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Measuring and Enhancing Lexical Richness of Middle School Students' EFL Written Production

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Title: Measuring and Enhancing Lexical Richness of Middle School Students' EFL Written Production
Language: English
Authors: Yujie Su (ORCID 0000-0003-1444-1598), Altayeb Salih Ahmed Mohamm (ORCID 0009-0003-3004-8662), Xueyan Li (ORCID 0009-0007-9097-4720), Dong Shuchang (ORCID 0009-0001-5017-6624), Yuqing Dai (ORCID 0009-0009-2768-8507)
Source: Asian Journal of Contemporary Education. 2025 9(2):228-240.
Availability: AESS Publications. 2637 East Atantic Boulevaard #43110, Pompano Beach, FL 33062. e-mail: editor@aessweb.com; Web site: http://www.aessweb.com/journals/5052
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Middle School Students, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Writing (Composition), Lexicology, Language Usage, Foreign Countries, Word Lists, Vocabulary Development, Error Patterns, Writing Skills, Writing Tests, Homework
Geographic Terms: China
ISSN: 2617-1252
Abstract: Lexical richness, a common analytical measure of textual analysis in EFL writing research, is measured by three indices: lexical density, sophistication, and variation. Researchers have developed variant software such as AntWordProfiler to facilitate corpus-based analysis of lexical richness in writing. However, few studies have explored the lexical richness of middle school students' written English in China. The pre-stored corpus of word levels fails to accurately represent the lexical richness in the writings because the leveled word list is much larger than the students' acquired vocabulary. This study examines 239 articles written by middle school students in Zhejiang Province using AntWordProfiler, employing two different sets of BASEWORD lists: the prestored BASEWORD lists and the rearranged BASEWORD lists in accordance with the English Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education (2022 Edition). The pre-stored BASEWORD lists within AntWordProfiler were used to assess the vocabulary richness of the students' articles; subsequently, rearranged BASEWORD lists were applied by AntWordProfiler. The results are presented in terms of lexical variation, lexical sophistication, lexical errors, and lexical density. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using these categories. The research found that homework writings were richer than exam writings, exhibiting higher lexical sophistication and fewer errors. However, they were similar in lexical density. The differences were particularly notable and may have implications for vocabulary teaching in middle schools.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1494693
Database: ERIC
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  Availability: 0
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
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  Data: Measuring and Enhancing Lexical Richness of Middle School Students' EFL Written Production
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  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yujie+Su%22">Yujie Su</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1444-1598">0000-0003-1444-1598</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Altayeb+Salih+Ahmed+Mohamm%22">Altayeb Salih Ahmed Mohamm</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3004-8662">0009-0003-3004-8662</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xueyan+Li%22">Xueyan Li</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9097-4720">0009-0007-9097-4720</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dong+Shuchang%22">Dong Shuchang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5017-6624">0009-0001-5017-6624</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yuqing+Dai%22">Yuqing Dai</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2768-8507">0009-0009-2768-8507</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Asian+Journal+of+Contemporary+Education%22"><i>Asian Journal of Contemporary Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 9(2):228-240.
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  Data: AESS Publications. 2637 East Atantic Boulevaard #43110, Pompano Beach, FL 33062. e-mail: editor@aessweb.com; Web site: http://www.aessweb.com/journals/5052
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
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  Data: 13
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+%28Composition%29%22">Writing (Composition)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lexicology%22">Lexicology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Word+Lists%22">Word Lists</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary+Development%22">Vocabulary Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Error+Patterns%22">Error Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Skills%22">Writing Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Tests%22">Writing Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Homework%22">Homework</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 2617-1252
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Lexical richness, a common analytical measure of textual analysis in EFL writing research, is measured by three indices: lexical density, sophistication, and variation. Researchers have developed variant software such as AntWordProfiler to facilitate corpus-based analysis of lexical richness in writing. However, few studies have explored the lexical richness of middle school students' written English in China. The pre-stored corpus of word levels fails to accurately represent the lexical richness in the writings because the leveled word list is much larger than the students' acquired vocabulary. This study examines 239 articles written by middle school students in Zhejiang Province using AntWordProfiler, employing two different sets of BASEWORD lists: the prestored BASEWORD lists and the rearranged BASEWORD lists in accordance with the English Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education (2022 Edition). The pre-stored BASEWORD lists within AntWordProfiler were used to assess the vocabulary richness of the students' articles; subsequently, rearranged BASEWORD lists were applied by AntWordProfiler. The results are presented in terms of lexical variation, lexical sophistication, lexical errors, and lexical density. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using these categories. The research found that homework writings were richer than exam writings, exhibiting higher lexical sophistication and fewer errors. However, they were similar in lexical density. The differences were particularly notable and may have implications for vocabulary teaching in middle schools.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1494693
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 228
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing (Composition)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Lexicology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Usage
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Word Lists
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vocabulary Development
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      – SubjectFull: Error Patterns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Homework
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Measuring and Enhancing Lexical Richness of Middle School Students' EFL Written Production
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            NameFull: Yujie Su
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            NameFull: Xueyan Li
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              Y: 2025
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