This text is intended to help readers understand and critique research in language learning.

The paperback edition is intended to help readers understand and critique research in language learning. It presents a balanced and objective view of a range of methods - including formal experiments, introspective methods (including diaries, logs, journals, and stimulated recall), interaction and transcript analysis, ethnography, and case studies. Other topics covered are elicitation techniques, program evaluation, and action research.

The book is highly accessible and does not assume specialist or technical knowledge. This volume will be of interest to students of applied linguistics and educational researchers, in addition to classroom teachers and teachers-in-training. After reading the book and completing the tasks and exercises included in each chapter, readers should be able to understand and critique published studies in the field of language learning. They should also have acquired sufficient skills and knowledge to formulate research questions, collect relevant data relating to the questions, analyze and interpret the data, and report the results to others.

Throughout the book, theoretical issues are drawn from published studies and reports. The book also emphasizes to language teachers the professional and practical value of reading published research, and initiating their own research