EssayCritic: A Computer-Supported English Essay Critiquing System using Latent Semantic Analysis

摘要

The talk presents the EssayCritic system and discusses two recent applications (English composition teaching at HKBU and at Norwegian high school). The EssayCritic makes use of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) to compute feedback on student essays. LSA is both a theory of text comprehension and a mathematical technique for comparing two segments of text, one input by students and the other collected and stored by domain experts (e.g. teachers). We describe the components of the system and explain the workings of LSA. Then we present findings from the Norway study (recently completed). The studies differ in that the HK trials were organized with one student per computer, whereas in Norway the students were grouped in pairs, reflecting local teaching styles. Preliminary findings reveal distinct modes of writing (writing, feedback, reflection, revision) for both settings and patterns of working in pairs in the other. Based on the findings we develop a conceptual framework for collaborative essay writing that integrates concepts from design theory (e.g. reflection-in-action) and communication theory (e.g. inter-subjectivity, common ground). Our goals are to understand and characterize collaborative essay writing as a design activity and to provide computational support for it.