Doing second language research

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Doing Second Language Research provides an accessible introduction to language learning research, and a 'feel' for what research activities are like, by engaging the reader in several roles within a variety of mini-studies across a range of research design types, both quantitative and qualitative. Roles include that of research subject, research organizer, research data, research data collector, research data analyst, and research reporter. The book systematically explains the characteristics and purposes of various types of research, terminology, the logic underlying selection, and the steps typical of each type of research design. It also offers an intoduction to some of the classic research studies by engaging readers in thinking about and discussing these studies as well as participating as subjects in adapted versions of them.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Part 1 Introduction
• 1 The nature of research (p. 3)
• Introducing research (p. 3)
• Experiencing research (p. 3)
• Compiling research data (p. 6)
• Analyzing research data (p. 6)
• Designing research (p. 10)
• Interpreting definitions of research (p. 15)
• The significance of defining research (p. 16)
• Reflecting on research definitions (p. 17)
• Summary
• Part 2 Qualitative research
• 2 Case study research: developmental research (p. 21)
• Introducing case study research (p. 21)
• Experiencing case study research (p. 22)
• Compiling case study data (p. 27)
• Analyzing case study data (p. 30)
• Reporting your results (p. 32)
• Designing case study research (p. 36)
• Interpreting case study research (p. 43)
• Significance of case study research (p. 47)
• Reflecting on case study research (p. 49)
• Summary (p. 51)
• 3 Introspection research: verbal protocols (p. 53)
• Introducing introspective research (p. 53)
• Experiencing introspective research (p. 57)
• Compiling introspective data (p. 61)
• Analyzing introspective data (p. 63)
• Designing your own introspective research study (p. 69)
• Interpreting introspective research (p. 71)
• Significance of introspection as a scholarly focus (p. 74)
• Reflecting on introspective research (p. 75)
• Summary 78
• 4 Classroom research: interaction analysis (p. 79)
• Introducing classroom research (p. 79)
• Experiencing classroom research (p. 80)
• Compiling classroom research data (p. 87)
• Analyzing classroom interaction data (p. 90)
• Designing your own classroom research (p. 94)
• Interpreting classroom research (p. 101)
• Significance of classroom research (p. 105)
• Reflecting on classroom research (p. 110)
• Summary (p. 112)
• Part 3 Quantitative research
• 5 Descriptive statistics research: survey analysis (p. 117)
• Introducing descriptive statistics research (p. 117)
• Experiencing descriptive statistics research (p. 118)
• Compiling descriptive data (p. 122)
• Analyzing descriptive data (p. 122)
• Designing your own descriptive research (p. 142)
• Interpreting descriptive research (p. 147)
• Significance of descriptive research on teacher beliefs (p. 151)
• Reflecting on descriptive research (p. 154)
• Summary (p. 156)
• 6 Correlational research: language learning/teaching attitudes (p. 157)
• Introducing correlational research (p. 157)
• Experiencing correlational research (p. 159)
• Compiling correlational data (p. 162)
• Analyzing correlational data (p. 166)
• Designing your own correlational research (p. 180)
• Interpreting correlational research (p. 184)
• Significance of correlational research comparing students and teachers attitudes (p. 191)
• Reflecting on correlational research (p. 192)
• Summary (p. 193)
• 7 Quasi-experimental research: vocabulary learning techniques (p. 195)
• Introducing experimental research (p. 195)
• Experiencing experimental research (p. 195)
• Compiling experimental data (p. 201)
• Analyzing experimental data (p. 201)
• Designing your own experimental studies (p. 211)
• Interpreting experimental studies (p. 219)
• Significance of experimental research in teaching vocabulary (p. 222)
• Reflecting on experimental research (p. 223)
• Summary (p. 224)
• Part 4 Conclusion
• 8 Course evaluation: combining research types (p. 227)
• Introducing evaluation research (p. 227)
• Experiencing evaluation research (p. 228)
• Compiling evaluation data (p. 233)
• Analyzing evaluation data (p. 233)
• Reporting evaluation results (p. 238)
• Designing your own evaluation studies (p. 241)
• Interpreting evaluation studies (p. 245)
• Significance of evaluation studies (p. 247)
• Reflecting on evaluation research (p. 250)
• Summary (p. 256)
• Answer keys (p. 257)
• Chapter 2 (p. 257)
• Chapter 6 (p. 258)
• Chapter 7 (p. 260)
• Appendices (p. 264)
• Chapter 3 (p. 264)
• Chapter 4 (p. 271)
• Chapter 7 (p. 278)
• Chapter 8 (p. 280)
• Glossary (p. 287)
• Bibliography (p. 295)
• Index (p. 309)