Identification Of New Factors In The IELTS Argumentative Essays Through Multidimensional Analysis In Pakistani Context

Abstract

The present research is the exploration of new dimensions in the argumentative essays written by IELTS test takers in Pakistan while using Biber’s multidimensional framework. Biber (1988, 1993, 2006) established the field with the perspective that language variation can be studied more comprehensively through study of group of features which occur with each other and they are responsible for an overall characteristic ‘flavor’ of any genre. There is widespread research on learner writing in Pakistani context. Azhar and Mahmood (2016) was a pioneering research on Pakistani learner’s academic writing. Argumentative essay is an important sub-genre of learner academic writing. Simultaneously, it is an important part of IELTS tests. Hence, in th[1]is study it has been tried to study the new factors in the argumentative essays written by Pakistani IELTS test takers. To extract the new factors, the already Biber tagged data has been processed through SPSS and applying the procedure already determined by Biber four dimensions have been extracted from the present data. These factors have been labeled on the basis of the linguistic features with salient loadings. The new factors have been labeled as “Informational Prose”, Expressive Prose”, “Interactive Discourse” and “Modality and Evaluation”. These factors represent that argumentative essays written by Pakistani IELTS test takers are informational, less argumentative, more expressive and evaluative. The results also confirmed that IELTS writing is noted for its high level of elaboration, indicating a richness and depth in expression.