Multi-factorial Studies: Populations and Linguistic Features

Abstract

It was suggested in the introduction to this volume that cumulative evidence from studies investigating populations of learners from varying linguistic backgrounds, under different learning contexts, and with a range of experimental designs is necessary in order to gain further insight into fundamental questions of bilingual development—such as whether first and second language learning are qualitatively different from each other, or whether cognitive maturation specifically and independently affects language learning. Such a meta-approach, however, is easily compromised, as what may seem to be relatively minor differences and adjustments in participant selection, data acquisition, coding and analysis may eventually make it impossible to compare the findings from one study to that of another, or lead to conflicting findings. This chapter discusses the issue of what factors characterizing the populations being tested should and can be documented. We start with a discussion of how the lack of such documentation and differences in analysis have muddied the waters in the past.