Derrick C Higgins

US Patent:

7720675, May 18, 2010

Filed:

Oct 26, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/974133

Inventors:

Jill Burstein - Princeton NJ, US
Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US
Claudia Gentile - Ewing NJ, US
Daniel Marcu - Hermosa Beach CA, US

Assignee:

Educational Testing Service - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

G06F 17/27

US Classification:

704 9, 704 1, 704 10

Abstract:

A method and system for determining text coherence in an essay is disclosed. A method of evaluating the coherence of an essay includes receiving an essay having one or more discourse elements and text segments. The one or more discourse elements are annotated either manually or automatically. A text segment vector is generated for each text segment in a discourse element using sparse random indexing vectors. The method or system then identifies one or more essay dimensions and measures the semantic similarity of each text segment based on the essay dimensions. Finally, a coherence level is assigned to the essay based on the measured semantic similarities.

US Patent:

7778834, Aug 17, 2010

Filed:

Aug 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/189506

Inventors:

Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US
Klaus Zechner - Princeton NJ, US
Yoko Futagi - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Rene Lawless - Pennington NJ, US

Assignee:

Educational Testing Service - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

G10L 11/00
G10L 17/00
G10L 15/04
G10L 15/18
G10L 13/00
G10L 13/08
G10L 21/06
G10L 21/00
G06F 17/27
G09B 19/00
G09B 19/04
G09B 7/00

US Classification:

704270, 434167, 434185, 434327, 434353, 704 9, 704246, 704251, 704257, 704260, 704271, 704272, 704254, 704258

Abstract:

The present disclosure presents a useful metric for assessing the relative difficulty which non-native speakers face in pronouncing a given utterance and a method and systems for using such a metric in the evaluation and assessment of the utterances of non-native speakers. In an embodiment, the metric may be based on both known sources of difficulty for language learners and a corpus-based measure of cross-language sound differences. The method may be applied to speakers who primarily speak a first language speaking utterances in any non-native second language.

US Patent:

7912722, Mar 22, 2011

Filed:

Jan 10, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/328962

Inventors:

Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US

Assignee:

Educational Testing Service - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

G09B 3/00
G06F 17/27
G10L 15/06
G10L 11/00

US Classification:

704270, 434350, 704 9, 704243

Abstract:

A tool, method, and system for use in the development of sentence-based test items are disclosed. The tool may include a user interface that may include a database selection field, a sentence pattern entry field, an option pane, and an output pane. The tool may search a database for one or more sentences and may generate one or more responses to the one or more sentences. The one or more sentences and one or more responses may be used to produce the sentence-based test items. The tool may allow test items to be developed more quickly and easily than manual test item authoring. Accordingly, test item development costs may be lowered and test security may be enhanced.

US Patent:

8131554, Mar 6, 2012

Filed:

Mar 11, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/046302

Inventors:

Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US

Assignee:

Educational Testing Service - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

G09B 3/00
G06F 17/27
G10L 15/08
G10L 11/00

US Classification:

704270, 434350, 704 9, 704243

Abstract:

A tool, method, and system for use in the development of sentence-based test items are disclosed. The tool may include a user interface that may include a database selection field, a sentence pattern entry field, an option pane, and an output pane. The tool may search a database for one or more sentences and may generate one or more responses to the one or more sentences. The one or more sentences and one or more responses may be used to produce the sentence-based test items. The tool may allow test items to be developed more quickly and easily than manual test item authoring. Accordingly, test item development costs may be lowered and test security may be enhanced.

US Patent:

8185378, May 22, 2012

Filed:

May 10, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/776827

Inventors:

Jill Burstein - Princeton NJ, US
Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US
Claudia Gentile - Ewing NJ, US
Daniel Marcu - Hermosa Beach CA, US

Assignee:

Educational Testing Service - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

G06F 17/27

US Classification:

704 9, 704 1, 704 10

Abstract:

A method and system for determining text coherence in an essay is disclosed. A method of evaluating the coherence of an essay includes receiving an essay having one or more discourse elements and text segments. The one or more discourse elements are annotated either manually or automatically. A text segment vector is generated for each text segment in a discourse element using sparse random indexing vectors. The method or system then identifies one or more essay dimensions and measures the semantic similarity of each text segment based on the essay dimensions. Finally, a coherence level is assigned to the essay based on the measured semantic similarities.

US Patent:

8478597, Jul 2, 2013

Filed:

Jan 10, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/328651

Inventors:

Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US
Klaus Zechner - Princeton NJ, US
Yoko Futagi - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Rene Lawless - Pennington NJ, US

Assignee:

Educational Testing Service - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

G06F 17/27
G10L 17/00
G10L 15/04
G10L 15/18
G10L 13/00
G10L 13/08
G10L 21/06
G10L 21/00

US Classification:

704270, 704 9, 704 2, 704246, 704251, 704260, 704271, 704272, 704254, 704258

Abstract:

The present disclosure presents a useful metric for assessing the relative difficulty which non-native speakers face in pronouncing a given utterance and a method and systems for using such a metric in the evaluation and assessment of the utterances of non-native speakers. In an embodiment, the metric may be based on both known sources of difficulty for language learners and a corpus-based measure of cross-language sound differences. The method may be applied to speakers who primarily speak a first language speaking utterances in any non-native second language.

US Patent:

20040253569, Dec 16, 2004

Filed:

Apr 12, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/822426

Inventors:

Paul Deane - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US

International Classification:

G01S001/00
G09B017/00

US Classification:

434/178000, 434/322000, 434/004000

Abstract:

A method and system for using a natural language generator for automatic assessment item generation is disclosed. The natural language generator includes a document structure generator that produces an abstract document specification defining a structure for an assessment item based on user input. The abstract document specification is input into a logical schema generator, which produces a logical schema specification that creates a more detailed specification for an assessment item. Finally, a sentence generator receives the logical schema specification and creates natural language for the assessment item based on the variables defined in the logical schema specification.

US Patent:

20060172276, Aug 3, 2006

Filed:

Feb 3, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/347060

Inventors:

Derrick Higgins - Highland Park NJ, US
Jill Burstein - Princeton NJ, US

International Classification:

G09B 7/00

US Classification:

434362000

Abstract:

Methods and systems for detecting off-topic essays are described that do not require training using human-scored essays. The methods can detect different types of off-topic essays, such as unexpected topic essays and bad faith essays. Unexpected topic essays are essays that address an incorrect topic. Bad faith essays address no topic. The methods can use content vector analysis to determine the similarity between the essay and one or more prompts. If the essay prompt with which an essay is associated is among the most similar to the essay, the essay is on-topic. Otherwise, the essay is considered to be an unexpected topic essay. Similarly, if the essay is sufficiently dissimilar to all essay prompts, the essay is considered to be a bad faith essay.