Understanding, Evaluating, and Conducting Second Language Writing Research speaks to the rapidly growing area of second language writing by providing a uniquely balanced approach to L2 writing research. While other books favor either a qualitative or quantitative approach to second language acquisition (SLA) research, this text is comprehensive in scope and does not privilege one approach over the other, illuminating the strengths of each and the ways in which they might complement each other. Part I will help novice researchers consider the best approach to use for answering their research questions. It will also help more experienced researchers expand their repertoire in terms of approaches and help them consider both cognitive and social aspects of L2 writing. Part II will prove useful for both novice and experienced researchers when they are faced with choices regarding data collection and analysis. Containing an array of focal studies and suggestions for further reading, this text is the ideal resource for students beginning to conduct L2 writing research as well as for more experienced researchers who wish to expand their approach to conducting research.

Charlene Polio is Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic, Asian, & African Languages at Michigan State University, USA. She is currently co-editor of the Modern Language Journal.

Debra Friedman is Assistant Professor in the Department of Second Language Studies at Indiana University, USA.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Part I: Approaches

Chapter 2: Experimental research

Chapter 3: Causal-comparative and correlational research

Chapter 4: Ethnography and case study

Chapter 5: Mixed-methods research

Part II: Methods

Chapter 6: Learner text analysis

Chapter 7: Target text analysis

Chapter 8: Retrospective and introspective methods

Chapter 9: Interviews

Chapter 10: Thematic analysis

Chapter 11: Qualitative discourse analysis

Chapter 12: Emerging methods and current issues