1. What characteristics do they have in common?

Many of those abstracts have a general introduction to the topics discussed. They have a
clear structure in which the aim of the study is mentioned first followed by the description
of the methodology (e.g. a case study), participants and finishing with the interpretation of
results as well as some important implications for future research. In most of those
abstracts a clear justification as to why the research has been done is provided (e.g. the
area that has not yet been thoroughly explored and requires more discussion). As regards
the linguistic aspects of the abstracts given, they also share some features. Typical
expressions related to academic writing are used frequently, such as those connected with
introducing the aim of the study (e.g. research examining, this study examines, the study
describes, the article describes) and some typical expressions related to describing the
study and interpreting its results (e.g. this study contributes, it analyzes, this study
revealed).

2. What are the differences?

Not all the abstracts follow the same pattern, namely some of them do not begin with an
introductory statement. Instead of that, they move directly to stating the aim of the study.
Abstract number 4 is slightly different from the remaining ones in that it is fairly short and
its results are not clearly stated (there are some differences found between participants,
but the author does not describe them thoroughly). The author provides only some general
information about the study, but does not discuss the methodology and stages in great
details as it is done in other abstracts.

3. What conclusion can you draw from this comparison?

Having analyzed the structure and language of the abstracts given, we can conclude that
they follow a fairly fixed pattern in which the aim of the study, details about the research
done, its participants are clearly stated and finally results or possible implications are
described. All abstracts are concise and capture the gist of the study mentioned. They are
informative enough so as to attract readers’ attention, but on the other hand, they do not
reveal too much about the research in order to intrigue and get people to read them fully.
There are some slight modifications in the way those abstract are structured, but they still
include the same points. The language used is also very specific. Many expressions
utilized in such pieces of writing that relate to the description of the study or results repeat
themselves (e.g. examine, analyse, describe, reveal).
 4. What are the common characteristics of the titles of these articles?
The titles used in the articles given are concise, capturing the gist of the research
conducted. All of them state clearly what the aim of a given study is and provide some
information concerning the type of research used in each of them. They are very informative,
trying to squeeze as many necessary pieces of information into one sentence as possible to
give readers a general idea about the topics discussed. The titles provided follow a certain
pattern, namely they all state at the very beginning what the topic of the research is and then
explain more about the methods used and participants.
ABSTRACT 1
Applied Linguistics 26/2: 192–218 _ Oxford
University Press 2005
Exploring L2 Language Play as an Aid to SLL: A
Case Study of Humour
in NS–NNS Interaction
NANCY D. BELL Indiana University of Pennsylvania
In the past few years researchers have begun to
show an interest in humour
and language play as it relates to second language
learning (SLL). Tarone (2000)
has suggested that L2 language play may be
facilitative of SLL, in particular by
developing sociolinguistic competence, as learners
experiment with L2 voices;
and by destabilizing the interlanguage (IL) system,
thus allowing growth to
continue. She recommends research examining the
ways in which adult L2
speakers interacting outside the classroom play with
language as a way of
learning more about this issue. Using case study
methodology to document the
ways in which L2 verbal humour was negotiated
and constructed by three
advanced non-native speakers (NNSs) of English as
they interacted with native
speakers (NSs) of English, this study contributes to
this knowledge base by
showing patterns of interaction that arise during
humorous language play
between NSs and NNSs and how these may benefit
second language acquisition
(SLA). Results suggest that language play can be a
marker of proficiency, as
more advanced participants used L2 linguistic
resources in more creative ways.
Language play may also result in deeper processing
of lexical items, making
them more memorable, thus it may be especially
helpful in the acquisition of
vocabulary and semantic fields.
Characteristics: a general; introduction into the
topic, typical vocabulary: recommending, the results
suggest; the description of the method (case study
methodology),participants, the aim of the study,
results of the study and its possible implications,
justification
ABSTRACT 2
Applied Linguistics 29/2: 290–311 _ Oxford
University Press 2007
Changing Bilingual Self-Perceptions from Early
Adolescence to Early Adulthood:
Empirical Evidence from a Mixed-Methods Case
Study
STEPHEN J. CALDAS Hofstra University,
Hempstead
In the emerging tradition of language socialization
research, this study examines
the changing bilingual self-perceptions of three
children, identical twin girls
and their older brother, from early adolescence
through early adulthood.
The children were reared in a predominantly
French-speaking home in south
Louisiana by French/English bilingual parents, but
spent summers in Frenchspeaking
Quebec. When the children were aged 12;10 and
10;10 respectively,
they completed two author-constructed instruments:
one which allowed selfreporting
of various dimensions of their French-proficiency,
and the other
designed to gauge their perceptions of their
bilingualism and biculturalism.
At two subsequent intervals, approximately five
years and eight years later,
respectively, the subjects completed the same two
instruments. The children’s
responses at Time1, Time2 and Time3 were
compared and analyzed to gauge
how their perceptions of their proficiency in French
had changed over the
course of their adolescence. Both paired-sampled t-
tests and correlations were
generated between and among the children at
Time1, Time2, and Time3.
The author’s ethnographic field notes, interviews
with the children, and
a quantitative measure of French preference are
used to help interpret the
results. In general, the children valued their
bilingualism and biculturalism
much more as older adolescents and young adults
than as younger adolescents.
This seems to be at least partly the result of the
greater exertion of peer pressure
in early adolescence, which in the US venue in
particular did not place high
value on bilingualism. The children also exhibit
greater bilingual self-confidence
and diminished self-consciousness as older
adolescents, as they moved toward
identity-achievement.
Characteristics: the aim of the study clearly stated,
typical vocabulary used: this study examines ,
participants, the detailed description of the study
(procedures and its stages), results and its
interpretation, justification
ABSTRACT 3
System 27 (1999) 537±555
An analysis of writing knowledge in EFL
composing: a case study of two effective and
two
less effective writers
M. Victori Universitat AutoÁnoma de Barcelona
Abstract
The present study throws some light into an area
that has been relatively untouched: it
analyzes how differences in the beliefs or
metacognitive knowledge (MK) held about writing
relates to differences in English as a Foreign
Language (EFL) writing skills. Data were col-
lected from four undergraduate university Spanish
students, two good writers and two poor
writers, enrolled in EFL classes at the University of
Barcelona. They were first required to
take an English test and write an argumentative
essay to assess their language and writing
proficiency. Subsequently, they were interviewed
and required to think aloud as they wrote
another argumentative essay. This study revealed a
number of areas in which the knowledge
of the two pairs clearly differed. On the whole, these
differences pointed to a more appro-
priate and comprehensive view of the writing
process, which they were able to apply more
flexibly. In contrast, the less successful writers' MK
was limited and inadequate. Further-
more, the case studies also revealed the clear
relationship that exists between the MK of the
writers and the strategies they deployed,
underscoring the major role played by MK in pro-
viding a rationale for the learners' approach to
writing and researchers with a more thorough
understanding of the learners' writing process.
Characteristics: introductory statement, vocabulary:
analyzing, stating the aim of the study, details about
the study (case study), participants, procedure,
results voc, it revealed, justification
ABSTRACT 4
System 28 (2000) 85±96
Finding out about students' learning strategies
by looking at their diaries: a case study
Ana Halbach Universidad de Alcala Madrid
Abstract
The concept of learning strategies has become
quite familiar to most professionals in
teaching English as a foreign language. However,
one of the main difficulties of working with
strategies is related to the lack of appropriate tools
to measure strategy use by language
students. In this study a checklist is presented and
tested to see whether it can help to shed some
light on students' use of strategies as reflected in
their diaries. Some interesting differences
between successful and less successful students
appear which, in their turn, open up questions
about strategy training in general.
Characteristics: introduction, the aim of the study,
results are not clearly revealed, much shorter,
consice, the author des not dig too deep into the
issue, only provides some general information about
the study, type of research (case study)
A justification for the study
ABSTRACT 5
System 26 (1998) 51±63
Portrait of a future teacher: case study of
learning styles, strategies, and language
disabilities
Christine Nam, Rebecca L. Oxford
Abstract
Many individuals persevere through their school and
university years with undiagnosed,
language-related learning disabilities. This article
describes a future teacher who is partially
bilingual. Her problems with auditory memory and
auditory processing speed were severe,
and as a result her performance in reading and
writing suffered. Because of her concerns for
people such as herself who must deal with
language-related learning disabilities, she is now
becoming a teacher. This is a portrait of her
educational progress.
Characteristics: introductory claim, stating the aim of
the study, vocabulary : he study describes,
participants, type of study (case study), the reason
for the study (justification),