Emerging discourse structure: computer-assisted episode analysis as a window to global revision in university students writing

This article studies global aspects of text production by following 10 student writersʹ steps in revising their texts. The method used is based on the analysis of connected episodes of revisions in recorded writing sessions. The sessions were represented in S-notation, which is a computer-generated notation for revisions created from a keystroke record. Using S-notation to identify revision episodes, a classification was made of the types of global revisions encountered in four of the studentsʹ writing sessions. The results suggest that the nature of the writing task has a major influence on the writerʹs strategy and that the computer medium also plays an important role as a facilitator. To a great extent, the discourse structure of texts evolved gradually through writing and revising, apparently as a result of problem-solving activity. The study has confirmed that computer-assisted episode analysis provides a promising approach to the study of text production, which opens a window to the writersʹ development of discourse structure.