This book studies the use of an automated writing evaluation (AWE) systems in research paper revision for publication purposes by Chinese doctoral students. Research writing skills are essential for achieving academic status, and AWE tools can be a great companion on the journey. However, AWE tools may provide a disservice if users do not stay alert to inaccurate feedback, inaccurate correction suggestions and missed errors. The effects of accurate feedback on revision outcomes have been the focus of a number of AWE studies, but student engagement and revision results in cases of inaccurate feedback and missed errors have rarely been investigated. Such investigations can provide practical advice on using automated feedback in research writing. This book provides a comprehensive evaluation of AWE tools and profiles student engagement with tool use in cases of different quality of feedback. It can empower novice scholars and improve the effectiveness of academic writing instructors. The findings can also inform AWE system developers about possible ways of system improvement for research paper writing. The book will be of great interest to students and scholars of language and linguistics studies, education, and those who are interested in academic English writing in general.

This book presents an overview of the state of the art of the developing topic of nonlinear optics with contributions from leading experts in the field in China, ranging from weak light nonlinear optics, ultrafast nonlinear optics to electro-optical theory and applications. In the past decade, nonlinear optics has evolved into many different branches, depending on the form of the material used for studying the nonlinear phenomena. The growth of research in nonlinear optics is closely linked to the rapid technological advances that have occurred in related fields, such as ultra-fast phenomena and optical communications. Nonlinear-optics activities range from the fundamental studies of the interaction between matter and radiation to the development of devices, components, and systems of tremendous commercial interest for widespread applications in optical telecommunications, medicine, and biotechnology. This book reviews the development of some nonlinear optics researches in China, not only the discovery of new principles, but also potential applications of nonlinear optics for various industries.

This comprehensive volume examines contemporary life and history in Beijing, covering such topics as culture, politics, economics, crime, security, the environment, and more. While it is not China's most populated city, Beijing serves an important role as the political and cultural capital of the country. This volume examines Beijing's long history, contemporary society, and current challenges the city faces as we move further into the 21st century. Geared toward high school readers, undergraduates, and general readers interested in learning about Beijing, this volume consists of 12 narrative chapters focused on geography, history, and culture. Coverage includes location, people, history, politics, economy, environment and sustainability, local crime and violence, security issues, natural hazards and emergency management, culture and lifestyle, popular culture, and the future. "Life in the City" sidebars feature interviews and memories transcribed by people who are from, lived in, or traveled through Beijing, while other sidebars offer cultural fun facts and travel tips. This volume is the perfect read for anyone looking to get a better idea of what life is like in Beijing and how its culture has arrived at this point.

China is a multiethnic country with vast territory, a land of diverse ecosystems. With the drive for industrialization in China and the implementation of 'western grand development' strategy in western regions, both governments and people face great challenges in environmental protection and sustainable use of biodiversity resources as a result of growing interaction between human activities and natural environment. To meet the challenges, governments in these regions need to adopt a series of important policy measures, not only to reduce industrial emissions, but also to return farmland to forests and pasture to grasslands and to implement measures of ecological migration to reduce human activities in ecological conservation areas. In this regard, China must not only learn profound lessons from industrialized countries but also search for international cooperation. The United States provides some good comparative case studies on the environmental protection, grassroots environmental management, and conservation policies in western regions This book attempts to address key questions about Chinese and U.S. environmental policies by looking at historical development of environmental protection and current environmental policy in the western regions of the two countries.

Toward Better Governance in China takes a fresh look at the latest efforts made by Chinese leaders to promote governance-based reform. It asserts that the improvement of governance has now become one of the breakthrough points of the much anticipated political reform. Although the Chinese government continues to play down expectations about political reform, many small-scale reform experiments have been quietly undertaken by Chinese leaders at various levels in recent years, including the new round of administrative reform centered on the creation of "super ministries," the enlargement of inner-party democracy within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the strengthening of local legislative bodies, and judicial reform designed to promote judicial independence and rule of law. This strategy calls for strengthening governing capacity and changing government functions. One of the advantages in placing the improvement of governance first is that it is less risky than embarking upon a full-scaled electoral reform. Electoral democracy is undoubtedly an important element in a functional democracy. But equally important is the effectiveness, transparency, accountability, and openness of the governing process. Better governance implies greater transparency, open deliberation and participation, and less adversarial political confrontation and conflict. If constructed properly, China may become the sort of democratic administration or administrative democracy that Robert Dahl discussed in 1947. Clearly, political reform of this kind does not follow the conventional wisdom of a democratic transition which places heavy emphasis on electoral reform or the precedence of the electoral reform to the government reform. This book is intended to shed some new light on the ongoing debate about the direction of China's political development.