Cover not available

Article published In: The Mental Lexicon
Vol. 14:3 (2019) ► pp.399–414

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required
Methodological and analytic considerations

Clozapp

A Java application for collecting and recording Cloze probability norms

 | McMaser University
 | Cégep André-Laurendeau
 | Independent Researcher
 | McMaser University
Published online: 13 May 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ml.20004.nis
Abstract
This paper introduces a freely available and easy to use Java application for the collection and recording of Cloze probability ratings. Clozapp presents participants with text fragments of the researchers’ choice and collects guesses regarding upcoming words. It can also collect basic demographic information about participants. Available modes of data collection include elicitation of responses to a limited number of omitted words in a text or to all words in a text. Clozeapp can be customized to present instructions and experimental stimuli in any given language and to collect multiple types of demographic data. This paper presents the application by detailing the states and actions available, as well as descriptions of how to customize the app to fit different experimental needs including possible input and output details. The application manual is provided. As a proof of concept, we used Clozapp to conduct a replication study of two existing collections of Cloze probability norms. The Clozapp norms showed strong reliable correlations (r > 0.7) with both existing data sets, suggesting a high convergence between modes of data collection. The application provides an efficient and customizable way of collecting predictability norms for language research.
Article outline
  • Background
  • Clozapp overview
    • Starting the application
    • Experiment markup files
    • Instructions and demographics
    • User functionality
    • Saving / Output file
  • Experiment
    • Method
      • Participants
      • Materials & design
      • Procedure
      • Variables
    • Results and discussion
  • Limitations & future directions
  • Availability
  • References
References (18)
References
Altarriba, J., Kroll, J. F., Sholl, A., & Rayner, K. (1996). The influence of lexical and conceptual constraints on reading mixed-language sentences: Evidence from eye fixations and naming times. Memory & cognition, 24(4), 477–492. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Balota, D. A., Pollatsek, A., & Rayner, K. (1985). The interaction of contextual constraints and parafoveal visual information in reading. Cognitive psychology, 17(3), 364–390. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bickley, A. C., Ellington, B. J., & Bickley, R. T. (1970). The cloze procedure: A conspectus. Journal of Reading Behavior, 2(3), 232–249. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ehrlich, S. F., & Rayner, K. (1981). Contextual effects on word perception and eye movements during reading. Journal of verbal learning and verbal behavior, 20(6), 641–655. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Inhoff, A. W. (1984). Two stages of word processing during eye fixations in the reading of prose. Journal of verbal learning and verbal behavior, 23(5), 612–624. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jonz, J. (1976). Improving on the basic egg: The M-C Cloze. Language Learning, 26(2), 255–265. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jones, C. & McRoy, S. (2003). The Cloze Test Project User’s Manual. Retrieved from: [URL]
Klare, G. R., Sinaiko, H. W., & Stolurow, L. M. (1972). The cloze procedure: A convenient readability test for training materials and translations. Applied Psychology, 21(2), 77–105. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rayner, K., & Well, A. D. (1996). Effects of contextual constraint on eye movements in reading: A further examination. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 3(4), 504–509. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rayner, S. (1998). Educating Pupils with Emotional And Behaviour Difficulties: Pedagogy Is the Key!. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 3(2), 39–47. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Reichle, E. D., Pollatsek, A., Fisher, D. L., & Rayner, K. (1998). Toward a model of eye movement control in reading. Psychological review, 105(1), 125. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schnoebelen, T., & Kuperman, V. (2010). Using Amazon mechanical turk for linguistic research. Psihologija, 43(4), 441–464. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schustack, M. W., Ehrlich, S. F., & Rayner, K. (1987). Local and global sources of contextual facilitation in reading. Journal of Memory and Language, 26(3), 322–340. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Smith, N. J., & Levy, R. (2013). The effect of word predictability on reading time is logarithmic. Cognition, 128(3), 302–319. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Staub, A. (2015). The effect of lexical predictability on eye movements in reading: Critical review and theoretical interpretation. Language and Linguistics Compass, 9(8), 311–327. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Staub, A., Grant, M., Astheimer, L., & Cohen, A. (2015). The influence of cloze probability and item constraint on cloze task response time. Journal of Memory and Language, 821, 1–17. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Taylor, W. L. (1956). Recent developments in the use of “Cloze Procedure”. Journalism Quarterly, 33(1), 42–99. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zola, D. (1984). Redundancy and word perception during reading. Perception & Psychophysics, 36(3), 277–284. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue