Dörnyei Zoltán. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed methodologies

Oxford University Press, 2007. — 336 p. — (Oxford Applied Linguistics). — ISBN10 0194422585; ISBN13 978-0194422581.This is a very practical and accessible book that offers a comprehensive overview of research methodology in applied linguistics by describing the various stages of qualitative and quantitative investigations, from collecting the data to reporting the results. It also discusses 'mixed methods research', that is, the various combinations of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.Key issues in research methodology
Introduction: what is research and how does this book approach it?
The good researcher
My approach to research methodology
The content of this book
Further reading
Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research
The qualitative-quantitative distinction
Quantitative research
Qualitative research
Mixed methods research
My own paradigmatic stance
Quality criteria, research ethics, and other research issues
Quality criteria for research
Research ethics
Research questions and hypotheses
Other essentials for launching a study: pilot study, research log, and data management
Longitudinal versus cross-sectional research
Definition and purpose of longitudinal research
Longitudinal research in applied linguistics
Main types of longitudinal designs
Longitudinal qualitative research
Longitudinal mixed designs
Choosing a design: longitudinal or cross-sectional?
Quantitative longitudinal data analysis
Data collection
Quantitative data collection
Sampling in quantitative research
Questionnaire surveys
Experimental and quasi-experimental studies
Collecting quantitative data via the Internet
Qualitative data collection
Qualitative data
Sampling in qualitative research
Ethnography
Interviews
Focus group interviews
Introspective methods
Case studies
Diary studies
Research journals
Mixed methods research: purpose and design
The purpose of mixed methods research
The compatibility of different research paradigms
Main types of mixed methods designs
Why don’t people mix methods more?
Classroom research
Origins and main types of classroom research
Classroom observation
Mixed methods classroom research
Difficulties and challenges in classroom research
Action research
Data analysis
Quantitative data analysis
Computerized data analysis and SPSS
Preparing the data for analysis
Data reduction and reliability analysis
Key statistical concepts
Descriptive statistics
Comparing two groups: t-tests
Comparing more than two groups: analysis of variance (ANOVA)
Correlation
Non-parametric tests
Advanced statistical procedures
Qualitative data analysis
Main principles of qualitative data analysis
Qualitative content analysis
Grounded theory
Computer-aided qualitative data analysis (CAQ DAS)
Data analysis in mixed methods research
Data transformation
Extreme case analysis
Typology/category development
Multiple level analysis
Computer-aided mixed methods data analysis
Reporting research results
Writing a quantitative report
Two functions of academic writing
Style manuals
The structure of the quantitative research report
Reader-friendly data presentation methods
Writing qualitative and mixed methods reports
Writing a qualitative report
Writing a mixed methods report
Summing up
How to choose the appropriate research method
General recommendation I: adopt a pragmatic approach
Research content considerations
Audience considerations
Practical considerations
Personal considerations
General recommendation II: consider mixing methodologies
Final words