Cover not available
Article published In:
ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 171:1 (2020) ► pp.62–89

Statistical knowledge and training in second language acquisition

The case of doctoral students

ORCID logo | Erzincan Binali Yildirim University
The present study investigated second language acquisition (SLA) doctoral students’ statistical training and knowledge of statistics. One hundred and twenty SLA doctoral students in North America took a comprehensive statistics survey, and 16 of them participated in follow-up interviews. The results showed that doctoral students were well trained in basic descriptive statistics, while their training in inferential statistics, particularly advanced statistics, was limited. When looking at their statistical knowledge, the results indicated that SLA doctoral students were good at understanding descriptive and inferential statistics, but they found it hard to interpret statistical analyses related to inferential statistics that are commonly encountered in SLA research. Several suggestions directed toward improving statistical literacy in SLA were provided.
Keywords: Statistical literacy, statistical training, quantitative research methods, second language acquisition
Article outline
  • Quantitative L2 research
  • Graduate training in quantitative L2 research
  • Statistical literacy in L2 research
  • Method
    • Participants
    • Instruments
    • Procedure
    • Data analysis
  • Results
  • Discussion and Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 2 April 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/itl.18031.gon
References (62)
References
Aiken, L. S., West, S. G., & Millsap, R. E. (2008). Doctoral training in statistics, measurement, and methodology in psychology: Replication and extension of Aiken, West, Sechrest, and Reno’s (1990) survey of PhD programs in North America. American Psychologist, 63(1), 32–50. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Aiken, L. S., West, S. G., Sechrest, L., & Reno, R. R. (1990). Graduate training in statistics, methodology, and measurement in psychology: A survey of PhD programs in North America. American Psychologist, 45(6), 721–734. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Borders, L. D., Wester, K. L., Fickling, M. J., & Adamson, N. A. (2014). Research training in doctoral programs accredited by the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs. Counselor Education and Supervision, 53(2), 145–160. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Brown, J. D. (2004). Resources on quantitative/statistical research for applied linguists. Second Language Research, 20(4), 372–393. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013). Teaching statistics in language testing courses. Language Assessment Quarterly, 10(3), 351–369. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015). Why bother learning advanced quantitative methods in L2 research? In L. Plonsky (Ed), Advancing quantitative methods in second language research. New York: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Brown, J. D., & Bailey, K. M. (2008). Language testing courses: What are they in 2007? Language Testing, 25(3), 349–383. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Capraro, R. M., & Thompson, B. (2008). The educational researcher defined: What will future researchers be trained to do? The Journal of Educational Research, 101(4), 247–253. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Chaudron, C. (2001). Progress in language classroom research: Evidence from The Modern Language Journal, 1916–2000. Modern Language Journal, 851, 57–76. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.Google Scholar
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.Google Scholar
Cunnings, I. (2012). An overview of mixed-effects statistical models for second language researchers. Second Language Research, 28(3), 369–382. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Curtis, D. A., & Harwell, M. (1998). Training doctoral students in educational statistics in the United States: A national survey. Journal of Statistics Education, 6(1), 1–23. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. London: SAGE.Google Scholar
Finney, S. & Schraw, G. (2003). Self-efficacy beliefs in college statistics courses. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 281, 161–186. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gass, S. (2009). A survey of SLA research. In W. Ritchie & T. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 3–28). Bingley, UK: Emerald.Google Scholar
Golinski, C., & Cribbie, R. A. (2009). The expanding role of quantitative methodologists in advancing psychology. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 50(2), 83–90. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gonulal, T. (2016). Statistical literacy among second language acquisition graduate students. Unpublished dissertation. Michigan State University, East Lansing.Google Scholar
(2018). An investigation of the predictors of statistical literacy in second language acquisition. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 4(1), 49–70. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2019). Missing data management practices in L2 research: The good, the bad and the ugly. Erzincan University Education Faculty Journal, 21(1), 1–18.Google Scholar
Gonulal, T., Loewen, S., & Plonsky, L. (2017). The development of statistical literacy in applied linguistics graduate students. ITL – International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 168(1), 4–32. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Henson, R. K., Hull, D. M., & Williams, C. S. (2010). Methodology in our education research culture toward a stronger collective quantitative proficiency. Educational Researcher, 39(3), 229–240. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Jones, M. (2013). Issues in doctoral studies – Forty years of journal discussion: Where have we been and where are we going? International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 81, 83–104. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kline, P. (1999). The handbook of psychological testing. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Larson-Hall, J. (2015). A guide to doing statistics in second language research using SPSS and R (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Larson-Hall, J., & Herrington, R. (2010). Improving data analysis in second language acquisition by utilizing modern developments in applied statistics. Applied Linguistics, 31(3), 368–390. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Larson-Hall, J., & Plonsky, L. (2015). Reporting and interpreting quantitative research findings: What gets reported and recommendations for the field. Language Learning, 65(S1), 127–159. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lazaraton, A. (2000). Current trends in research methodology and statistics in applied linguistics. TESOL Quarterly, 34(1), 175–181. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2005). Quantitative research methods. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 109–224). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Lazaraton, A., Riggenbach, H., & Ediger, A. (1987). Forming a discipline: Applied linguists’ literacy in research methodology and statistics. TESOL Quarterly, 21(2), 263–277. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Leech, N. L., & Goodwin, L. D. (2008). Building a methodological foundation: Doctoral-level methods courses in colleges of education. Research in the Schools, 15(1), 1–8.Google Scholar
Loewen, S., Gonulal, T., Isbell, D. R., Ballard, L., Crowther, D., Lim, J., Maloney, J., & Tigchelaar, M. (forthcoming). How knowledgeable are SLA researchers about basic statistics? Data from North America and Europe. Studies in Second Language Acquisition.
Loewen, S., & Gass, S. (2009). Research timeline: The use of statistics in L2 acquisition research. Language Teaching, 42(2), 181–196. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Loewen, S., & Gonulal, T. (2015). Exploratory factor analysis and principal components analysis. In Plonsky, L. (Ed), Advancing quantitative methods in second language research. New York: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Loewen, S., Lavolette, E., Spino, L. A., Papi, M., Schmidtke, J., Sterling, S., & Wolff, D. (2014). Statistical literacy among applied linguists and second language acquisition researchers. TESOL Quarterly, 48(2), 360–388. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mackey, A., & Gass, S. M. (2015). Second language research: Methodology and design. New York: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Norris, J. M. (2015). Statistical significance testing in second language research: Basic problems and suggestions for reform. Language Learning, 65(S1), 97–126. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Norris, J. M., Ross, S. J., & Schoonen, R. (2015). Improving second language quantitative research. Language Learning, 65(S1), 1–8. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Norouzian, R., & Plonsky, L. (2018). Eta- and partial eta-squared in L2 research: A cautionary review and guide to more appropriate usage. Second Language Research, 34(2), 257–271. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pierce, R., & Chick, H. (2013). Workplace statistical literacy for teachers: Interpreting box plots. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 25(2), 189–205. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Plonsky, L. (2011). Study quality in SLA: A cumulative and developmental assessment of designs, analyses, reporting practices, and outcomes in quantitative L2 research (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.Google Scholar
(2013). Study quality in SLA: An assessment of designs, analyses, and reporting practices in quantitative L2 research. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 35(4), 655–687. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2014). Study quality in quantitative L2 research (1990–2010): A methodological synthesis and call for reform. The Modern Language Journal, 98(1), 450–470. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(Ed.) (2015). Advancing quantitative methods in second language research. New York: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Plonsky, L., & Derrick, D. J. (2016). A meta-analysis of reliability coefficients in second language research. The Modern Language Journal, 100(2), 538–553. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Plonsky, L., & Gass, S. (2011). Quantitative research methods, study quality, and outcomes: The case of interaction research. Language Learning, 61(2), 325–366. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Plonsky, L., & Gonulal, T. (2015). Methodological synthesis in quantitative L2 research: A review of reviews and a case study of exploratory factor analysis. Language Learning, 65(S1), 9–36. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Plonsky, L., Egbert, J., & LaFlair, G. T. (2014). Bootstrapping in applied linguistics: Assessing its potential using shared data. Applied Linguistics, 36(5), 591–610.Google Scholar
Plonsky, L., & Oswald, F. L. (2017). Multiple regression as a flexible alternative to ANOVA in L2 research. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 39(3), 579–592. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Polio, C., & Gass, S. (1997). Replication and reporting. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 19(4), 499–508. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rossen, E., & Oakland, T. (2008). Graduate preparation in research methods: The current status of APA-accredited professional programs in psychology. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 2(1), 42–49. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Schafer, J. L., & Graham, J. W. (2002). Missing data: Our view of the state of the art. Psychological Methods, 7(2), 144–177. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Schield, M. (1999). Statistical literacy: Thinking critically about statistics. Of Significance, 1(1), 15–20.Google Scholar
(2002). Statistical Literacy Survey. Retrieved from [URL]
(2004). Statistical literacy and liberal education at Augsburg College. Peer Review, 61, 16–18. Retrieved from [URL]
(2010). Assessing statistical literacy: Take CARE. In P. Bidgood, N. Hunt & F. Jolliffe (Eds) Assessment Methods in Statistical Education: An International Perspective. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Skidmore, S. T., & Thompson, B. (2010). Statistical techniques used in published articles: A historical review of reviews. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 70(5), 777–795. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Tabachnick, B., & Fidell, L. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Thompson, B. (1999). Five methodology errors in educational research: A pantheon of statistical significance and other faux pas. In B. Thompson (Ed.), Advances in social science methodology (Vol. 51, pp. 23–86). Stamford, CT: JAI Press.Google Scholar
Wallman, K. K. (1993). Enhancing statistical literacy: Enriching our society. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 88(421), 1–8.Google Scholar
Winke, P. (2014). Testing hypotheses about language learning using structural equation modeling. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 341, 102–122. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Zimiles, H. (2009). Ramifications of increased training in quantitative methodology. American Psychologist, 64(1), 51–56. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cited by (3)

Cited by three other publications

Yamashita, Taichi & Reza Neiriz
2024. Why replicate? Systematic review of calls for replication in Language Teaching. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 3:1 ► pp. 100091 ff. DOI logo
Sebian, Ben, Simin Ghaviferkr & Atila Yildirim
2023. Adoption and use of statistical software support in higher education: a cross-national analysis. Quality & Quantity 57:5 ► pp. 4633 ff. DOI logo
Razavipour, Kioumars & Behnaz Raji
2022. Reliability of measuring constructs in applied linguistics research: a comparative study of domestic and international graduate theses. Language Testing in Asia 12:1 DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 20 november 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.