UCL Institute of Education is pleased to host a free research methods seminar for postgraduate students, which aims to explore the practicalities of collecting data in applied linguistics research. The seminar will be of interest to masters and doctoral students who are embarking on a study in any area connected to applied linguistics, TESOL, or language education. Please pass this email on to any students or early career researchers who might be interested in attending.

Seminar Format

During the seminar, Heath Rose (University of Oxford), Jim McKinley (UCL), and Jessica Briggs Baffoe-Djan (University of Oxford) will present content and activities from their new book “Data Collection Research Methods in Applied Linguistics” (Bloomsbury), which is a guide to frequently used data collection methods, addressing the challenges and obstacles that applied linguists face in collecting good data. The rationale behind the event is to give greater focus in research methods to the things applied linguistics researchers do to collect good data. The seminar is intended to supplement the information postgraduate students receive on research designs and key research concepts, by diving deeper into issues surrounding data collection. The seminar will be interactive, requiring some practical problem-solving, as well as showcasing real examples of good applied linguistics research.

Tentative Schedule

• 1.00-1.15pm – Introduction to event and to research methods in applied linguistics

• 1.15-2.00pm – Using language elicitation tasks and quantitative measures in applied linguistics research

• 2.00-3.00pm – How to conduct good interviews and observations

• 3.00-3.10pm – Break

• 3.15-4.00pm – Focus groups and sampling in qualitative research

• 4.00-4.15pm – Increasing research transparency and openness in applied linguistics research

• 4.15-4.30pm – Question and answer

• 4.30-5.00pm – Informal book launch

Location

Jeffery Hall, 20 Bedford Way, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 0AL (closest tube, Russell Square, Piccadilly line)