The document summarizes key concepts in research methods in applied linguistics. It discusses sources of knowledge such as sensory experience, expert opinion, deductive and inductive logic. It also outlines the scientific method including positivism, logical positivism, and post-positivism. Finally, it defines research as a systematic process used to increase understanding through posing a question, collecting data to answer it, and presenting an answer.

1. Research Methods In Applied Linguistics
Supervisor: Prof, Fawwaz Al-Abed Al-Haq
Prepared By: Eman Al-Omari
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2. vSources of obtaining knowledge:
va. Sensory experience
vb. Expert opinion
vc. Logic:
qDeductive logic
qInductive logic
vThe scientific method:
vPositivism
vLogical positivism
vPost positivism
vThe concept of research
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3. •
Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge.
• Knowledge:. It refers to the body of facts and hypotheses that
enables one to understand phenomena and to solve problems. It
can range from the simplest perception of an object to the deepest
understanding of a complex phenomena.
• “A dynamic human process of justifying personal belief towards
the truth. ”
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4. sources of obtaining knowledge
•
• Sensory Experience
Expert Opinion( Authority) logic
Scientific
Method
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5. Sensory experience
• Sensory Experience (sensory knowledge):knowledge acquired through sense
perception.
• Information takes in through senses is the most immediate way of obtaining
knowledge. Experience helps human being to find solutions to the
roblems,e.g.if someone experiences a problem in a particular situation and
makes mistake in solving that problem,it is very unlikely that the same
problem will be made by the same person in later exposure to the same
problems .Appealing to persnal experience is a useful method of adding to
man`s existing knowledge.
•
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6. • --knowledge is grounded in
observable "facts" and is thus
termed objective
• 2) --claims of knowledge may be
tested and criticized by others
relatively easily
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7. vAll phenomena are not easily observable
v-our senses have limits (e.g., human hearing differs from that of other animals)
and can at times mislead us (e.g., optical illusions)
v observable data takes on meaning by the way that it is organized and interpreted,
and such organization may introduce bias
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Some Major Disadvantages

8. Expert opinion(authority)
• AUTHORITY: established belief based on prominence or
importance of source.
• knowledge via authority : Knowledge gained from
those viewed as authority figures. We may have
gained much of our own knowledge through authority figures.
• accepting the word of an authority figure may be a reliable and
valid means of gaining knowledge
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9. • Beliefs inherited by tradition with authority combine to form a source of
obtaining knowledge. Most people un consciously accept the traditions of their
culture along with beliefs and statements originating from it.
• it utilizes the wisdom of "great" people and
traditions .
• many " " are recognized as such
because they have been time-tested through some
social process of validation
• utilizing authorities can conserve our own effort
authorities
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10. Some Major Disadvantages
• a.Authorities Can Be Wrong
b.Authority Is Sometimes Largely Justa Function of The Popularity Or Political
Power Of a Person Or Tradition
c.Deference To Authorities Can Hinder Our Own Critical Judgment Or Cause Us
To Discount Our Own Wisdom.
• Not empirical or logical; authority figures may not be an expert in the area. Even
the best and most competent authority can not posses all the truth. The nature of
this kind of knowledge is somewhat subjective .Accepting an authority without
doubting values of the statements is not appreciated by modern research.
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11. • Logic (from the Ancient Greek: logikḗ originally meaning "the
word" or "what is spoken", but coming to mean "thought" or
"reason", is generally held to consist of the systematic study of
the form of valid inference. A valid inference is one where there is a
specific relation of logical support between the assumptions of the
inference and its conclusion.
•
•
Logic
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12. • -1)Itdoes not depend upon the limits of
sensory observation
• 2) It is checked by rules of logic and
internal consistency
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13. Some Major Disadvantages
• --logical arguments may hide logical
fallacies and rhetorical conceits
what at first may seem "logical" may turn
out to be merely social/cultural convention
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14. Deductive and Inductive logic
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15. • Major premise
• Minor premise
• logical conclusion
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Joe is a man
Joe is mortal
( If the first two statements are true, then the conclusion must be true).

16. • Deductive logic could not always provide valid conclusions.
• Only man can talk
• No woman is a man
• No woman can talk
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17. • Inductive logic
• In the process of induction, you begin with some data, and
then determine what general conclusion(s) can logically be
derived from those data.
• The origin of inductive approach is attributed to Frances
Bacon .He believed that in order to come up with sound
conclusions, one must observe many detailed facts ,put the
facts together and eventually draw a general conclusion.
• Enumeration: all instances of a phenomenon are simply
observed ,counted, and a conclusion is then drawn.
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18. Inductive logic
My last year's math teacher
is awesome
My math teacher of
this year is awesome
Therefore all GR math
teachers are awesome
Special case
General principle
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General
principle
Special
case
Deductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning

20. • Deduction and induction by themselves are inadequate to make a
compelling argument. While deduction gives absolute proof, it never
makes contact with the real world, there is no place for observation or
experimentation, no way to test the validity of the premises. And,
while induction is driven by observation, it never approaches actual
proof of a theory.
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21. • Traditional techniques Scientific Method
• The first development came from philosophers of science who argued
that a scientific field progresses cumulatively within an agreed-upon
paradigm.
• Philosophers argued that a subject can only be called a science if there is
an agreed (a global) theory.
•
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24. •
Positivism believes that objective inferences and
conclusions can be reached as long as the person
doing the observation is objective and disregards
his/ her emotions. However, human behavior
naturally comes with emotional responses. Although
positivism encourages researchers to disregard
human emotion and behavior, there is no guarantee
that this will occur at all times during studies.
• positivists believe everything can be measured and
calculated, they tend to be inflexible.6/3/2018

25. • Logical positivism : a theory of knowledge which asserted that only
statements verifiable through empirical observation are cognitively
meaningful.
• Asystem of philosophy that excludes everything from its considration
except natural phenomena .
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26. Verifiability principle
• Verifiability principle states that something is meaningful if and
only if it can be observed by human senses. This implies that
what is claimed through human knowledge will not be
meaningful unless it can be verified through direct observation of
the world.
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27. •
• Is a metatheoretical stance that critiques and amends
positivism. While positivists believe that the researcher
and the researched person are independent of each
other, postpositivists accept that theories, background,
knowledge and values of the researcher can influence
what is observed.
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The scientific method is a body of techniques for
investigating phenomena, acquiring new
knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous
knowledg.consisting in systematic observation,
measurement, and experiment, and the
formulation, testing, and modification of
hypotheses.

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30. The concpt of Research
vResearch is the formal, systematic(a researcher should employ a
structured procedure) ,and intensive process of carrying out a scientific
activity.
v Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information
to increase our understanding of a topic or issue . It consists of three
steps: pose a question, collect data to answer the question, and present
an answer to the question.
vA systematic approach to answering questions.
A research
begins with a
question
•
• And end with an answer
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