The Psycholinguistics of Readable Writing: A Multidisciplinary Exploration

by Alice S. Horning

Overview

This book reviews research in linguistics, psychology, reading and writing, and brings this work to bear on the problem of readable writing. The research supports the theory that two factors in text are crucial to its readable quality: psycholinguistic redundancy and cohesion. The book also reports the results of three empirical studies and a case study that further illustrates this theory. The findings have important theoretical and practical implications because they shed light on the nature of reading and writing processes from both linguistic and psychological perspectives, and suggest practical approaches to the production and comprehension of readable writing. The book also draws on research in second language acquisition and is pertinent to readable writing in both first and second languages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780893919979
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/01/1993
Series:	Communication and Information Science Series
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.48(d)

About the Author

rning /f Alice /i S.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
READABLE WRITING
Varied Perspectives on Readable Writing
Defining Readable Writing
Cohesion in Writing
Cohesion, Writing, and Coherence
Redundancy in Reading
Redundancy in Writing
Relating Cohesion and Redundancy
Plan of the Book
RELEVANT RESEARCH I: LINGUISTICS
The Linguistics Corner
Halliday's Systematic-Functional Linguistics
Coherence and Cohesion
Texture in Texts: Cohesion, Sentence Structure, Discourse Type
Types of Cohesion
Analyzing Cohesion: Cohesive Harmony
Review and Preview
RELEVANT RESEARCH: PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLINGUISTICS
Psycholinguistic Research on Text Processing
Propositional Analysis of Texts
Connecting Propositional Analysis to Cohesion
Psycholinguistic Research on the Role of Redundancy
Redundancy and Prior Knowledge
Psychologists' View of Redundancy
Personality Type and Text Processing
Preferences, Reading, and Writing
Implications of Type for Composing and Comprehending
RELEVANT RESEARCH III: READING
Models of the Reading Process: Print vs. Meaning
The Interactive Alternative
Complexity of Reading. Reading in a Second Language
Reading Models in L1 and L2: Summary
Readability Research
Formula Measures of Readability
Readability Analysis by Computer
Alternative Strategies
Different Alternatives for Measuring Readable Writing
RELEVANT RESEARCH IV: WRITING
A Psycho-linguistic Model of Writing
The Rhetoricians' View of Writing
Cohesion in Writing
Contributions from Contrastive Rhetoric
Functional-Grammar-Based Analysis
Rhetoricians' Consensus on Redundancy and Cohesion
Psychological Studies of Writing
Views for a Psychology of Writing
A FRESH LOOK AT THE PUZZLE OF READABLE WRITING
Definitions Revisited
Redundancy, Cohesion, and a Definition of Readable Writing
Passages and Studies
Measurement and Methodology Issues
Methodology Choices and Rationale
EMPIRICAL STUDIES: REDUNDANCY I-CLOZE RESEARCH
The Problem: Distinguishing Readability and Comprehensibility
Methodology
Results
Discussion
EMPIRICAL STUDIES: REDUNDANCY II-TEXT ANALYSIS FINDINGS
Propositional Analysis of the Passages
Cohesion Analysis: Ties and Chains
Computer-based Findings on Readability
Lexical Density
Other Measures
New Angles on the Puzzle
EMPIRICAL STUDIES: REDUNDANCY AND COHESION-MISCUE RESEARCH
Purpose and Hypotheses
Methodology
Results
Discussion
CASE STUDIES WITH PROFESSIONAL READER/WRITERS
Why a Case Study?
Purpose and Hypotheses for the Study
Methodology
Data Analysis and Findings
Cross-Case Analysis
READABLE WRITING AND CRITICAL LITERACY
A Review of Definitions and Research
Multicultural Dimensions of Readable Writing
Appendices
References
Author Index
Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

Given the title, this is a surprisingly difficult to read text. But the difficulty is more a matter of the conventional writing style of researchers than of the author's abilities. Still, the text provides an excellent model for understanding how a writers can increase their chances of being understood. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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