Some trends in vocabulary research: A discussion of three papers presented at the JALT Vocabulary SIG

Abstract

The Japanese context is a particularly rich area for a wide range of vocabulary research. I was therefore quite honored (and humbled) to be asked to serve as one of the discussants for the 2022 JALT Vocabulary SIG. The morning session of the Fall 2022 Vocabulary SIG included three papers that represent a range of topics that are common in vocabulary research. The first study (Eguchi, 2022) represents recent research on multivariate approaches to lexical sophistication, and highlights the importance of index selection, statistical choices, and the consideration of register when interpreting results. The second study (Al-Hoorie et al., 2022) highlights the wealth of vocabulary learning research that has been conducted in the last 30 years through a scoping review of research syntheses. The third study (Canning et al., 2022) represents an evaluation of one aspect of a substantive validity argument for a well-known receptive vocabulary knowledge test. The study highlights the idea that validity arguments are multi-faceted and that the evaluation of the validity of an assessment is an iterative, context-specific process, and is not represented by a one-time, one-size-fits-all study. Below, a brief summary of each study is provided, highlighting the particularly admirable qualities of each followed by suggestions for future research.