应用语言学研究中的混合方法:概念确立与应用领域

The Mixed Method in Applied Linguistics

本文以四个应用语言学主流英文期刊2000—2018年间发表的实证研究论文为数据,考察应用语言学研究中的混合方法现状,研究焦点在于明确使用"混合方法"概念的实证研究。研究发现,2010—2018年期间,45项实证研究明确使用了"混合方法"概念。特别是近六年以来,明确"混合方法"概念的研究达到35个,与前期研究(2003年起十年间的数据)相比,显示出应用语言学领域"混合方法"概念的确立在最近几年有了较大发展。不仅如此,应用语言学研究中出现的"混合方法"概念总体上是一个研究风格概念,是描述和定义整体研究设计和研究策略的概念;说明"混合方法"作为一种独立的研究设计和研究策略,已经开始确立于应用语言学研究中。明确使用了"混合方法"概念的45项研究可归纳于六个研究焦点,分别是学习者认知与行为研究、教师为焦点的研究、教学效果研究、测试研究、政策与课程研究、外/二语口语流利度研究。其中,学习者认知与行为、教师为焦点、教学效果的研究成为近年应用语言学研究中"混合方法"概念影响和确立的主要领域,尤以教师认知、学习者认知与行为的研究最为突出,是"混合方法"作为一种单独的、明确的、有别于其他的研究策略在应用语言学研究中确立和发展的重地。

Using as data empirical inquiries published between 2000 and 2018 in four leading journals in the field,this study investigates the status quo of mixed methods research in applied linguistics,with a focus on inquiries that distinctly use"mixed methods"or its equivalent labels.It is found that a total of 45 inquiries use the concept of mixed methods.Especially the last six years sees a good improvement in the conscious use of the concept.Moreover,the concept of mixed methods as used in applied linguistics is largely one of the style of the research,used to describe or define the overall design or strategy.This suggests that as a separate and independent research design or approach,mixed methods be begun to be established in applied linguistics.The 45 inquiries using the concept of mixed methods could be categorised into six main research foci including learner cognition and behaviours,teacher-focused inquires,instructional effects,assessment,policy and curriculum development,and second/foreign language speech fluency,with the first three domains collectively taking a proportion of over eighty percent.Teacher cognition,and learner cognition and behaviours appeare to be the areas where mixed methods as a separate and distinctive research approach or method enjoyed a particularly healthy growth.