| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 第5-6页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第6-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-14页 |
| Chapter One INTRODUCTION | 第14-17页 |
| 1.1 Background and Need for the Study | 第14-15页 |
| 1.2 Purpose of the Study | 第15页 |
| 1.3 Significance of the Study | 第15-16页 |
| 1.4 Layout of the Study | 第16-17页 |
| Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW | 第17-30页 |
| 2.1 Dynamic Systems Theory | 第17-22页 |
| 2.1.1 Introduction to the development of Dynamic Systems Theory | 第17页 |
| 2.1.2 Characteristics of dynamic systems | 第17-22页 |
| 2.1.2.1 Complete interconnectedness | 第18页 |
| 2.1.2.2 Dependence on internal and external resources | 第18-19页 |
| 2.1.2.3 Sensitive dependence on initial conditions | 第19-20页 |
| 2.1.2.4 Nonlinearity in development | 第20页 |
| 2.1.2.5 Self-organizing, attractor states and phase transition | 第20-22页 |
| 2.2 Language and Language Development as a Complex Dynamic System | 第22-24页 |
| 2.2.1 Language as a complex dynamic system | 第22页 |
| 2.2.2 Second language development as a dynamic process | 第22-24页 |
| 2.3 Related Studies | 第24-29页 |
| 2.3.1 DST studies on variability in language development | 第24-25页 |
| 2.3.2 DST studies on between-system interactions | 第25-26页 |
| 2.3.3 Studies on syntactic complexity in second language writing | 第26-29页 |
| 2.4 Evaluations | 第29-30页 |
| Chapter Three METHODOLOGY | 第30-37页 |
| 3.1 Research Questions | 第30页 |
| 3.2 Participants | 第30-31页 |
| 3.3 Data Collection | 第31-32页 |
| 3.4 Operationalization of Syntactic Complexity | 第32-34页 |
| 3.4.1 Rationales for selection of syntactic complexity measures | 第32-33页 |
| 3.4.2 Definitions of relevant production units and structures | 第33-34页 |
| 3.5 Data Processing | 第34-37页 |
| 3.5.1 Smoothing data | 第34-35页 |
| 3.5.2 Normalizing data | 第35页 |
| 3.5.3 Detrending data | 第35页 |
| 3.5.4 The moving min-max graph | 第35-36页 |
| 3.5.5 Monte Carlo Analysis | 第36页 |
| 3.5.6 Moving correlation | 第36-37页 |
| Chapter Four RESULTS AND DISCUSSION | 第37-72页 |
| 4.1 The Developmental Pattern of Syntactic Complexity on Group Level | 第37-43页 |
| 4.2 The Developmental Pattern of Syntactic Complexity on Individual Level | 第43-63页 |
| 4.2.1 The developmental pattern of individual data in trend lines | 第43-48页 |
| 4.2.2 The developmental pattern of individual data in min-max graphs | 第48-63页 |
| 4.2.2.1 The developmental pattern of MLT in min-max graphs | 第48-52页 |
| 4.2.2.2 The developmental pattern of C/S in min-max graphs | 第52-56页 |
| 4.2.2.3 The developmental pattern of DC/C in min-max graphs | 第56-59页 |
| 4.2.2.4 The developmental pattern of CP/C in min-max graphs | 第59-63页 |
| 4.3 The Dynamic Interplay among the Four Sub-systems of Syntactic Complexity | 第63-72页 |
| 4.3.1 Moving correlation between the MLT and DC/C | 第63-66页 |
| 4.3.2 Moving correlation between MLT and C/S | 第66-67页 |
| 4.3.3 Moving correlation between MLT and CP/C | 第67-68页 |
| 4.3.4 Moving correlation between C/S and DC/C | 第68-69页 |
| 4.3.5 Moving correlation between C/S and CP/C | 第69-70页 |
| 4.3.6 Moving correlation between DC/C and CP/C | 第70-72页 |
| Chapter Five CONCLUSION | 第72-76页 |
| 5.1 Major Findings | 第72-73页 |
| 5.2 Implications of the Study | 第73-74页 |
| 5.3 Limitations of the Study | 第74-75页 |
| 5.4 Suggestions for Future Study | 第75-76页 |
| REFERENCES | 第76-82页 |
| APPENDIX | 第82-86页 |
