Vocabulary Use and Acquisition

Abstract

This is a vocabulary research manual whose primary goal is to provide readers with a solid foundation of vocabulary research methodology, both in terms of good research practice, and in terms of the common pitfalls to avoid. But in doing research, we must always make methodology serve the research issues we are interested in exploring. The issues which attract the most attention (and thus research) in the field of vocabulary concern the nature of lexis, its employment in language use, and the best ways of facilitating its acquisition. In order to design good vocabulary research on these issues, one must be on good terms with what the field already knows about these issues. There are a number of good overviews/collections which should be reviewed to gain a general understanding of vocabulary and its behavior (e.g. Bogaards and Laufer, 2004; Carter, 1998; Coady and Huckin, 1997; Daller, Milton, and Treffers-Daller, 2007; Hunt and Beglar, 1998, 2005; McCarthy, 1990; Meara, 2009; Nation, 1990, 2001; Read, 2000, 2004; Schmitt, 2000, 2008; Schmitt and McCarthy, 1997; Singleton, 1999). This chapter of the book will follow up on the information in these publications and highlight ten key issues which must be taken into account when designing vocabulary research. They are outlined below and have direct implications for the discussion of methodology in the following chapters of the book. I will then identify a number of important vocabulary issues about which we do not yet have much knowledge, and how these gaps affect lexical research.¹