. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association. 21(4), 50-59.
Copyright © 2024 Shinjae Park
This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
