Cover not available

Article published In: International Journal of Corpus Linguistics
Vol. 28:2 (2023) ► pp.263–277

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
EPUB logo with download linkDownload EPUB
authorization required

LBiaP

A solution to the problem of attaining observation independence in lexical bundle studies

ORCiD logo with link | Georgia State University
 | Wayne State College
Published online: 23 February 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.21100.cor
Abstract
Overlapping bundles, that is, shorter lexical bundles that are totally or partially embedded in longer expressions, may prove problematic in the structural and functional classification of bundles. For example, many studies in the literature focus only on four-word lexical bundles and conduct extensive structural and functional analysis of those bundles. However, most scholars have not considered the fact that some 4-word expressions may be embedded in longer expressions. These longer expressions may not only have a different structure but may also carry out a different functional role. The present study introduces the Lexical Bundle Identification and Analysis Program (LBiaP), a software tool designed to facilitate lexical bundle research with independent observations of each lexical bundle identified. First, we describe complete overlapping, complete subsumption, and interlocking bundles in detail. We then explain how LBiaP deals with these types of bundles when detected.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Lexical bundle studies
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Corpus
    • 3.2Lexical Bundle Identification and Analysis Program (LBiaP)
      • 3.2.1LBiaP Phase I
      • 3.2.2LBiaP Phase II
  • 4.Analysis
  • 5.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (30)
References
Ädel, A., & Erman, B. (2012). Recurrent word combinations in academic writing by native and non-native speakers of English: A lexical bundles approach. English for Specific Purposes, 31(2), 81–92. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Allen, S. (1970). Frequency Dictionary of Present-Day Swedish Based on Newspaper Material, 1: Graphic Words. Almqvist & Wiksell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Altenberg, B. (1993). Recurrent word combinations in spoken English. In J. Aarts & W. Meijs (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fifth Nordic Association for English Studies Conference (pp. 17–27). University of Iceland.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Altenberg, B., & Eeg-Olofsson, M. (1990). Phraseology in spoken English: Presentation of a project. In D’Arcy, J. (Ed.), Theory and Practice in Corpus Linguistics, (pp. 1–26). Rodopi.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bestgen, Y. (2017). Getting rid of the Chi-square and Log-likelihood tests for analysing vocabulary differences between corpora. Quaderns de Filologia-Estudis Lingüístics, 221, 33–56. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Cortes, V. (2003). Lexical bundles in speech and writing: An initial taxonomy. In A. Wilson, P. Rayson, & T. McEnery (Eds.), Corpus Linguistics by the Lune: A Festschrift for Geoffrey Leech (pp. 71–92). Peter Lang.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S., & Finegan, E. (1999). Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English Harlow. Pearson.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Candarli, D., & Jones, S. (2019). Paradigmatic influences on lexical bundles in research articles in the discipline of education. Corpora 14(2), 237–263. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, Y. H., & Baker, P. (2010). Lexical bundles in L1 and L2 academic writing. Language Learning & Technology, 14(2), 30–49.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2016). Investigating criterial discourse features across second language development: Lexical bundles in rated learner essays, CEFR B1, B2 and C1. Applied Linguistics, 37(6), 849–880.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cortes, V. (2004). Lexical bundles in published and student disciplinary writing: Examples from history and biology. English for Specific Purposes, 23(4), 397–423. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2006). Teaching lexical bundles in the disciplines: An example from a writing intensive history class. Linguistics and Education, 17(4), 391–406. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2013). The purpose of this study is to: Connecting lexical bundles and moves in research article introductions. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 12(1), 33–43. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2015). Situating lexical bundles in the formulaic language spectrum: Origins and functional analysis development. In V. Cortes & E. Csomay (Eds.), Corpus-based Research in Applied Linguistics: Studies in Honor of Doug Biber (pp. 197–218). John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2020). Lexical bundles as building blocks in discourse: The case of three-word bundles. Webinar presented at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil, LAEL 50th Anniversary Webinar Series. [URL]
(2022). Lexical bundles in English for Academic Purposes. In R. R. Jablonkai & E. Csomay (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Corpora in English Language Teaching (pp. 220–233). Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Doddington, G. (2002). Automatic evaluation of machine translation quality using n-gram co-occurrence statistics. In M. Marcus (Ed.), Proceedings of the ARPA Workshop on Human Language Technology (pp. 138–145). Morgan Kaufmann. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gilmore, A., & Millar, N. (2018). The language of civil engineering research articles: A corpus-based approach. English for Specific Purposes, 511, 1–17. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jalali, H. (2014). Examining novices’ selection of lexical bundles: The case of EFL postgraduate students in applied linguistics. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 1(2), 1–11.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kenny, D. A., & Judd, C. M. (1986). Consequences of violating the independence assumption in analysis of variance. Psychological Bulletin, 99(3), 422–431. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lake, W. (2020). Seeking the Unseen Humanities Macrostructures: The Use of Corpus- and Genre-assisted Research Methodologies to Analyze Written Norms in English and Spanish Literary Criticism Articles. [Doctoral dissertation, Georgia State University]. ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. [URL]
Lake, W., & Cortes, V. (2020a). Using lexical bundles to reassess disciplinary norms in Spanish & English humanities and social science writing. In U. Römer, V. Cortes, & E. Friginal (Eds.), Advances in Corpus-based Research on Academic Writing (pp. 184–203). John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2020b). Comparing lexical bundles in Spanish and English psychology methods sections. In E. Friginal & J. Hardy (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Corpus Approaches to Discourse Analysis (pp. 334–353). Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mackey, A., & Gass, S. M. (2015). Second Language Research: Methodology and Design. Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oakes, M., & Farrow, M. (2007). Use of the Chi-Squared Test to examine vocabulary differences in English language corpora representing seven different countries. Literary and Linguistic Computing, 221, 85–99. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pan, F., Reppen, R., & Biber, D. (2016). Comparing patterns of L1 versus L2 English academic professionals: Lexical bundles in Telecommunications research journals. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 211, 60–71. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Plonsky, L., & Ghanbar, H. (2018). Multiple regression in L2 research: A methodological synthesis and guide to interpreting R2 values. The Modern Language Journal, 102(4), 713–731. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ribeck, J., & Borin, L. (2014). Lexical bundles in Swedish secondary school textbooks. In Z. Vetulani & J. Mariani (Eds.), Human Language Technology Challenges for Computer Science and Linguistics (pp. 238–249). Springer. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shin, Y., Cortes, V., & Yoo, I. W. (2018). Using lexical bundles as a tool to analyze definite article use in L2 academic writing: An exploratory study. Journal of Second Language Writing, 391, 29–41. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shin, Y., & Kim, Y. (2017). Using lexical bundles to teach articles to L2 English learners of different proficiencies. System, 691, 79–91. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (6)

Cited by six other publications

Aybek, Sibel & Cem Can
2025. Comparative Analysis of Lexical Bundles in Academic Writings by Native English Speakers and Turkish EFL Learners. Sustainable Multilingualism 26:1 ► pp. 114 ff. DOI logo
Mbodj, Ndeye Bineta & Viviana Cortes
2025. Exploring Within-Discipline Variation of Lexical Bundle Use: An Example from Medical Research Articles and Medical Case Reports. Revista Brasileira de Linguística Aplicada 25:1 DOI logo
Cortes, Viviana
2024. Lexical Bundles in Academic Writing. In Reference Module in Social Sciences, DOI logo
Cortes, Viviana
2025. Lexical Bundles and Grammar. In The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics, ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo
Cortes, Viviana
2025. Corpus Analysis of Multi‐Word Units. In The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics, ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo
Samraj, Betty
2024. Disciplinary differences in lexical bundles use: A cautionary tale from methodological variations. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 70 ► pp. 101399 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 12 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue