Quantitative Methods for Second Language Research ─ A Problem-Solving Approach

Quantitative Methods for Second Language Research introduces the approaches to and techniques for quantitative data analysis in second language research (SLR), with a primary focus on second language learning and assessment research. It takes a conceptual, problem-solving approach, emphasizing the understanding of statistical theory and its application to research problems and pays less attention to the mathematical side of statistical analysis. A range of common statistical analysis techniques that can be employed in SLR, presented and illustrated through applications of the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program, are presented and discussed. These include tools for descriptive analysis (e.g. means and percentages) as well as inferential analysis (e.g. correlational analysis, t-tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA)). It provides conceptual explanations of quantitative methods through the use of examples, cases and published studies in the field. Additionally, a companion website to the book hosts review exercises and answer keys for each chapter, SPSS files, and a manual. Practical and lucid, this book is the ideal resource for data analysis for graduate students and researchers in applied linguistics.

Carsten Roever is Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Aek Phakiti is Associate Professor in TESOL in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney, Australia.