Using Coh-Metrix to Automatically Access Discourse Coherence in EFL Learners'Writing:A Quantitative Analysis

The purpose of the present study was to use Coh-Metrix,a computational tool,to examine the relationship between discourse coherence and writing level,and analyze the coherence of high level writing and low level writing.The study uses 5 Coh-Metrix variables to analyze 40 college students’timed compositions from Chinese Learners English of Corpus(CLEC) and their corresponding readability scores.The study demonstrates that Coh-Metrix variables,number of words,words per sentences,the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level,LSA sentence all,and argument overlap can contribute to text coherence.Findings of the study indicate:there is a relationship between discourse coherence and writing level,but there is no significant difference between high level group and low level group in discourse coherence(p=.409>.05),and writing level can not distinguish discourse coherence in EFL learners’writing.