Conducting Second-Language Reading Research: A Methodological Guide

✍ Scribed by Elizabeth B. Bernhardt, Michael L. Kamil

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2022
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 161
• Series: Second Language Acquisition Research Series
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This is the first hands-on methods guide for second-language (L2) reading research. The authors expertly and critically situate L2 reading and literacy as a multivariate, interactive process and define terms, concepts, and research tools in connection with theory and a rich body of past empirical work, with lessons to learn and pitfalls to avoid. They concretely detail how to design empirical studies, collect data, and analyze findings in this important area.

Authored by world experts on first-language (L1) and L2 reading, this book provides a comprehensive, critical, theory-driven review of methods in L2 reading research, offering a step-by-step guide from research design to study execution and data analysis.

With useful pedagogical features and a unique database of L2 reading studies from around the world over three decades, this will be an invaluable resource to students and researchers of second-language acquisition, applied linguistics, education, and related areas.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Half Title
Series
Title
Copyright
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 The Ethos of Second-Language Reading Research
Historical Roots
Influential Currents in Education in the United States of America
The Development of L2 Reading Theory
Early Stages
The L1–L2 Relationship
The Relationship to Second-Language Acquisition Theory
Conclusion
2 Preparing to Ask and Asking Questions in Second-Language Reading Research
Preparing to Ask Questions
Constructing the Literature Review
Some Specific Studies and Their Literature Reviews
Asking Research Questions
A Retrospective on L2 Reading Research Questions
Conclusion
3 Analyzing Populations and Text for Research Purposes
Gauging First-Language Literacy
Assessing Second-Language Knowledge
Vocabulary Knowledge
Determining Intrareader Variables
Considering Materials for Reading Research
Conclusion
4 Data Collection
Devising Indicators of Comprehension
Comprehension Questions
Text Type and Difficulty Level
Developing Scoring Schemes
Configuring Longer Texts for Data Collection
A Research Protocol for Data Collection
Devising Indicators of Comprehension Processes
Conclusion
5 Perennial Concerns in Second-Language Reading Research
Some Specific Dilemmas
The Availability of a Limited Number of Subjects
Strategies for Choosing Instrumentation
Validating and Confirming the Findings From a Study
Confronting Limited Time and Resources for Data Collection
Getting Publications Into Print
Looking Forward to Future Research
Conclusion
6 Conclusion: The Research Report and Beyond
Reading the Research Report
Writing the Research Report
Ethics and Equity
The Purpose of Research
Conclusion: Courage
Appendix: The Development of the Database
Index