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In:Approaches and Methods in French Second Language Acquisition Research:
Edited by Martin Howard
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 9] 2025
► pp. 284–307

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Chapter 12
Methodology in research on individual differences and French as a second language

 | Stockholm University
 | Stockholm University
Published online: 3 March 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.9.12arv
Abstract
This chapter concerns methods used in research on individual differences and second language (L2) French learning. The importance of individual differences for L2 learning is increasingly recognized in the SLA literature (e.g., Dewaele, 2009, 2011; Moyer, 2014; Douglas Fir Group, 2016), and a relatively large number of studies focus on L2 French. In this chapter, we first make an account of the existing research, starting with the research contexts that are represented and the methods that have been used. Then, we provide an overview of the linguistic variables and the individual differences that have been investigated. We then describe existing study designs and data collection instruments, as well as some ethical considerations related to participant recruitment, data elicitation, data storage, and data sharing. Finally, we discuss the existing research methods from a critical point of view, highlighting their contribution to and limitations within research on individual factors and second language acquisition in general. This leads us to identify areas that remain to be investigated and to suggest ways to advance the study of individual differences and L2 French learning from a methodological point of view.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Explored areas in L2 French research on individual differences
  • Global research approaches and designs
  • Sampling procedures and participants
  • Data collection procedures
  • Ethical issues
  • Critical discussion and future directions
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (101)
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