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Alister Cumming Alister Cumming

Books | Book Chapters | Articles in Refereed Journals | Papers in Refereed Conference Proceedings

Technical Reports | Other Publications | Book Reviews in Refereed Journals


Books

Leki, I., Cumming, A., & Silva, T. (2008). A synthesis of research on second language writing in English.
London: Routledge.

Cumming, A. & Laurier, M. (Eds.). (2007). Language assessment, special issue of the Canadian
Modern Language Review, 64, 1.

Cumming, A. (Ed.). (2006) Goals for academic writing: ESL students and their instructors
Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Cumming, A., Kantor, R., Baba, K., Eouanzoui, K., Erdosy, U., & James, M. (2006). Analysis of discourse
Features and verification of scoring levels for independents and integrated prototype tasks for the new TOEFL.
TOEFL Monograph Series, Report No. 30. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
Available at http://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/RR-05-13.pdf

Bascia, N., Cumming, A., Datnow, A., Leithwood, K., & Livingstone, D. (Eds.) (2005). International handbook
of educational policy. Dordrecht, Netherlands. Springer.

Cumming, A., Grant, L., Mulcahy-Ernt, P. & Powers, D. (2005). A teacher-verification study of speaking and
writing prototype tasks for a new TOEFL. TOEFL Monograph Series, Report No. 26. Princeton, NJ: Educational
Testing Service. Available at http://ftp.ets.org/pub/toefl/998777.pdf

Cumming, A., Kantor, R., & Powers, D. (2001). Scoring TOEFL essays and TOEFL 2000 prototype tasks:
An investigation into raters’ decision making, and development of a preliminary analytic framework. TOEFL
Monograph Series, Report No. 22. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
Available at: http://ftp.ets.org/pub/toefl/990630.pdf

Cumming, A.., Kantor, R., Powers, D. Santos, T., & Taylor, C. (2000). TOEFL 2000 writing framework:
A working paper. TOEFL Monograph Series, Report No. 18. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
Available at: http://ftp.ets.org/pub/toefl/253719.pdf

Book Chapters

Cumming, A. (in preparation). Foreword. In R. Manchon (Ed.), Foreign language writing in transnational
perspective. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Cumming, A. (under review). Rhetorics in contrast: Sources of variability in writing instruction in secondary
schools in 12 cities. To appear in R. Manchon (Ed.), L2 writing in transnational perspective:
Learning-to-write and writing-to-learn dimensions.

Cumming, A. (in press). The contribution of studies of foreign language writing to research, theory, and policies.
To appear in R. Manchón (Ed.), Learning, teaching, and researching writing in foreign language contexts.
Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.

Cumming, A. (in press). Theories, frameworks, and heuristics: Some reflections on inquiry on second-language
writing. To appear in P. Matsuda & T. Silva (Eds.), Practicing theory in second language writing. West Lafayette,
IN: Parlor Press.

Cumming, A. (2008). Foreword. In D. Albrechtsen, K. Haastrup, & B. Henriksen, Vocabulary and writing in
first and second languages: Processes and development (pp. xiii-xvii). Houndmills, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Cumming, A., Lam, T., & Lang, D. (2008). Reflections on an evaluation study of the Centre for Canadian
Language Benchmarks. In D. Murray (Ed.) Planning change, changing plans: Innovations in second language
teaching (pp. 174-193). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Cumming, A. (2008). Assessing oral and literate abilities. In E. Shohamy (Vol. Ed.) & N.Hornberger
(Series Ed.), Language testing and assessment, vol. 7 of Encyclopedia of language and education
(2nd edition) (pp. 3-18). New York: Springer.

Cumming, A. & Laurier, M. (2007). Introduction to the special issue. In Cumming, A. & Laurier, M.
(Eds.). (2007). Language assessment, special issue of the Canadian Modern Language Review, 64, 1, 1-4.

Cumming, A. (2007). New directions in testing English language proficiency for university entrance. n J.
Cummins & C. Davison (Eds.) International handbook of English language teaching, Vol. 1 (pp. 473-486).
New York: Springer.

Cumming, A., Kim, T. & Eouanzoui, K. (2007). Motivations for ESL writing improvement in pre-university
contexts. In S. Hidi & P. Boscolo (Eds.), Writing and motivation (pp. 93-111). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Cumming, A. (2006). Introduction, purpose, and conceptual foundations. In Cumming, A. (Ed.). Goals
for academic writing: ESL students and their instructors (pp. 1-17). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Cumming, A. (2006). Context and design of the research. In Cumming, A. (Ed.). Goals for
academic writing: ESL students and their instructors (pp. 21-28). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Cumming, A. (2006). Implications for pedagogy, policy, and research. In Cumming, A.
(Ed.), Goals for academic writing: ESL students and their instructors (pp. 159-173). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Cumming, A. (2006). Teaching writing: Orienting activities to students’ goals. In E. Uso-Juan & A.
Martinez-Flor (Eds.) Current trends in the development and teaching of the four language skills (pp.
473-491). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.

Cummings, J., Erdosy, U., & Cumming, A. (2006). A study of contrasts: ESL and university
instructors’ goals for writing improvement. In Cumming, A. (Ed.), Goals for writing in
university: ESL students and their instructors (pp. 50-69). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Kim, T., Baba, K., & Cumming, A. (2006). Goals, motivations and identities of three students
writing in English. In Cumming, A. (Ed.). Goals for academic writing: ESL students and
their instructors (pp. 125-141). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Leki, I., Cumming, A. & Silva, T. (2006). Second-language composition teaching and learning.
In P. Smagorinsky (Ed.), Research on composition: Multiple perspectives on two decades of change
(pp. 141-169). New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

Zhou, A., Busch, M., Gentil, G., Eouanzoui, K., & Cumming, A. (2006). Students’ goals for ESL and
university courses. In Cumming, A. (Ed.). Goals for academic writing: ESL students and
their instructors (pp. 29-49). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Cumming, A. (2005). Broadening, deepening, and consolidating. In C.S. Heng (Ed.) and M. E.
Bethamani (General Ed.), ELT concerns in assessment (pp. 32-53). Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: Sasbadi
Publishers and Malaysian English Language Teachers Association. Edited reprint of Cumming
(2004).

Bascia, N., Cumming, A., Datnow, A., Leithwood, K., & Livingstone, D. Introduction. In Bascia, N.,
Cumming, A., Datnow, A., Leithwood, K., & Livingstone, D. (Eds.) (2005). International handbook of
educational policy (pp. xi-xxxvi). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.

Cumming, A. (2003). Experienced ESL/EFL writing instructors’ conceptualization of their teaching:
Curriculum options and implications. In B. Kroll (Ed.), Exploring the dynamics of second language
writing (pp. 71-92). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Cumming, A., Busch, M., & Zhou, A. (2002). Investigating learners’ goals in the context of adult
second-language writing. In S. Ransdell & M. Barbier (Eds.) New directions for research for L2
writing (pp. 189-208). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer.

Cumming, A. (2002). If I’d known twelve things... In L. Blanton & B. Kroll (Eds.), ESL composition
tales: Reflections on teaching (pp. 123-134). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Cumming, A. (2001). The difficulty of standards, for example in L2 writing. In T. Silva & P. Matsuda
(Eds.) On second language writing (pp. 209-229). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Cumming, A. (2000). Preface. In G. Brindley (Ed.), Studies in immigrant English assessment,
Vol. 1. Research Series 11. (pp. ix-xii). Sydney, Australia: National Centre for English Language
Teaching and Research, Macquarie University.

Cumming, A. (2000). Profile of H.H. Stern. In M. Byram (Ed.), Routledge encyclopedia of language
teaching and learning (pp. 576-577). London: Routledge.

Articles in Refereed Journals

Cumming, A. (in press for 2009). Developmental issues in classroom-based teacher assessment. To
appear in Forum on Classroom-based Teacher Assessment, C. Leung & C. Davison (Eds.), TESOL
Quarterly.

Cumming, A. (2009). Language assessment in education: Tests, curricula and teaching. In B. Spolsky
(Ed.), Language policy and assessment. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 29, 90-100.

Cumming, A. (2009). Assessing academic writing in foreign and second languages: Research timeline.
Language Teaching, 42, 1, 95-107.

Cumming, A. (2008). Research for and within literacy instruction in secondary schools: An essay review.
Curriculum Inquiry, 38, 4, 401-416.

Cumming, A. (2008). Theory in an applied field. TESOL Quarterly, 42, 2, 285-291.

Cumming, A., Kantor, R., Baba, K., Erdosy, U., Eouanzoui, K., & James, M. (2005). Differences in
written discourse in independent and integrated prototype tasks for Next Generation TOEFL. Assessing Writing, 10, 1, 5-43.

Cumming, A., Eouanzoui, K., Gentil, G. & Yang, L. (2004) Scaling changes in learners’
goals for writing improvement over an ESL course. In D. Albrechtsen, K. Haastrup, & B. Henriksen (Eds.), Writing and vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, Special Issue of Angles on the English-Speaking World, 4, 35-49. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, University of Copenhagen.

Yang, L., Baba, K., & Cumming, A. (2004). Activity systems for ESL writing improvement:
Case studies of three Chinese and three Japanese adult learners of English. In D. Albrechtsen
K. Haastrup, & B. Henriksen (Eds.), Writing and vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, Special Issue of Angles on the English-Speaking World, 4, 13-33. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, University of Copenhagen.

Cumming, A., Baba, K., Busch, M., Cummings, J., Eouanzoui, K. Erdosy, U., Fretz, C., Gentil, G., Kim,
T., Yang, L, & Zhou, A. (2004). Goals for writing improvement in a pre-university ESL program. In H. McGarrell & R. Courchene (Eds.), Special research symposium issue of TESL Ontario's Contact, 30, 2, 23-28.

Cumming, A. (2004). Broadening, deepening, and consolidating. Language Assessment Quarterly, 1, 1,
5-18.

Cumming, A., Grant, L., Mulcahy-Ernt, P., & Powers, D. (2004). A teacher-verification study of
speaking and writing prototype tasks for a new TOEFL. Language Testing. 21, 2, 159-197.

Cumming, A. (2003). Assessing L2 writing: Alternative constructs and ethical dilemmas? Assessing
Writing, 8, 2, 73-83.

Cumming, A., Grant, L., Mulcahy-Ernt, P., & Powers, D. (2003). A teacher-verification study of speaking and writing prototype tasks for a new TOEFL. Language Testing, 8, 2, 73-83.

Cumming, A. (2003). Assessing L2 writing: Alternative constructs and ethical dilemmas? Assessing Writing, 8, 2, 73-83.

Cumming, A., Kantor, R. & Powers, D. (2002). Decision making while rating ESL/EFL writing tasks: A descriptive framework. Modern Language Journal, 86, 1, 67-96.

Cumming, A. (2001). Learning to write in a second language: Two decades of research. In R. Manchon (Ed.), Writing in the L2 classroom: Issues in research and pedagogy, Special Issue of International Journal of English Studies, 1, 2, 1-23. University of Murcia, Spain.

Li, J., & Cumming, A. (2001). Word processing and second language writing: A longitudinal case study. In R. Manchon (Ed.), Writing in the L2 classroom: Issues in research and pedagogy, Special Issue of International Journal of English Studies, 1, 2, 127-152. University of Murcia, Spain.

Cumming, A. (2001). Curricula for ESL/EFL writing instruction: Options in the AMEP and internationally. Prospect: An Australian Journal of TESOL, 16, 2, 3-17.
Cumming, A. (2001). ESL/EFL writing instructors’ practices for assessment: General or specific purposes? Language Testing, 18, 2, 207-224.

Nassaji, H. & Cumming, A. (2000). What’s in a ZPD? A case study of a young ESL student and teacher interacting through dialogue journals. Language Teaching Research, 4, 2, 95-121.

Cumming, A., & Riazi, A. (2000). Building models of second-language writing instruction and achievement. Learning and Instruction, 10, 3, 55-71.

Papers in Refereed Conference Proceedings

Cumming, A. (in press). Curriculum and assessment: Trends in L2 writing research and pedagogy. In
Cheng, X. (Ed.), Proceedings of the Sixth National Symposium on EFL Writing, Teaching and
Research. Beijing: National Scholars’ Press.

Cumming, A. (2008). Goals to improve EFL writing. In A. Kazuya (Ed.) 35th JACET Summer Seminar
Proceedings, No. 7: Issues in L2 Writing Instruction (pp. 1-7). Tokyo: JACET (Japan Association of
College English Teachers).

Cumming, A. (2005). Broadening, deepening, and consolidating. In Chi, F. Lin, H. & Liou, T. (Eds.)
Post-conference proceedings of 2004 international conference on English language assessment and
instruction (pp. 1-18). National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan: Crane Publishing.

Cumming, A. (2003). What are students' goals for improving their ESL writing? In R. Courchene (Ed.),
Special Research Symposium Issue of TESL Ontario's Contact, 29, 2, 34-37.

Technical Reports

Brydon, D., Cumming, A., & Erhlich, C. (May, 2007). York University undergraduate program review:
English. Report submitted to the Associate Vice-President, Academic, York University.

Cumming, A. (2006). Standard setting on four English language proficiency tests for licensure as a
pharmacist in Canada. Report submitted to the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities, Ottawa.

Cumming, A. & Brooks, L. (2006). Overview of four English language proficiency tests. Report submitted
to the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities, Ottawa.

Cumming, A.& Olson, D. (2003). Fundamental analysis of literacy measurement for reading and writing
in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. Submitted to the EQAO Redesign Project, Educational
Quality and Accountability Office of Ontario.

Swales, J. & Cumming, A. (2003). Review of the Office of English Language and Writing Support,
University of Toronto. Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto.

Cumming, A., Kantor, R., Baba, K., Eouanzoaui, K., Erdosy, U., & James, M. (in press). Analyses of
discourse features and verification of scoring levels for independent and integrated prototype written
tasks for New TOEFL. TOEFL Research Report Series. Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ.

Epp, L, Stawychny, M., Bonham, A. & Cumming, A. (2002). Benchmarking the English language demands of the nursing profession across Canada. Winnipeg: Red River Community College. Report submitted to the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. Available at http://www.language.ca

Lam, T., Cumming, A. & Lang, D. (2001). External evaluation of the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. Submitted to the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks, Ottawa.
Cumming, A. (2000). Languages in education in Canada. Submitted to the Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC for N. Rhodes, I. Pufahl, & D. Christian, What can we learn from other countries about foreign language teaching? Posted at http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/MLC/

Other Publications

Cumming, A. (in press). [Review of T. Lumley, Assessing second language writing: The rater’s
perspective.] Language Testing.

Cumming, A. (in press). [Review of P. Ericsson & R. Haswell (Eds.). Machine scoring of student essays:
Truth and consequences.] Assessing Writing.

Cumming, A. (2006). [Review of A. Mackey & S. Gass, Second language research: Methodology and
design.] Canadian Modern Language Review, 62, 4, 633-635.

Cumming, A. (2006). [Review of G. Wigglesworth (Ed.), The kaleidoscope of adult second language
learning: Learner, teacher and researcher perspectives.] Modern Language Journal 90, 1, 139-140.

Cumming, A. (2005). [Review of M. Cherry & L. Bradley (Eds.), Assessment practices in foreign
language education.] Canadian Modern Language Review, 61, 3, 439-441.

Cumming, A. (2003). Interview of Alister Cumming. In A. Teemant, S. Pinnegar, & R. Graham (Eds.), The
second language literacy case: A video ethnography of teaching second language students content through literacy development: Parts I, II, III, IV. [CD-ROM]. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University.

Cumming, A. (2003). [Review of J.D. Brown & T.D. Rogers, Doing second language research.] Canadian Modern Language Review, 60, 2, 239-241.

Cumming, A. (2002) What distinguishes writing in a second language? [Review of T. Silva & P. Matsuda (Eds.) Landmark essays on ESL writing]. Contemporary Psychology: The APA Review of Books, 47, 6, 703-705.

Book Reviews in Refereed Journals

Cumming, A., Kantor, R., Baba, K., Erdosy, U., Eouanzoui, K., & James, M. (2005). Differences in
written discourse in independent and integrated prototype tasks for Next Generation TOEFL. Assessing Writing, 10, 1, 5-43.

Cumming, A., Eouanzoui, K., Gentil, G. & Yang, L. (2004) Scaling changes in learners’
goals for writing improvement over an ESL course. In D. Albrechtsen, K. Haastrup, & B. Henriksen (Eds.), Writing and vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, Special Issue of Angles on the English-Speaking World, 4, 35-49. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, University of Copenhagen.

Yang, L., Baba, K., & Cumming, A. (2004). Activity systems for ESL writing improvement:
Case studies of three Chinese and three Japanese adult learners of English. In D. Albrechtsen
K. Haastrup, & B. Henriksen (Eds.), Writing and vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, Special Issue of Angles on the English-Speaking World, 4, 13-33. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, University of Copenhagen.

Cumming, A., Baba, K., Busch, M., Cummings, J., Eouanzoui, K. Erdosy, U., Fretz, C., Gentil, G., Kim,
T., Yang, L, & Zhou, A. (2004). Goals for writing improvement in a pre-university ESL program. In H. McGarrell & R. Courchene (Eds.), Special research symposium issue of TESL Ontario's Contact, 30, 2, 23-28.

Cumming, A. (2004). Broadening, deepening, and consolidating. Language Assessment Quarterly, 1, 1,
5-18.

Cumming, A., Grant, L., Mulcahy-Ernt, P., & Powers, D. (2004). A teacher-verification study of
speaking and writing prototype tasks for a new TOEFL. Language Testing. 21, 2, 159-197.

Cumming, A. (2003). Assessing L2 writing: Alternative constructs and ethical dilemmas? Assessing
Writing, 8, 2, 73-83.

Cumming, A., Grant, L., Mulcahy-Ernt, P., & Powers, D. (2003). A teacher-verification study of speaking and writing prototype tasks for a new TOEFL. Language Testing, 8, 2, 73-83.

Cumming, A. (2003). Assessing L2 writing: Alternative constructs and ethical dilemmas? Assessing Writing, 8, 2, 73-83.

Cumming, A., Kantor, R. & Powers, D. (2002). Decision making while rating ESL/EFL writing tasks: A descriptive framework. Modern Language Journal, 86, 1, 67-96.

Cumming, A. (2001). Learning to write in a second language: Two decades of research. In R. Manchon (Ed.), Writing in the L2 classroom: Issues in research and pedagogy, Special Issue of International Journal of English Studies, 1, 2, 1-23. University of Murcia, Spain.

Li, J., & Cumming, A. (2001). Word processing and second language writing: A longitudinal case study. In R. Manchon (Ed.), Writing in the L2 classroom: Issues in research and pedagogy, Special Issue of International Journal of English Studies, 1, 2, 127-152. University of Murcia, Spain.

Cumming, A. (2001). Curricula for ESL/EFL writing instruction: Options in the AMEP and internationally. Prospect: An Australian Journal of TESOL, 16, 2, 3-17.

Cumming, A. (2001). ESL/EFL writing instructors’ practices for assessment: General or specific purposes? Language Testing, 18, 2, 207-224.

Nassaji, H. & Cumming, A. (2000). What’s in a ZPD? A case study of a young ESL student and teacher interacting through dialogue journals. Language Teaching Research, 4, 2, 95-121.

Cumming, A., & Riazi, A. (2000). Building models of second-language writing instruction and achievement. Learning and Instruction, 10, 3, 55-71.

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