This folder contains the **raw data** and the **R Markdown script** for reproducing all analyses and figures included in the paper **Opitz, A.; Bordag, D.; Furgoni, A. (2024). The Role of Linguistic Factors in the Retention of Verbatim Information in reading: An Eye-Tracking Study on L1 and L2 German**, ***Applied Psycholinguistics.*** The paper is accepted for publication in Applied Psycholinguistics (2024). This folder contains: - The raw data: 'RAW_DATA_Sentence_Alternation.txt' - The R-script: 'Analyses_RScript_For_Review_Febr2023.rmd' - Processed HTML output: 'Analyses_Output_HTML.html' (inlcluding code and output) - Processed PDF output: 'Analyses_Output_HTML.pdf' - An excel file with all sentences used in the experiment: 'Supplementary_material_ExperimentalStimuli.xlsx' - The appendix for the manuscript: 'Appendix_Additional_Statistics.pdf'. ## Abstract of the manuscript We investigated the retention of surface linguistic information during reading using eye-tracking. Departing from a research tradition that examines differences between meaning retention and verbatim memory, we focused on how different grammatical factors affect retention of surface linguistic information. We examined three grammatical alternations in German that differed in involvement of changes in morpho-syntax and/or information structure, while their propositional meaning is unaffected: voice (active vs. passive), adverb positioning, different realisations of conditional clauses. Single sentences were presented and repeated, either identical or modified according to the grammatical alternation (with controlled interval between them). Results for native (N=60) and non-native (N=58) German participants show longer fixation durations for modified versus unmodified sentences when information-structural changes are involved (voice, adverb position). In contrast, mere surface linguistic changes without a functional component (conditional clauses) did not lead to different reading behaviour. Sensitivity to the manipulation was not influenced by language (L1, L2) or repetition interval. The study provides novel evidence that linguistic factors contribute to verbatim retention and highlights the importance of eye-tracking as a sensitive measure of implicit memory. ***Please refer to the paper for further details.*** ## Coding of Variables (see also description in the R script) **dependent variable** - 'TOTAL_DURATION' (total reading time in ms) **independent variables (and their levels):** - 'Language' (= native vs. non-native participant) - 'L1' (native) - 'L2' (non-native) - 'Change' (= whether the sentence was repeated identically or changed) - 'same' (= identical form in repetition) - 'diff' (= different, i.e. changed form in repetition) - 'alternation' (type of alternation) - 'Voice' (= active-passive alternatin) - 'Adv.Pos' (= position of adverbial) - 'Conditionals' (= form of conditional clause) - 'Form' (= surface realisation of alternation) - 'active' - 'passive' (for Voice alternation) - 'central' - 'first' (for alternation of adverbial position) - 'conjunction' - 'reduced' (for alternation of conditional clauses) - 'distancerange' (= distance between first and second encounter of a item-pair) - 'near' (2-4 intervening sentences) - 'far' (12-14 intervening sentences) **random effects:** - 'participant.id' (unique id for participant) - 'item.id' (unique id for item)