Publications

Selected Recent Publications

* indicates corresponding author

2025

• [1] Wang, R., & Sun, K.* (2025). DSPy-based neural-symbolic pipeline to enhance spatial reasoning in LLMs. Neural Networks.
• [2] Sun, K.*, & Wang, R.* (2025). A novel dependency framework for enhancing discourse data analysis. Data Intelligence.
• [3] Sun, K., Wang, R.*, & Baayen, H. (2025). Attention-aware measures of semantic relevance for predicting human reading behavior. Linguistics.
• [4] Sun, K.*, & Wang, R.* (2025). Computational sentence‐level metrics of reading speed and its ramifications for sentence comprehension. Cognitive Science, e70092.
• [5] Sun, K.*, & Liu, H. (2025). Attention-aware semantic relevance predicting Chinese sentence reading. Cognition, 105991.

2023

• [6] Sun, K.*, Wang, Q., & Lu, X. (2023). An interpretable measure of semantic similarity for predicting eye movements in reading. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 30, 1227–1242.
• [7] Liu, Y., Yan, Y., Xia, H., & Sun, K. (2023). Analysing the longitudinal course selection panel data (2014-2020) of K-12 teachers from Zhejiang province: a comprehensive study on in-service training needs. Professional Development in Education, 1–21.

2022

• [8] Sun, K.*, & Wang, R. (2022). The role of mutual information and semantic similarity in sentence processing: The case of dangling construction in Chinese. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 35(2), 142–165.
• [9] Sun, K. (2022). Colloquialization as a key factor in historical changes of rational and emotional words. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 119(26), e2205563119. Featured by MIT Technology Review
• [10] Sun, K.* & Lu, X. (2022). Predicting Chinese readers' perception of sentence boundaries in written Chinese. Reading & Writing, 35, 1889–1910.
• [11] Sun, K.* & Wang, R. (2022). Constructing a corpus of Chinese textual "run-on" sentences (CCTRS): Discourse corpus benchmark with multi-layer annotations. In International Conference on Natural Language and Speech Processing, ACL, 265–276.
• [12] Wang, J., Tang, C., Wan, Z., Zhang, W., Sun, K., & Zomaya, A.Y. (2022). Efficient and effective one-step multi-view clustering. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems.

2021

• [13] Sun, K.*, & Wang, R.* (2021). Using the relative entropy of linguistic complexity to assess L2 language proficiency development. Entropy, 23(8), 1080.
• [14] Sun, K.*, Xiong, W., & Wang, R. (2021). Investigating genre distinctions through discourse distance and discourse network. Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory, 17(3), 599-624.
• [15] Sun, K.*, Liu, H., & Xiong, W. (2021). The evolutionary pattern of language in scientific writings: A case study of Philosophical Transactions of Royal Society (1665-1869). Scientometrics, 1695–1724.

2020

• [16] Sun, K.*, & Baayen, H. (2020). Hyphenation as an efficient compounding strategy in English. Language Sciences, 83(1), 101326.

2019

• [17] Sun, K.*, & Xiong, W. (2019). A computational model for measuring discourse complexity. Discourse Studies, 21(6), 690-712.
• [18] Sun, K. (2019). Teaching English-Chinese textual translation strategies: A topic-chain approach. Babel: International Journal of Translation, 65(2), 286–315.
• [19] Sun, K., & Wang, R.* (2019). Frequency distributions of punctuation marks in English: Evidence from large-scale corpora. English Today, 35(4), 23-35.
• [20] Sun, K. (2019). The integration functions of topic chains in Chinese discourse. Acta Linguistica Asiatica, 9(1), 29-57.

2018

• [21] Sun, K. (2018). Approaching the double-nominal construction in Mandarin Chinese through the semantic-cognitive interaction. Studia Linguistica, 72(3), 687–724.
• [22] Sun, K. & Zhang, L.* (2018). Quantitative aspects of PDTB-style discourse relations across languages. Journal of Quantitative Linguistics, 25(4), 342-371.

Chinese Publications (Selected)

• [23] 孙坤. (2015). 中国古文特征与标点创造机理—与欧洲标点传统对比. 中国语文 (CSSCI), 2015年第6期.
  Reprinted in 人大复印资料·语言文字学, 2016年第2期; 中国社会科学文摘, 2016年第2期
• [24] 孙坤. (2015). 汉语话题链范畴、结构与篇章功能. 语言教学与研究 (CSSCI), 2015年第5期.
  Reprinted in 人大复印资料·语言文字学, 2016年第1期
• [25] 孙坤. (2014). 汉语话题链的特点与本质. 汉语学习 (CSSCI), 2014年第5期.
• [26] 孙坤. (2013). 话题链应用于英汉翻译模式与策略研究. 外语与外语教学 (CSSCI), 2013年第1期.
• [27] 孙坤. (2012). 对社会科学"语言转向"现象的思考——兼论'社会科学'和'人文学科'的困境、危机与对策. 华南理工大学学报, 2012年第5期.
  Reprinted in 人大复印资料·社会科学总论, 2013年第1期
• [28] 孙坤. (2011). 中国古代兵器英译初探：以《三国演义》英译本为例. Translation Quarterly (翻译季刊), 59, 51–83.
• [29] 孙坤. (2010). 当代国外标点符号研究. 当代语言学 (CSSCI), 2010年第2期.
• [30] 孙坤. (2007). 老舍与翻译. 上海翻译 (CSSCI), 2007年第2期.

Important Conference Papers

• [C1] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2025). Enhancing Personality Detection Models with Continuous Outputs Through Mixed Strategy Training. Submitted to the 39th AAAI 2025 Conference (passed first round), Feb, Philadelphia, US. [arXiv.2406.16223]
• [C2] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2023). A Groundbreaking dependency framework for streamlining discourse corpora. In The 18th Linguistic Annotation Workshop, Dec, Malta.
• [C3] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2023). Attention-aware sentence-level metrics predicting human sentence comprehension. In The 5th China-Germany Intelligent Robotics Conference, Nov, Tübingen. (Keynote Speaker)
• [C4] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2022). Constructing a corpus of Chinese textual "run-on" sentences (CCTRS). In 5th International Conference on Natural Language and Speech Processing, December, Trento, Italy. [ACL Anthology]
• [C5] Sun, K. & Nixon, J. (2020). Surprisal and semantic information in the prediction of language processing: Evidence from EEG data. AMLaP-Asia 2020, Hong Kong.

Selected Preprints & Under Review

• [P1] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2024). The roles of contextual semantic relevance metrics in human visual processing. Under review. [arXiv.2403.19233]
• [P2] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2024). Tracking neural dynamics of language comprehension: Semantic integration and lexical expectation during naturalistic discourse reading across extensive EEG channels. Under revision.
• [P3] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2024). Differential contributions of machine learning and statistical analysis to language and cognitive sciences. Revised version submitted. [arXiv.2404.14052]
• [P4] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2024). Computational sentence-level metrics for predicting human sentence comprehension. Minor revisions required by Cognitive Science. [arXiv.2403.15822]
• [P5] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2025). Automatic essay multi-dimensional scoring with fine-tuning and multiple regression. Submitted to AI Conference. [arXiv.2406.01198]
• [P6] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2025). Textual similarity as a key metric in machine translation quality estimation. Under review by Journal of Big Data. [arXiv.2406.07440]
• [P7] Sun, K. (2025). The ebb and flow of discourse connectives: Stylistic change or cognitive decline? Minor revision. [bioRxiv]
• [P8] Sun, K., Wang, R., & Søgaard, A. (2025). Comprehensive reassessment of large-scale evaluation outcomes in LLMs: A multifaceted statistical approach. Minor revisions. [arXiv.2403.15250]

Book Chapters

• [B1] Sun, K., & Wang, R. (2023). Decoding Chinese discourse: An exploration through the multi-layer annotated 'run-on' sentences corpus. In Signals and Communication Technology (Springer). [Series Info] (to appear).
• [B2] Sun, K. (2021). An investigation of the cognitive and linguistic factors influencing Chinese readers' perception of sentence boundaries in Mandarin. In Comparative Punctuation, pp. 215-235. Berlin: De Gruyter.

Selected Other Publications

• [S1] Wang, R., & Sun, K. (2020). Review of sensory linguistics: Language, perception and metaphor. Folia Linguistica, 54(1), 269–275.
• [S2] Sun, K. (2020). The opposition of surprisal and semantic information in the prediction of language processing: Evidence from eye-tracking data. The 5th Usage-Based Linguistics Conference, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
• [S3] Sun, K. (2019). A regression model for simulating and predicting the use of periods by Chinese natives (invited keynote talk). In Conference of Punctuation Seen Internationally. System – Norm – Practice, Regensburg, Germany.
• [S4] Sun, K. (2015). The complexity of zero anaphora in Chinese discourse. In The 19th International Conference on Asian Language Processing, Suzhou, China.
• [S5] Sun, K. (2009). The Review of Contrastive Linguistics: History and Philosophy. Languages in Contrast, 2, 291-295.