Gass and Mackey introduce their work with the following warning: Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the final products of SLA research papers. This book illuminates the inner workings and initial research decisions that scholars must make in second and foreign language research. Throughout eight chapters, the authors tackle the ever-expanding field of the methods used in SLA research. From psycholinguistics, cognitive, and linguistics-based studies to the more social and applied areas in SLA such as interaction, sociolinguistics, survey, and classroom-based research, Gass and Mackey create a comprehensive overview of the current broad fields of second language research and supplement the methods with examples of specific studies.
The seven research method chapters are divided into three main sections: naturalistic data, prompted response data, and prompted production, with several forms of data elicitation in each domain. Each section includes additional notes that clearly illustrate each research measure. One of the main strengths of the piece is the introduction, an invaluable tool for novice researchers to read early in their careers but also a reminder for veteran researchers who strive for rigorous research designs and replicable research. Another strength of this volume is the warnings included in many of the chapters that could be invaluable to beginning researchers. For example, chapter 7 ends with a section entitled “Advantages and Caveats,” in which a clear example of triangulation of data is provided as well as a good explanation of the need for participant observations to carry out adequate triangulation of data within survey-based research.
One criticism of this book, however, is the lack of examples and visual material to accompany chapters 3 and 4, especially because these chapters contain descriptions of research methods that could be better clarified with specific pictures from the studies being described. For instance, in the section that discusses working memory tests, the authors include three different types of memory tests: operation span, counting span, and sentence span. In spite of the clear prose description, these memory tests could be better understood with the actual pictures used in the research, especially on the reading-span texts that rely on visual stimuli. Similar to the reading-span texts in chapter 3, visuals would enhance the section on picture description. Another small criticism is that even more examples, especially comparative examples, should be included, especially under cognitive studies. If additional elaboration is not possible because of limited space, each chapter could include a further readings section, which would be especially helpful for the novice researcher—the reader for whom this work is intended.
The final strength of this volume is the clarity in its writing style, with a definition of all technical terms. It is also a comprehensive work with clear examples of broad research areas, although the authors admit that the methods covered are not an exhaustive list. Despite minor criticisms, this work will be worthwhile for students of SLA taking courses with a focus on research methods, and it will be an invaluable tool in the classroom because of its ability to cover broad fields with clear, specific examples. This book should be read by all interested in research in SLA and should be used in the classroom for teaching and surveying SLA research methods, because it will be an essential instrument for defining different types of research in the field and for helping students focus their own research.
