Understanding Research in Second Language Learning focuses on the skills and processes necessary for understanding statistical research in language learning. Designed for language teachers with no previous background in statistics, the paperback edition focuses on the skills and processes necessary for understanding statistical research in language learning. Brown explains the basic terms of statistics, the structure and organization of statistical research reports, the system of statistical logic, and how to decipher tables, charts, and graphs. By the end of the book, readers will be able to make knowledgeable judgments about the relative qualities of a study and to assess the value of the results of a study in relation to a specific language teaching situation.
Foreword Howard B. Altman; Preface; 1. What is research?; 2. Variables; 3. Data organization; 4. Controlling extraneous variables; 5. Critiquing statistical studies; 6. The group and the individuals; 7. Patterns in human behaviour; 8. Statistics for testing; 9. Statistical logic; 10. Correlation; 11. Comparing means; 12. Camparing frequencies; 13. Hands-on critique and posttest; References; Index.
