Graeme Porte (ed.): Replication Research in Applied Linguistics.

Abstract

Replication research is a repetition, exact or approximate, of another study with the aim to test reliability and generalizability of its findings (the extent to which the findings can be generalized to other populations). Replication research is a common and, indeed, an essential practice in many disciplines. To date, however, this practice has been overlooked and, for most part, disregarded in Applied Linguistics and second language acquisition (SLA). This edited volume does a great job attempting to fill this gap. The first of its kind, it brings together the theory and practice, the hows and whys, behind conducting replication research in SLA. Why is replication research important? What kind of studies should be replicated? What are the different types of replication studies? How to conduct and report on a replication study? These and other questions are addressed in the volume. The Introduction by Porte outlines the general aims and objectives of the volume and provides the reader with the definitions of some of the core concepts (what is replication research and what it is not). The volume consists of three parts. Part One builds up a case for the importance of replication research in Applied Linguistics and SLA. In Chapter 1, Mackey starts with an overview of replication in SLA, focusing, among other things, on the interdisciplinary nature of the field, replication research categorization, the reasons for the lack of replication research in SLA, and potential difficulties associated with conducting replication research. One recommendation given by Mackey in light of her acknowledgement of the interdisciplinary nature of SLA is that new methodologies and techniques from the neighbouring disciplines, such as psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics [eye-tracking and event-related brain potentials (ERPs)], should be used to measure the original constructs in new ways [for a similar view, see Siyanova-Chanturia (2013)].