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

Arvidsson, Klara; Forsberg Lundell, Fanny

Part of

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

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

Klara Arvidsson | Stockholm University

Fanny Forsberg Lundell | Stockholm University

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.

Keywords: research methods, individual differences, L2 French

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

This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.

References (101)

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

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