We present a lexical analysis of ESL writing samples from a cognitive perspective. The small writing database adopted in the research collects 528 writing samples of 88 students for one semester. Then, the lexical features of ESL writing are analyzed for word co-occurrence, extraction, repetition, and connector. Based on the lexical analysis result, we discuss the lexical features from cognitive understanding, probing into ESL learners’ organization in writing, vocabulary acquisition, general thinking pattern, and logical thinking. The college students with a vocabulary of over 3,000 are capable of transferring their points into English writing. At the same time, their vocabulary acquisition pattern negatively influences their word extraction, and their lexical feature mirrors deficiency in logical thinking. We provide a short reflection on the limitations of the research.

Qin Wang. Computer-assisted Lexical Analysis of ESL Writing Based on Cognitive Model. Frontiers in Educational Research (2023) Vol. 6, Issue 1: 78-86. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2023.060113.

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