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An Cheng

An Cheng

Professor

Address: 302B Morrill Hall
Phone: 405-744-9470
Email: an.cheng@okstate.edu

 

PhD, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park

 

Areas of Interest & Expertise
  • The genre-based framework for teaching and learning research and professional writing

  • Writing for research and publication purposes

  • Qualitative research

Recent Courses Taught
  • Genres in Professional Writing

  • Professional Writing Theory and Pedagogy

  • Introduction to Graduate Studies

  • Writing as a Profession

Selected Publications

Book

  • Cheng, A. (2018). Genre and Graduate-level Research Writing. The University of Michigan Press.

      • Link to The University of Michigan Press

      • Link to Amazon

      • Scholarly reviews of Genre and Graduate-level Research Writing:

        • Applied Linguistics [Link]

        • English for Specific Purposes [Link]

        • Journal of Second Language Writing [Link]

        • Journal of English for Academic Purposes [Link]

        • Journal of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language ESP SIG [Link, pp. 40-41]

        • System [Link]

 

Journal Articles and Book Chapters

  • Cheng, A. (2023).“... is an open access, peer-reviewed, scholarly journal”: How open-access journals describe themselves in their “Aims and Scope” statements. Revista Ibérica, 46, 33-68 [Link to the article]

  • Cheng, A. (2023). Reader-orientedness is a central tenet of good qualitative research reports: Why so, how so, and what now? In R. Kohls, & C. P. Casanave (Eds.). Perspectives on good writing in applied linguistics and TESOL (pp. 257-270). University of Michigan Press.

  • Cheng, A. (2023). Learning about discipline-specific writing across the disciplines: Pathways, problems, and possibilities. Revista Ibérica, 45, 7-21 [Link to the article]

  • Saeli, H., & Cheng, A. (2022). What factors shape teachers' feedback practices? the case of an Iranian EFL context. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 23(1), 1-21 [Link]

  • Cheng, A. (2021). The place of language in the theoretical tenets, textbooks, and pedagogical practices within the ESP genre-based approach to teaching writing. English for Specific Purposes, 64, 26-36. [Link to abstract]

  • Saeli, H., & Cheng, A. (2021). Peer Feedback, learners’ Engagement, and L2 writing development: The case of a test-preparation Class. TESL-EJ, 25(2). (Link to the article)

  • Saeli, H., & Cheng, A. (2021). Discrepancies in teachers' perceptions and reported practices: The case of written feedback in an EFL setting. European Journal of Applied Linguistics. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A. (2020). When the office meets textbooks: Juxtaposing multiple perspectives to develop teachers’ knowledge of workplace genres and to enhance the teaching of workplace writing. in L. Lin, D. Tay, & I. Mwinlaaru. (Eds.). Approaches to Specialized genres (pp. 259-282). Routledge. [Link to Amazon; link to Routledge; link to Google Books]

  • Cheng, A. (2019). Far beyond “language boxes”: The place of language in genre-based pedagogies (disciplinary dialogue). Journal of Second Language Writing, 46, 100678. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A. (2019). Examining the "applied aspirations" in the ESP genre analysis of published journal articles. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 38, 36-47. [Link to abstract]

  • Saeli, H., & Cheng, A. (2019). Effects of L1 writing experiences on L2 writing perceptions: Evidence from an EFL context. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 35, 509-524. [Link to abstract]

  • Saeli, H., & Cheng, A. (2019). Student writers’ affective engagement with grammar-centered written corrective feedback: The impact of (mis)aligned practices and perceptions. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 22 (2), 109-132. [Link]

  • Cheng, A. (2016). EAP at the tertiary level in China: Challenges and possibilities. In K. Hyland, & P. Shaw (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes (pp. 97-108). Routledge. [Link]

  • Cheng, A. (2015a). Genre analysis as a pre-instructional, instructional, and teacher development framework. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 19, 125-136. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A. (2015b). Rethinking the paths toward developing ESP practitioners' specialized knowledge through the lens of genre analysis. English as a Global Language Education Journal1, 23-45. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A., & Anthony, L. (2014). ESP research in Asia: Guest editorial for a special issue on ESP research in Asia. English for Specific Purposes33, 1-3.

  • Cheng, A., & Wang, Q. (2012). English language teaching in higher education in China: A historical and social perspective. In J. Ruan, & C. Leung (Eds.), Perspectives on teaching and learning English in China (pp. 19-33). Springer. [Link]

  • Cheng, A. (2011). ESP classroom research: Basic considerations and future research questions. In D. Belcher, A. M. Johns, & B. Paltridge (Eds.), New Directions in ESP Research (pp. 44-72). The University of Michigan Press. [Link]

  • Cheng, A. (2011). Language features as the pathways to genre: Students' attention to non-prototypical features and its implication. Journal of Second Language Writing20, 69-82. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A. (2008a). Analyzing genre exemplars in preparation for writing: The case of an L2 graduate student in the ESP genre-based instructional framework of academic literacy.  Applied Linguistics29, 50-71. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A. (2008b). Individualized engagement with genre in academic literacy tasks. English for Specific Purposes27, 387-411. [Link to abstract]

      • Reprinted in Basturkmen, H. (2015). (Ed.),  English for Academic Purposes: Critical concepts in Linguistics. Routledge. [Link]

  • Cheng, A. (2007a). Simulation-based L2 writing instruction: Enhancement through genre analysis. Simulation and Gaming38, 1-16. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A. (2007b). Transferring generic features and recontextualizing genre awareness: Understanding writing performance in the ESP genre-based literacy framework. English for Specific Purposes26, 287-307. [Link to abstract]

      • Winner of the 2007 English for Specific Purposes Journal "Best Article of the Year" Award 

  • Cheng, A. (2006a). Analyzing and enacting academic criticism: The case of a graduate learner of academic writing. Journal of Second Language Writing15, 279-306. [Link to abstract]

  • Cheng, A. (2006b). Understanding learners and learning in ESP genre-based writing instruction. English for Specific Purposes25, 76-89. [Link to abstract]

  • Hall, J. K., Cheng, A., & Carlson, M. (2006). Reconceptualizing multicompetence as a theory of language knowledge. Applied Linguistics27, 220-240. [Link to abstract]

Honors
  • Oklahoma State University 2023 Regents' Distinguished Research Award [Link], [Link], and [Link

  • Editorial Board Member

    • Applied Linguistics (Oxford University Press/Serving from 2013 to Present) [Link]

    • English for Specific Purposes (Elsevier/Serving from 2008 to Present) [Link]

    • Revista Ibérica: Journal of the European Association of Languages for Specific Purposes (Serving on the International Advisory Board from 2022 to Present) [Link]

    • Journal of Second Language Writing (Elsevier/Serving from 2018 to Present)  [Link]

    • International Journal of English for Academic Purposes: Research and Practice (University of Liverpool Press/Serving from 2020 to now)  [Link]

    • English as a Global Language Education (National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan/Serving from 2014 to 2017)

  • Advisory Board Member of China Association of English for Academic Purposes (From 2018 to Present)

  • ESP 2007 Horowitz Best Article of the Year

  • Oklahoma State University College of Arts and Sciences "Junior Faculty for Scholarly Excellence" Award, 2009 [Link]

Selected Conference Presentations & Invited Speeches

Keynote and Invited Speeches

  • But my students lack the technical knowledge in their areas of study”: key tenets and issues in the ESP genre-based approach. Keynote speech presented virtually at the Sixth Annual ESP Symposium of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT), Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 21, 2022.

  • "Adopting the ESP genre-based approach when students are not ready for discipline-specific genres: Challenges and opportunities." Keynote speech at the 3rd International Forum on Instructed Second Language Acquisition, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, Oct. 24, 2021."

  • "Genre analysis for EAP teachers and researchers: the myths, the theoretical tenets, and a few key points in between." Invited talk at the School of Foreign Languages, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, December 18, 2020 (virtual).

  • "Genre and genre analysis: in search of a pedagogically accessible framework." Invited talk at the School of Foreign Languages, Jilin University, Liaoning Province, China, June 5, 2019.

  • "Meta-genres and EAP teachers' knowledge base." Plenary speech at the joint 5rd International Conference of the Chinese Association for ESP and The 4rd International Conference on EAP in Asia, Shanghai, China, May 28, 2019.

  • "How to do genre analysis of anything for EAP." Workshop at the joint 5rd International Conference of the Chinese Association for ESP and The 4rd International Conference on EAP in Asia, Shanghai, China, May 27, 2019.

  • "Genre and genre analysis: Crucial questions, important frameworks, and critical roles in teaching and learning language and writing." Invited talk presented at the Department of English, Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China, May 31, 2019.

  • "ESP teacher empowerment: Rethinking the paths towards 'specialized knowledge' through the lens of genre analysis." Keynote speech at the 2014 English for Specific Purposes Professional Development Workshop, Tainan City, Taiwan, September 13, 2014.

  • "Genre analysis in the classroom." Invited talk at National Kaoxiong Technology University, Kaoxiong, Taiwan, September 14, 2014.

  • “The connections between genre analysis and ESP: Insights from a student's genre-analysis tasks.” Plenary speech at the 2013 Joint International Conference of the Chinese Association of ESP and the International Conference on ESP in Asia, Shanghai, China, September 27-29, 2013.

  • "Negotiating the tensions between discipline specificity and classroom heterogeneity in genre-focused learning of advanced academic writing." Plenary speech at the 2012 International Conference and Workshop on English for Specific Purposes, Tainan City, Taiwan, October 23-26, 2012.

  • "The knowledge base for guiding students’ genre-focused learning: What students’ genre-analysis tasks reveal." Invited talk at the English Language Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, November 5, 2010.

Recent Conference Presentations

  • How do journals conceptualize peer reviews? Theoretical insights and implications for English for Publication Purposes.” Paper presented at the 2023 Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics in Portland, Oregon, March 21, 2023.

  • "How academic journals discursively construct themselves: theoretical insights and pedagogical implications.” Presented at the 2022 Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, March 19, 2022.

  • "The 'submission guidelines' of academic journals: What can they reveal to writing teachers about discipline-specific research writing" Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, March 9-12, 2019

  • "The 'aims and scope' statements of academic research journals: Implications for writing teachers" Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Chicago, Illinois, USA, March 24-27, 2018

  • "The topics and genres specified in technical writing job advertisements: The implications for teaching technical/professional writing majors" Annual Conference of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication, Savannah, Georgia, USA, October 5-7, 2017.

  • "Discipline-specific research writing guidebooks: Implications for teachers of writing" Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Orlando, Florida, USA, April  9-12, 2016.

  • "Blogs on academic writing: Relevance to teachers of L2 writing" Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Toronto, Canada, March 21-24, 2015.

  • "Why does 'genre' sound so familiar?" Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Dallas, Texas, USA, March 16-19, 2013.

  • "NNES, genre, and professional writing." Annual TESOL International Convention, Philadelphia, USA, March 28-31, 2012.

  • "Students' analyses of the rhetorical structures in research articles: Errors and implication." Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Chicago, Illinois, USA, March, 2011.

  • "Noticing the generic significance of ordinary words." Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, March, 2010.

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