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Part of
Instructed Second Language Acquisition Research Methods
Edited by Laura Gurzynski-Weiss and YouJin Kim
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 3] 2022
► pp. 181–206

Chapter 8
Vocabulary

A guide to researching instructed second language vocabulary acquisition

| University of Western Ontario
| University of Western Ontario

Acquiring vocabulary knowledge is a vital part of L2 learning because vocabulary plays a significant role in every mode of communication (reading, listening, writing, and speaking). For learners to become independent users of a L2, they must know many thousands of words and learn how to use them well in communication. For example, learners of English must acquire up to 9,000 words (e.g., happy) and their morphologically-related forms (e.g., happiness, unhappy, happily) to comprehend spoken and written texts (e.g., conversation, television programs, films, novels, and newspapers) (Nation, 2006; Webb & Rodgers, 2009a, 2009b). Moreover, acquisition of L2 vocabulary entails learning different aspects of word knowledge such as word parts, collocations, and associations, not only learning form-meaning connections. Thus, the teaching, learning, and researching of L2 vocabulary can be highly complex. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a guide to researching instructed second language vocabulary acquisition. The chapter sets out to provide (1) an overview of key concepts in vocabulary research, (2) a brief overview of L2 vocabulary research focusing on intervention studies, (3) an overview of a frequently employed study design (pretest-posttest design), different measures for assessing L2 vocabulary knowledge as well as options and cautions for interpreting data, (4) advice for future vocabulary researchers, and (5) tips to overcome potential challenges.

Keywords: intentional vocabulary learning, incidental vocabulary learning, testing vocabulary knowledge, receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge, single-word, multiword items
Article outline
  • 1.Conceptualizing vocabulary knowledge and why vocabulary research is important
  • 2.What we know and what we need to know about vocabulary research in ISLA
  • 3.Data elicitation and interpretation options for ISLA vocabulary research
    • 3.1Data elicitation options for research involving incidental and intentional interventions
    • 3.2Measuring learning gains
    • 3.3Interpreting the results
    • 3.4Example incidental learning study
    • 3.5Example intentional learning study
    • 3.6Characteristics of the studies involving incidental and intentional interventions
  • 4.Advice for future vocabulary researchers
    • 4.1Designing the input material employed in ISLA vocabulary research
    • 4.2Ethical considerations and data collection
    • 4.3Interpreting and analyzing data
    • 4.4Reporting the methodology with sufficient detail to allow replication
  • 5.Troubleshooting ISLA vocabulary research
  • 6.Conclusions
  • 7.Further reading and additional resources
    • 7.1Additional readings
    • 7.2Conferences for L2 vocabulary researchers
    • 7.3Resources for L2 vocabulary researchers
    • 7.4Recommended journals
  • References
Published online: 8 December 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.3.08iwa
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