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writing from multiple digital sources in a professional context
PostDoc researcher: Mariëlle Leijten
Promotors: Luuk Van Waes & Paul Matthyssens, University of Antwerp
Funding: Flanders Research Foundation
Period: 2010-2013
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Writing a business text, e.g. a report for a merger, is a very complex activity. Previous writing research had lead to various well-known writing process models. However, these models are primarily based on educational environments and single texts. Professional writers on the other hand often use multiple (digital) sources to succesfully write their business texts. It is important, especially in this digital age, in which (written) communication performs an important role, to describe these writing competences.
This project, addresses the following research question:
What writing processes and strategies are involved when professional writers write business texts from multiple (digital) sources?
During this project we will perform three research studies:
In study 1 we describe the activities of professional writers when writing in their organisational setting (explorative-etnographic approach).
In study 2 we focus on writing processes of professional writers in ‘real-time’ (descriptive-cognitive approach).
In study 3 we analyze the cognitive processes that are involved when writing from multiple sources on a very fine-grained level (experimental-cognitive approach). [more information will follow in a later stage]
The complementarity of the research approach in the three studies is very important in this project. We strive to use a macro, meso and micro approach on the dynamic of writing processes:
ethnographic social context information (macro),
ecologically valid writing process data (meso),
fine-grained experimental process data (micro).
The combination of these multiple methods and perspectives generates output that make it possible to compare findings from one study with the other in order to describe the full dynamic of professional writing. As such, it has added value both from a theoretical (writing models) an a methodological perspective (writing process research). Also more practical implications can be aimed at for both writing software programs and developing future educational curricula (traditional and lifelong learning).
 more information
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The influence of text representation on the reading-during-writing process
Promotors: Luuk Van Waes & Mariëlle Leijten, University of Antwerp | Flemish Research Association
Funding: NOI BOF UA 2010, University of Antwerp, Belgium
PostDoc researcher: Melissa Patchan
Budget: 170 000 euro
Period: 2011-2014
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Professional writers frequently interrupt the text production process to monitor their text produced so far. So far, this process of ''reading during writing'' has not been studied. However, recent technological developments enable us to study reading behavior during writing. In our research we explore how (re)reading might shift the cognitive orientation of the writing process and the relation between reading and writing on the one hand and reading and revising on the other.
more information
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The influence of the text produced so far on writing processes of professional writers.
Promotors: Mariëlle Leijten & Luuk Van Waes, University of Antwerp | David Galbraith, Staffordshire University
Funding: Collaboration Staffordshire University
Budget: 8000 euro
Period: 2008-2011
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In this research we investigate how professional writers manage the balance between monitoring previous text an generating further text, writers are asked to generate sentence completions while at the same time monitoring and correcting errors in the sentence stem. Previous research has found that writers vary widely in the extent to which they prioritise the sentence completion part of the task or the error correcting part of the task. This study will use a modified version of this task to examine whether theses differences are related to the working memory capacity of writers and to individual differences in self-monitoring style. Eye movements will be analysed to determine how writers allocate their attention during the task. Data will be used to calculate an index of the writers' processing style.
more information
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The European Research Network on Learning to Write Effectively
COST Proposal n°IS0703 | European Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technological Research
General coordinator: Dr. Denis Alamargot, Laboratory LMDC-CNRS, University of Poitiers - France
Coordinator WG4: Prof. dr. Luuk Van Waes (2008-2011)
Belgian Coordinators: Dr. Luuk Van Waes & Dr. Mariëlle Leijten, University of Antwerp (2008-2012)
Funding: European Commission
Period: 2008-2012
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It is mainly through writing that knowledge is created and shared across boundaries of culture. A
key objective is to improve our understanding of how written production is mastered and how this
learning process can be made more effective for each and every European citizen, especially
children at school and adults in the workplace.
Given the diversity of educational systems and languages, it is important to build a common
multidisciplinary research programme, sharing theoretical, methodological and educational
resources. This research programme needs to focus on four complementary areas:
Early acquisition of writing skills
Improvements in written communication
Design of written documents
Technological advances in writing tools.
By bringing together European research teams that are already working on the topic of writing - or
are intending to do so -, the COST Action will support the building of an active and open network
sustained by regular scientific events, research meetings and junior researchers’ training. This
research network will provide a means of disseminating recommendations throughout European
society (schools, universities, workplace) in order to help professionals and citizens write, learn to
write and teach writing more effectively within their particular cultural context, as well to
communicate across cultural boundaries through writing.
more information | proposal (pdf)
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Accuracy and optimisation of live subtitling
Promotors: L. Van Waes, M. Leijten, A. Remael & E. Desnerck
Researcher: Ide Verhelst/ Jan Craenen
Funding: Antwerp University Association (Artesis University College: COF-AUHA BOF UA 2010)
Budget: 80 000 euro
Period: 2010-2014
More information: Transmedia
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The study looks into the text reduction that takes place when respeakers produce subtitles on the basis of live comment. In an experimental setting several reduction modi have been created to get a better insight on the process of reduction and the delay that is associated with it. Also the correctness of the subtitles will be analyzed.
Text reduction in live subtitling with speech recognition
Promotors: L. Van Waes, M. Leijten, A. Remael & B. Dewulf
Researcher: Bieke Luyckx
Funding: Antwerp University Association (COF-AUHA BOF UA 2008)
Budget: 20 000 euro
Period: 2009-2010
More information: Transmedia
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The study looks into the text reduction that takes place when respeakers produce subtitles on the basis of live comment. In an experimental setting several reduction modi have been created to get a better insight on the process of reduction and the delay that is associated with it. Also the correctness of the subtitles will be analyzed.
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QuADEM - Quality Assessment of Digital Educational Materials about professional writing skillsEU Minerva | 229759 - CP -1-2006-1- BE - MINERVA - MPP
Co-ordinator: prof. dr. L. Van Waes (Universiteit Antwerpen)
Partners: University of Nijmegen, University of Ghent, University of Zurich, Pedagogik Sweden, University of Lödz, Vergouwen Overduin Amsterdam, Stroomt Utrecht
Researcher: Liesbeth Opdenacker
Period: 2006-2009
Budget: 520 000 euro
More information: www.scribani.org
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The new three-year project of the Scribani group is called QuADEM. The goal of this project is to develop a method for Quality Assessment of Digital Educational Materials in the area of professional and academic writing skills. The concept of the Quality Method integrates various quality assessment perspectives, methods, tools and materials.
more information
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Merging writing process data with lexica
Promotor: Luuk Van Waes, University of Antwerp
Co-promotors: Véronique Hosten & Lieve Macken (University College Ghent) | Mariëlle Leijten (University of Antwerp)
Period: 2010-2012
Funding Flemish Research Foundation (FWO), Belgium
Budget:27 000 euro
More information: www.inputlog.net
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During the last 20 years writing research has focused explicitly on the analysis of writing processes. More recently, logging programs (like Inputlog) enabled researchers to record process data (e.g. keystrokes & pauses) in much more detail without interfering the cognitive activities. In the current project we aggregate the logged process data from the letter level (keystroke) to the word level by merging them with lexica and Naturally Language Processing tools. This creates a very valuable basis for more linguistically oriented writing process research.
WritingPro: A Knowledge Center for Writing Process Research
Promotor: Mariëlle Leijten, Dept. Management, University of Antwerp
Researchers: Luuk Van Waes & Mariëlle Leijten
Periode: 2010-2012
Funding: BOF, University of Antwerp
Budget: 7 500 euro
This project aims at developing a Knowledge Center for Writing Process Research (WritingPro) in order to offer a digital platform to writing process research. The main aims of the Knowledge Center are to bring together methodological knowledge about writing process research and to create a database for writing process data.
more information
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A short overview of previous research projects. |
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Development of a competence classification system and database
Co-ordinators: L. Van Waes, K. Soudan, E. Faucompret
Researchers: Isabelle Werbrouck & Hilde De Vleeschhauwer
Period: 2006-2008
Funding: OOP-Project, University of Antwerp
Budget: 90 000 euro
The faculty of Applied Economics of the University of Antwerp wants to develop a system to classify competencies that relate to their curriculum. It is the aim of the project to develop a knowledge base by interviewing the different stake-holders that are engaged directly or indirectly in the education of the students at the faculty. Competencies will be classified by different groups: knowledge, skills, behavior and attitude. Competencies, in addition, are categorized according to: scope and goal, curriculum, learner, and instructional process. During the process general guidelines will be developed and a database will be implemented to facilitate the implementation of this process in other faculties.
more information
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Live subtitling with speech recognition: procedures for quality improvement
Promotors: L. Van Waes, M. Leijten, A. Remael & B. van de Veer
Researcher: Tijs Delbeke
Funding: Antwerp University Association
Budget: 25 000 euro
Period: 2007-2008
More information: www.ua.ac.be
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The study looks into the efficiency of the use of speech recognition in live subtitling for television, and the cognitive writing processes they involve. Logging software is used for the analysis of subtitling procedures, in which a respeaker makes use of speech technology to produce subtitles following both the block and the scrolling methods. The ultimate purpose of the project is to improve logging and to elaborate a procedure for the quality improvement of live subtitling.
Using speech recognition for live subtitling: Procedures for quality improvement
Promotors: L. Van Waes, M. Leijten, A. Remael & B. van de Veer
Academic Association Antwerp & Flemish Radio- and Television Network (VRT)
Researcher: Tijs Delbeke
Funding: Antwerp University Association
Budget: 25 000 euro
Period: 2007-2008
Speech technology nowadays serves as a valuable means to provide real-time captioning for live television programs. The Flemish public television (VRT) makes ample use of this innovative technique which has, however, its limitations. The project's goal is to improve accuracy and speed of intralingual subtitling through speech recognition and to help developing an effective training program for the operators (respeakers) involved in the process of transferring audio-input into good subtitles. Special attention will be paid to the cognitive load that is caused by this type of subtitle production.
more information
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Development of a logging tool for writing research
Promotor: prof. dr. L. Van Waes, University of Antwerp
Academic staff members: dr. Nico Verlinden & dr. Mariëlle Leijten
Period: 2005-2008
The project was funded by the Karel de Grote Hogeschool, Antwerpen
Budget:15 000 euro
More information: www.inputlog.net
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A point of particular interest in writing research is the logging of the writing processes. Existing software programs make it possible to register, reconstruct and analyze online writing processes on several levels. However, these logging tools are or developed for specific applications, or are not adapted to the current Windows environment. Besides, neither of these logging tools have integrated the logging of the speech recognition mode.
Therefore, we are developing a registration program that can easily be used in various Windows environments. We would like to be able to log every input mode of the computer: keyboard, mouse & speech. A logging tool with these characteristics would make it easier to describe the writing process data and would make it possible to analyze them in more detail and more precisely involving more participants.
At this stage of the development of the logging tool we focus on the optimalization of Inputlog by integrating parsing techniques and the addition of new analyses.
The development of a multilingual corpus of writing processes
Promotor: Prof. dr. L. Van Waes, Dept. Management, University of Antwerp
Researchers: Nico Verlinden, Luuk Van Waes & Mariëlle Leijten
Periode: 2007-2009
Funding: BOF, University of Antwerp
Budget: 7 500 euro
More information: http://www.inputlog.net
During the last 20 years writing research has focused explicitely on the analysis of writing processes. More recently, logging programs enabled researchers to record process data (e.g. keystrokes&pauses) in much more detail without interfering the cognitive activities. In this project we want to initiate an online corpus of multilingual writing processes. Also an XML-schema will be designed to create a basis for a common standard in this domain.
more information
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The influence of Voice Recognition on the Writing Process: Cognitive and Stylistic Effects of Speech Technology on Writing Business Texts
Promotor: prof. dr. L. Van Waes
Onderzoekers: Ivy Ackerman & Thomas Quinlan
Periode: 2002-2004
Fonds/Opdrachtgever: BOF/NOI-project van de Universiteit Antwerpen
Budget: ± 110 000 euro
In this research project we focus on the one hand on elements that characterise the writing processes by comparing the writing processes of writers with different learning styles and different writing experience. On the other hand, we would like to contribute to the fundamental theory building on cognitive writing processes by describing universal cognitive processes raised in our study.
In a first study we explored the writing behaviour of initial users of speech recognition systems. By opposing people WITH dictating experience to people with NO previous dictating experience, we found that there is not only a difference in the amount of speech used, but also in the organisation of the writing process. Writers with NO previous dictating experience, for example, use more speech and use it in a more constant pattern than writers WITH dictating experience.
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SRIBANI: Developing a European Writing Center
(European Union, 2002-2004) - Budget ± 300 000,00 EUR
Promotor: prof. dr. L. Van Waes, University of Antwerp
Partners: University of Nijmegen - The Netherlands, KTH Stockholm - Sweden, University of Warsaw, Poland
Academic staff member: Liesbeth Opdenacker
Period: 2003-2005
Scribani was funded as a Minerva project (Socrates) by the European Union
Budget ± 300 000 euro
More information: http://www.scribani.org
The European educational system is increasingly taking into account individual learning styles and promoting self-guided learning and reduced contact hours, a trend that is also apparent in communication and language teaching: institutions specialized in this field are developing improved learning environments.
Co-ordinating efforts with four other European institutions, we will jointly develop and deploy a common platform for a modular, multi-lingual online writing center specializing in business, technical and academic communication, which enables students to train their writing and reading skills. Specifically, the project aims at improving the current writing skills training programs by:
- Developing a vision on teaching writing skills online, optimized for the European context.
- Developing an effective online didactical toolset that reinforces and complements traditional classroom techniques.
- Developing a European network of institutes that co-develop this toolset and deploy it in a teaching context.
- Developing a program to introduce the online writing platform in the classroom, facilitating its adoption by both teachers and students.
These goals are technically supported by developing (1) an XML-based repository with multi-lingual learning modules, evaluation components and supporting writing tools; (2) a template-based authoring environment in which the teaching staff creates the learning modules; and (3) a browser-based language training environment for the students. The solution is based on an open architecture that allows integration with other online learning tools and environments.
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The influence of marked hyperlinks on the reading process in a foreign language: a cognitive approach
Promotor: prof. dr. L. Van Waes
Academic staff member: Isabelle De Ridder
Period: 2001-2003
The project was funded as a BOF/NOI (New Research Initiatives) project by the University of Antwerp
Budget: ± 110 000 euro
More information: http://www.ua.ac.be/isabelle.deridder
This research project focuses on experimental research that aims at examining the impact of highlighted hyperlinks on the foreign language reading process, incidental vocabulary learning and overall text comprehension.
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The influence of Voice Recognition on the Writing Process: Cognitive and Stylistic Effects of Speech Technology on Writing Business Texts
Promotor: prof. dr. L. Van Waes
Academic staff member: Mariëlle Leijten
Period: 2000-2002
The project was funded as a BOF/NOI (New Research Initiatives) project by the University of Antwerp, 2000-2002
Budget: ± 105 000 euro
More information: http://www.ua.ac.be/marielle.leijten
It has been shown that the use of word processors and dictating devices as writing modes influences the organization of the writing process in a particular way. Voice recognition as a new writing mode also influences the writing process. In this research project we study the way in which voice recognition as a new writing mode influences the writing process.
Now that the voice recognition systems have improved to the point that they become more than acceptable, it's the moment to start a study to analyze the writing process in this mode. So far, there is little knowledge about the experience of writers who already use speech-input devices. The first part of the project dealt with the adaptation processes of initial users and in the second part writing processes in different writing modes are compared.
Results: After an adaptation period, people writing with voice recognition systems seem to develop a hybrid mode between dictating and writing with keyboard and mouse.
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DILESCE: A Digital Writing and Reading Center
Promotor: prof. dr. L. Van Waes
Academic staff member: Liesbeth Opdenacker
Period: 2000-2002
The project was funded as a STIHO project (New Research Initiatives) by the Flemish Government (Education), 2001-2003
Budget: ± 120 000 euro
More information: http://www.Calliope.be
Calliope, the muse of writers, is the name of the online writing center that is being developed at the University of Antwerp. The main objectives of Calliope are:
to create a digital platform that enables students to train their writing skills in different languages;
to develop a number of exemplary modules, e.g. meeting minutes, summaries;
to evaluate the added value of the modules from a didactic, scientific and business communication angle.
This two-year project is funded by the Ministry of the Flemish Community in order to stimulate innovation in higher education (STIHO) and is a co-operation between Mercator Hogeschool Gent and UFSIA, Universiteit Antwerpen.
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Data collection of speech material as a basis for the development of a Dutch speech recognition system
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Creating a digital platform for the 'Algemeen Nederlandse Spraakkunst' (ANS, Standard Dutch Grammar)
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Development of a selection procedure and screening for communication managers
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Searching and revision strategies of professional and non-professional writers
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Inventory of technical possibilities and limitations of language technology
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