The DocuScope project
History, theory and future directions
This chapter overviews the history of the
DocuScope project. In its inception, we sought a production
theory underlying rhetorical composition and decision-making. Our
pursuit of a theory led to the development of large-scale
dictionaries of language patterns we have curated for over two
decades. The major conceptual continua that have guided our curation
efforts and major taxonomies are discussed, including the four types
of polysemy we have had to address to ensure our dictionary patterns
are as ambiguity-free as possible. We conclude by reviewing our
recent efforts to apply the dictionaries for writing education on
small textual samples, including single texts.
Article outline
- 1.Historical and theoretical challenge: Understanding rhetorical language production
- 2.Dictionary curation: Addressing the challenges of polysemy
- 3.Recent developments: Collocating composing patterns and topical
structure
- 4.Conclusion: The value of small milestones and future prospects
-
References
References (58)
References
Allison, S., Heuser, R., Jockers, M., Moretti, F., & Witmore, M. (2011). Quantitative
formalism: An
experiment. In Stanford
Literary Lab Pamphlet
1. Stanford University, Literary Lab, Department of English.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Al-Malki, A., Kaufer, D., Ishizaki, S., & Dreher, K. (2012). Arab
women in Arab news: Old stereotypes and new
media. Bloomsbury Academic.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Aristotle (2010). Rhetoric. W. D. Ross (Editor), W. Roberts (Trans.) Cosimo Classics, Kindle available at [URL]
Beigman Klebanov, B., Ramineni, C., Kaufer, D., Yeoh, P., & Ishizaki, S. (2019). Advancing
the validity argument for standardized writing tests using
quantitative rhetorical
analysis. Language
Testing, 16(1), 125–144. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bell, J. S. (2004). Write
great fiction: Plot &
structure. Writer’s Digest Books. [URL]
Bitzer, L. (1968). The
rhetorical
situation. Philosophy and
Rhetoric, 1(1), 1–14.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ceccarelli, L. (1998). Polysemy:
Multiple meanings in rhetorical
criticism. Quarterly Journal
of
Speech, 84(4), 395–415. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Chafe, W. (1994). Discourse,
consciousness, and time: The flow and displacement of
conscious experience in speaking and
writing. The University of Chicago Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Collins, J. (2003). Variations
in written English: Characterizing the rhetorical language
choices in the Brown Corpus of
Texts (Unpublished doctoral
dissertation). Carnegie Mellon University
Connor, U. (1990). Linguistic/Rhetorical Measures for International Persuasive Student Writing. Research in the Teaching of English, 24(1), 67–87.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Daneš, F. (1970). One
instance of Prague School
methodology. In P. Garvin (Ed.), Method
and theory in
linguistics (pp. 132–146). Mouton. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Daneš, F. (1974). Functional
sentence perspective and the organization of the
text. In F. Daneš (Ed.), Papers
on functional sentence
perspective (pp. 106–127). Mouton. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Davies, M. (2008). Corpus
of Contemporary American
English. Brigham Young University. Retrieved
on 19 January
2023 from [URL]
Davies, M. (2013). Corpus
of News on the Web (NOW): 3+ billion words from 20
countries, updated every
day. Retrieved
on 19 January
2023 from [URL]
Davies, M. (2018). The
iWeb Corpus. Retrieved
on 19 January
2023 from [URL]
Erasmus, D. (1512/1978). “Copia”:
Foundations of the abundant style (De duplici copia verborum
ac rerum commentarii
duo). In C. R. Thompson (Ed.), Collected
Works of
Erasmus (Vol. 24). University of Toronto Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Faigley, L., & Witte, S. (1983). Topical
focus in technical
writing. In P. V. Anderson, J. R. Brockman, & C. R. Miller (Eds.), New
essays in technical and scientific communication: Research,
theory,
practice (pp. 59–68). Baywood/Routledge.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Firbas, J. (1992). Functional
sentence perspective in written and spoken
communication. Cambridge University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gruber, William E. (1977). “Servile
copying” and the teaching of English
composition. College
English, 39(December), 491–497. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Halliday, M. (1967). Notes
on transitivity and theme in English (Part
2). Journal of
Linguistics, 3(2), 199–244. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Halliday, M. (1968). Notes
on transitivity and theme in English (Part
3). Journal of
Linguistics, 4(2), 179–215. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Halliday, M., & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion
in
English. Longman. [URL]
Halliday, M., & Matthiessen, C. M. (2014). Halliday’s
introduction to functional
grammar. Routledge. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hart, R. (2000). Campaign
talk: Why elections are good for
us. Princeton University Press. [URL]
Hart, R. (2018). Diction
7.0. Sage. [URL]
Hawes, T. (2015). Thematic
progression in the writing of students and
professionals. Ampersand, 2, 93–100. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Helberg, A., Poznahovska, M., Ishizaki, S., Kaufer, D., Werner, N., & Wetzel, D. (2018). Teaching
textual awareness with DocuScope using corpus-driven tools
and reflection to support students’
decision-making. Assessing
Writing, 38, 40–45. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hope, J., & Witmore, M. (2004). The
very large textual object: A prosthetic reading of
Shakespeare. Early Modern
Literary
Studies, 6(1), 1–36.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hope, J., & Witmore, M. (2010). The Hundredth Psalm to the Tune of “Green Sleeves”: Digital Approaches to Shakespeare’s Language of Genre. Shakespeare Quarterly, 61(3), 357–390. [URL].
Hopper, P. (1999). A
short course in
grammar. Norton. [URL]
Hyland, K. (2005). Metadiscourse.
Exploring interaction in
writing. Bloomsbury Academic. [URL]![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ishizaki, S., & Kaufer, D. (2011). Computer-aided
rhetorical
analysis. In P. M. McCarthy & C. Boonthum-Denecke (Eds.), Applied
natural language processing and content
analysis (pp. 276–296). Information Science Reference. [URL]![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ishizaki, S., & Kaufer, D. (2020). Scalable
writing pedagogy for strengthening cohesion with interactive
visualization. In Proceedings
of IEEE International Conference on Professional
Communication (ProComm
2020) (pp. 141–145) ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kaufer, D., & Butler, B. (1996). Rhetoric
and the arts of
design. Routledge. [URL]![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kaufer, D., & Butler, B. (2000). Designing
interactive worlds with words: Principles of writing as
representational
composition. Routledge. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kaufer, D., & Hariman, R. (2009). A
corpus analysis evaluating Hariman’s Theory of Political
Style. Text and
Talk, 28, 475–500. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kaufer, D., & Ishizaki, S. (2023). Computer-aided
close reading: Visualizing contrastive persuasion
strategies. In J. Fahnestock & R. Harris (Eds.), Routledge
handbook of
persuasion. Routledge. [URL]
Kaufer, D., Ishizaki, S., Collins, J., & Butler, B. (2004). The
power of words: Unveiling the speaker and writer’s hidden
craft. Routledge. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kennedy, G. (1963). The
art of persuasion in
Greece. Princeton University Press. [URL]![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kennedy, G. (1972/2008). The
art of rhetoric in the Roman World 300BC to
300AD. Princeton University Press. [URL]![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
King, M. L. (1963). “I
have a dream.” The American
Rhetoric Website. Retrieved
on 19 January
2023 from [URL]
Lanham, R. (2007). The
economics of attention. The University of Chicago Press. [URL]
Leong, A. P. (2015). Topical
themes and thematic progression: The “picture” of research
articles. Text and
Talk, 35(3), 289–315. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Leong, A. P. (2016). Thematic
density of research-article abstracts: A systemic-functional
account. Word, 62(4), 209–227. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Leong, A. P. (2019). Visualizing
texts: A tool for generating thematic-progression
diagrams. Functional
Linguistics, 6(1), article
4. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lincoln/Douglas
Debates of
1858 (nd). Retrieved
on 19 January
2023 from [URL]. Debates from the Abraham Lincoln Foundation. [URL]
Marcellino, W. (2020). Building
writing analytic
systems. Paper presented at
the 9th International Conference
on Writing Analytics, St.
Petersburg, Florida, February
6–8.
Miller, C. (1984). Genre
as social action. Quarterly
Journal of
Speech, 70(2), 151–167. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Nekula, M. (1999). “Vilém Mathesius”. Handbook of Pragmatics. Amsterdam: Benjamins: 1–14.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Shabana, N. O. (2018). Topical
structure analysis: Assessing first-year Egyptian university
students’ internal coherence of their EFL
writing. In A. Ahmed & H. Abouabdelkader (Eds.), Assessing
ESL writing in the 21st century: Revealing the
unknown (pp. 53–78). Palgrave Macmillan. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sinclair, J. M. (Ed.) (1995). Collins
COBUILD English
dictionary. HarperCollins. [URL]
Swales, J. (1990). Genre
analysis: English in academic and research
settings. Cambridge University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Taboada, M., & Brooke, J. (2011). Lexicon-based
methods for sentiment
analysis. Computational
Linguistics, 37(2), 272–274. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Vande Kopple, W. J. (1989). Clear
and coherent prose: A functional
approach. Scott Foresman. [URL]
Williams, J. (2000). Style:
The basics of clarity and
grace (5th
ed.). Pearson.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Witte, S. (1983a). Topical
structure and writing quality: Some possible text-based
explanations of readers’ judgments of student
writing. Visible
Language, XVII, 177–205. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Witte, S. (1983b). Topical
structure and revision: An exploratory
study. College Composition
and
Communication, 34(3), 313–341. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Wray, A., & Perkins, M. (2000). The
functions of formulaic language: An integrated
model. Language &
Communication, 20, 1–28. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
Omizo, Ryan & Bill Hart-Davidson
2024.
Is Genre Enough? A Theory of Genre Signaling as Generative AI Rhetoric.
Rhetoric Society Quarterly 54:3
► pp. 272 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 5 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.