Research synthesis is a discrete type of literature review which systematically summarises existing empirical evidence on a selected topic. It is widely practised in such disciplines and fields as medicine, healthcare, social sciences where aggregated research evidence and evidence-based practices are much needed. In applied linguistics, there has been an increasing interest in not only traditional literature reviews (e.g., narrative reviews) but also systematic research synthesis (e.g., qualitative research synthesis, meta-analysis). Specifically, the systematic family of research synthesis has been increasingly placed under the limelight in applied linguistics research in recent years, especially those which aggregate quantitative research findings (i.e., meta-analyses). Because of its substantive nature, research synthesis is usually widely read and cited, and therefore influential. For this reason, it is crucial to promote research synthesis to both researchers and practitioners regarding its production and consumption.
The impetus for conducting this seminar is a response to the thriving interest in research synthesis in applied linguistics. By bringing together researchers, synthesists, and practitioners in the field, this seminar aims to develop a community of practice for research synthesis both informally (by socialising and attending workshops) and formally (by announcing and discussing the plan to propose a new Research Synthesis SIG in BAAL). Another important objective of this seminar is to promote research synthesis to both researchers and teaching professionals. It is a common belief that research synthesis is mostly read by researchers as background work to inform their own research endeavours; nevertheless, a very important element of this seminar is to demonstrate the value of research syntheses to inform pedagogical decisions, for example, showcasing how research synthesis can elevate the research-pedagogy dialogue, that is, how teachers can utilise evidence-based pedagogies reported in research syntheses. Finally, a distinct feature of this seminar is our collaboration with another research centre which specialises in research synthesis in education and social sciences, Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), University College London. Through the involvement of EPPI-Centre as a featured presenter, this seminar strives to foster an interdisciplinary partnership with other academic disciplines to further develop and promote research synthesis practices in our own field.
Keynote and Featured Speakers
Dr Luke Plonsky
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Dr Talia Isaacs
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Dr Melissa Bond
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