#psulinguistics

[portlandstateresearch]

Andres La Rosa, Physics faculty, co-authored “Finite Element Method Analysis of Whispering Gallery Acoustic Sensing,” published in the Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Vol. 1143, Conference 1, Dec. 21.

Whispering Gallery Acoustic Sensing (WGAS) has recently been introduced as a sensing feedback mechanism to control the probe-sample separation distance in scanning probe microscopy that uses a quartz tuning fork as a sensor (QTF-SPM) [1]. WGAS exploits the SPM supporting frame as a resonant acoustic cavity to monitor the nanometer-sized amplitude of the QTF oscillations. Optimal WGAS sensitivity depends on attaining an exact match between the cavity's frequency peak response and the TF resonance frequency. However, two aspects play against this objective: i) the unpredictable variability of the TF resonance frequency (upon attaching a SPM-probe to one of its tines), and ii) cavities of arbitrary geometry tend to display complicated (multiple peaks) frequency response, making difficult to identify which cavity dimension control which peak. Practical matching frequency procedures are needed then to operate the Shear-force Acoustic Near-field Microscopy (SANM) more efficiently. As a first step, here we undertake finite-element method (FEM) analysis to find out cavities of simple frequency response and, ideally, easy frequency tuning ability. Based on previous results we focus our studies in analyzing the frequency response of conical cavities within a range around the 32 kHz operating frequency. To first validate our numerical simulation studies, we reproduce the experimental results obtained from a specific conical cavity. Then we proceed to simulate the response of cavities of slightly different geometries, and investigate the dependence on the young modulus, poison ratio, and slight changes in dimensions. This initial success encourages to undertake studies of cavities having more sophisticated geometries.

[portlandstateresearch]

Sarah Key-DeLyria, Speech and Hearing Sciences faculty, authored a paper titled "Rapid Serial Visual Presentation Interacts with Ambiguity During Sentence Comprehension" in the Journal of Psycholinguistic Research.

Conventional opinion about using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) for examining sentence comprehension maintains that RSVP taxes working memory (WM), which probably affects sentence processing. However, most RSVP studies only infer the involvement of WM. Other cognitive resources, such as cognitive control or vocabulary may also impact sentence comprehension and interact with RSVP. Further, sentence ambiguity is predicted to interact with RSVP and cognitive resources to impact sentence comprehension. To test these relationships, participants read ambiguous and unambiguous sentences using RSVP and Whole-Sentence presentation, followed by comprehension questions that were targeted to the ambiguous region of the sentences. Presentation type and ambiguity interacted to affect RT such that the effect of RSVP was exaggerated for ambiguous sentences. RT effects were moderated by WM and vocabulary. WM and cognitive control affected accuracy. Findings are discussed in light of depth of processing and the impact of cognitive resources on sentence comprehension.

[portlandstateresearch]

Jon Holt, World Languages and Literatures faculty, authored an article, "X-Rated and Excessively Long: Ji-Amari in Hayashi Amari's Tanka," in the U.S.-Japan Women's Journal, Vol. 1:53, 2018. He discusses how the radical poet Hayashi Amari boldly breathed new life into traditional tanka with her adaptation of a sex-manual manga and through experiments in elongating the 31-syllable form.

As a fixed 31-syllable form of short poetry, Japan's tanka is one of the world's oldest forms of still-practiced poetry, with examples perhaps dating back to the fifth century. In the modern periods of Meiji (1868-1912) and Taishō (1912-1926), poets radically reformed the genre, expanding diction beyond millennium-old classical limits, thereby allowing poets to write not only about cherry blossoms and tragic love but also about things like steam trains and baseball games; although today many tankapoets in practicing circles still employ classical Japanese, many modern masters innovated the genre by skillfully blending in colloquial language. Like their modern forebears, poets in the contemporary period (1945-present) continue to experiment with the metrical and time limits of this short form.

[portlandstateresearch]

Eva Núñez, World Languages and Literatures faculty, authored a new book, Biculturalism and Spanish in Contact: Sociolinguistics Case Studies, published by Routledge.

Biculturalism and Spanish in Contact: Sociolinguistic Case Studies provides an original and modern analysis of the development of Spanish and its contact with other languages using a sociolinguistic framework from both synchronic and diachronic angles.

Split into three sections​, ​(i)　Border speech communities​​,　(ii) Outcomes and perceptions in situations of language and dialect contact and (iii) Contact and alternation: social boundaries of language switching, this collection offers new perspectives in the field of language contact and change. Each chapter presents an original study detailing the social factors that have shaped contact varieties of Spanish, providing principal arguments and theories about language use, contact, and change, as well as guided topics for discussion.

　With its wide scope, this book is a landmark in language interaction processes and studies, and will be a valuable reference for educators, scholars, language professionals and students with an interest in the vitality of the Spanish language in contact with other languages.

[portlandstateresearch]

Lynn Santelmann, Linguistics faculty, co-authored a paper, “Dental Student to Patient Communication Analysis: A Pilot Study,” published in Health Communication, Oct. 25. Her co-authors were former student Kevin Bowles and OHSU colleagues Harjit S. Sehgal, Edward P. Pham and Richie Kohli.

It is very crucial that dental students who comprise our future dental workforce are adequately trained in communication skills. This training is especially important because of the increasing population of English as Second Language (ESL) patients in our community health centers, dental offices, and dental schools. The objective of this exploratory pilot study was to analyze dental student conversations about patient treatment plans to native English and ESL patients. The study recruited four dental students who spoke English as their first language and four patients, two with English as their native language and two with English as their second language from Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry. A Panasonic Palmcorder video camera was used to record the dental student to patient procedural conversations, which were then transcribed. Data analysis included rhetorical analysis to explore the argument structures and conversation analysis to explore the linguistic moves used in treatment plan conversations. The results showed three common errors that dental students made while dealing with ESL patients that did not exist with the native speaking patients: The consistent assumption of patient comprehension, the use of over technical jargon, and a lack of use of multi-mediated forms of communication to bridge communicative barriers. There are obvious skills to be learned by the dental students for communicating treatment plans and dealing with ESL patients. Further research and effective teaching resources are needed to better serve our patient population.

[portlandstateresearch]

Alissa J. Hartig, Applied Linguistics faculty member, authored a review of Language and the law: Linguistic inequality in America, by Douglas A. Kibbee.

[portlandstateresearch]

Susan Conrad, Applied Linguistics, is the 2018 recipient of the William Elgin Wickenden Award of the American Society for Engineering Education for her article "A Comparison of Practitioner and Student Writing in Civil Engineering," which appeared in the Journal of Engineering Education. The award recognizes the article that represent the highest standards of scholarly research published in the journal in the preceding volume.

[portlandstateresearch]

Lynn Santelmann, Applied Linguistics faculty; Dannelle Stevens, Education faculty; and Staci Martin, Social Work faculty, authored an article, "Fostering Master's Students' Metacognition and Self-Regulation Practices for Research Writing,” published in College Teaching, online April 4. This qualitative case study examined MA TESOL students’ reactions to classroom activities designed to teach metacognitive awareness of writing strategies, self-regulation of writing practices, and text strategies.

ABSTRACT

Proficiency in writing is crucial for success in graduate school. While doctoral student writing has received attention in the research literature, little research has focused on master's student writing. Master's students need to be skilled writers in their professional lives, and have the same if not greater need for writing instruction as other graduate students. When writing is taught in graduate school, the instruction often focuses on content and text, not on the writing context and process. Recent research on academic writing suggests the importance of focusing on the behaviors, motivations, and cognitions that surround student writing, especially metacognitive awareness and self-regulation of the writing processes. This qualitative case study examined MA TESOL students’ reactions to classroom activities designed to teach metacognitive awareness of writing strategies, self-regulation of writing practices, and text strategies. Data collected included surveys and students’ writing plans. Five themes emerged from the data analysis. Students benefitted from: Increased metacognitive awareness of writing practices, the focus on the social support of writing, the opportunity to review peers’ papers, discussion of the stress points around writing, and instruction about the text structures underlying academic writing. Suggestions for application of instructional practices to other writing programs are included.