# Use of explicit replies as coordination mechanisms in online student debate

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.18466 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.18466/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 1 of its 10 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 30 Nov 2023.

## Builds on (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [A network approach to topic models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1708.01677/) (2017)

## Abstract (arXiv)

People in conversation entrain their linguistic behaviours through spontaneous alignment mechanisms [7] - both in face-to-face and computer-mediated communication (CMC) [8]. In CMC, one of the mechanisms through which linguistic entrainment happens is through explicit replies. Indeed, the use of explicit replies influences the structure of conversations, favouring the formation of reply-trees typically delineated by topic shifts [5]. The interpersonal coordination mechanisms realized by how actors address each other have been studied using a probabilistic framework proposed by David Gibson [2,3]. Other recent approaches use computational methods and information theory to quantify changes in text. We explore coordination mechanisms concerned with some of the roles utterances play in dialogues - specifically in explicit replies. We identify these roles by finding community structure in the conversation's vocabulary using a non-parametric, hierarchical topic model. Some conversations may always stay on the ground, remaining at the level of general introductory chatter. Some others may develop a specific sub-topic in significant depth and detail. Even others may jump between general chatter, out-of-topic remarks and people agreeing or disagreeing without further elaboration.