Research synthesis and meta-analysis in SSLA

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of one journal — Studies in Second Language Acquisition (SSLA) — in applying and advancing synthetic evidence and methods in the field of Applied Linguistics. In particular, we describe a comprehensive sample of synthetic research published in SSLA in terms of its frequency and substantive foci. We then consider the quality of synthetic efforts in SSLA as presented in

secondary synthesis of meta-analyses published in SSLA. We also highlight a number of methodological developments in synthetic research put forward in SSLA such as meta-analytic replication, interrater reliability estimates, methodological syntheses, adjusting meta-analytic effects for psychometric artifacts, multilevel and multivariate meta-analysis ( ), and bibliometric analyses ( ). The chapter closes with specific and actionable recommendations for advancing synthetic efforts as a means to arriving at higher validity synthetic evidence for all of Applied Linguistics.