1. The Development of E-Mail Literacy: From Writing to Peers to Writing to Authority Figures Presenter: Ji-Jhen Li Instructor:Dr. Pi-Ying Hsu May 4, 2011

2. 2 Citation Chen, C-F. E. (2006). The development of E- mail literacy: From writing to peers to writing to authority figures. Language Learning and Technology, 10 (2), 35-55.

3. 3 Content 1 Introduction 2 Methodology Findings & Conclusions 3 4 Reflection

4. E-mail has been widely used for both personal communication and institution. However, there are notparalinguistic cues in using e-mail for status-unequal communication. 4 Introduction

5. Definition of Term 5 A shared mental Vocal inflection Gestures Facial expression Paralinguistic cues

6. 6 Literature Review Chinese students structure their request e-mails in an indirect sequence. They transfer the request strategies in Chinese into the English request e-mails written to US professors. (Kirkpatrick,1991; Nash,1983; Zhang,1955)

8. 8 Methodology 3 in-depth interviews One participant Ling 266 e-mails Online interview via mail Online chat

9. 9 Research Questions 1 Did Ling’s language use differ between the e-mails sent to peers and the e-mails sent to professors? 2 Did her use of these discourse forms and strategies change over time in her e-mail practice?

10. Research Questions 10 3 From Ling’s perspective, what made her change or remain unchanged in her language use in e-mail communication? 4 How can change or resistance to change in her e-mail practice be explained from sociocultural perspectives?

11. Data Analysis 11 Ling’s e-mail discourse features Discourse style Message length Message structure

12. Discourse Style 12 E-mails during doctoral study Familiarity E-mails during master study Power relation Formal Showing respect E-mails to peers Good impression Easy and fluent Informal A sense of belong Solidarity

13. Message Length 13 E-mails during doctoral study E-mail experience E-mails during master study Shorter Time Saving Face-to-face interaction Improved oral English E-mails to peers Stating purposes Long entries A sense of personal touch

14. Message Structure 14 E-mails to peers E-mails during master study E-mails during doctoral study Inductive Inductive Inductive Indirect person Native culture practice

15. Data Analysis 15 Request strategies Request acts Supportive moves Query Preparatory Want Statements Mitigating Aggravating

16. Request Acts 16 Query Preparatory Want Statements Mostly Sometimes may Never E-mails during master E-mails during doctoral study E-mails to peers

17. Supportive Moves E-mails to peers Small talk apologizing E-mails during Master study Mitigating supportive moves Self-humbling Reluctance to impinge E-mails during doctoral study availability 17 17

18. Supportive Moves 18 E-mails to peers Personal detail reasons Student-oriented reasons E-mails during Master study Aggravating supportive moves Urgency Institutional reasons E-mails during doctoral study Ability

19. Conclusions 19 L2 learner’s frequent use of e-mail to peers Effectively for institutional status-unequal communication

20. 20 Conclusions Common Chinese culture L1 writing style Ling’s e-mail writing Subculture language Self-cognition

21. Reflection 21 98 e-mails to US professors 168 e-mails to peers

22. Reflection 22 3 in-depth interviews Over 2 .5 years

23. Reflection 23

24. 24 Thanks for your listening.