Published volumes that document and describe essential terminology and topics in any field of study continue to represent a welcome resource to interested readers and researchers alike. This volume joins a body of literature that aims to provide a concise but thorough overview of terms and topics that are fundamental to understanding important issues and research trends in the field of SLA.
This encyclopedia includes over 250 entries that cover a broad variety of general topics (e.g., “attrition” [pp. 48-50], “frequency effects” [pp. 260-265], and “study abroad and SLA” [pp. 617-620]), hypotheses (e.g., “Fundamental Difference Hypothesis” [pp. 271-274] and “Cognition Hypothesis” [pp. 83-84]), methodological terms (e.g., “longitudinal research” [pp. 404-405] and “stimulated recall” [p. 615]), and theoretical approaches (e.g., “Complex Theory/Dynamic Systems Theory” [pp. 103-106] and “identity theory” [pp. 289-291]). With regard to the organization of the volume, each entry appears in alphabetical order and minimally includes a definition or description of its corresponding term or topic, a list of related entries, and references. Several entries also contain a list of references for further reading related to the term or topic covered. Whereas the majority of entries cover terms and topics separately, nine longer, survey entries offer a concise overview of “thematic areas” in the empirical study of SLA (p. xxii). Within the body of each survey entry there are bolded terms and topics that correspond to existing entries in the encyclopedia. This feature aptly highlights those terms and topics that are more closely connected or address an overarching issue in SLA research.
In accordance with the goals and intended uses outlined in the introduction to the encyclopedia, this work is remarkably comprehensive in scope. The first strong point of this volume is its focused coverage of terms and topics related to research in SLA. This focus is evident in the depth of information covered in each entry and additionally permits the inclusion of research-related terms such as “correlation” (pp. 142-143) and “Protocol analysis” (pp. 523-525). Another strength of this volume is the preparation of each entry by current experts and scholars in the field. Not only does this lend the volume its “authoritative” feel (p. xxii), but it also suggests accurate presentation of the information pertaining to each entry. Further, the language remains remarkably accessible throughout the volume, particularly in the face of very specific, technical terms (e.g., “Event-related potentials (ERP)” [pp. 221-225]). Definitions or descriptions are clear, and examples or figures are well incorporated where included. Lastly, the organization of this volume as an encyclopedia makes it a very practical and functional reference tool. Navigating this work—particularly given its size—is effortless, thanks to the “See also” feature listing related entries and the user-friendly, concise writing style employed by all contributors throughout. Consonant with Robinson’s suggestion, this volume will serve as an excellent companion to existing handbooks of SLA (e.g., Doughty & Long, Reference Doughty and Long2003; Gass & Mackey, Reference Gass and Mackey2012), in which contributors are often limited in space to address in detail each term or topic included.
In addition to the inclusion of a large number of expert contributors, the most notable advantage this volume has over competing titles (e.g., Loewen & Reinders, Reference Loewen and Reinders2011; VanPatten & Benati, Reference VanPatten and Benati2010) is the focused discussion of key issues in SLA research, reflected in each survey entry. These entries lend an overall coherence to the volume, which is particularly useful for highlighting important connections in the field for advanced graduate students and novice researchers. All in all, this work offers all readers—from teachers to students to researchers—an updated, reliable resource for consulting essential terms and topics in SLA research.
