Introspective Verbal Reports: Think-Alouds and Stimulated Recall

Verbal reports (think-alouds and stimulated recalls) have been used in first and second language research for decades by researchers of various theoretical orientations to gather data about learners’ thought processes. Despite their widespread use, there has been controversy surrounding their validity, which hinges on (1) whether verbalizing alters thought processes (reactivity) and (2) whether verbalizations are an accurate reflection of thoughts (veridicality). This chapter provides an overview of the use of verbal reports and synthesizes research that has examined their validity, finding them to be valid, if implemented appropriately. The chapter includes a concise guide to the proper use of verbal reports in language research, from data collection to analysis, concluding with a discussion of the method’s limitations and possible triangulation with other data sources.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA Melissa A. Bowles

1. Melissa A. Bowles

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Editors and Affiliations

1. Sydney School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia Aek Phakiti
2. Department of Linguistics, Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA Peter De Costa
3. Applied Linguistics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA Luke Plonsky
4. School of Education, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia Sue Starfield

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Bowles, M.A. (2018). Introspective Verbal Reports: Think-Alouds and Stimulated Recall. In: Phakiti, A., De Costa, P., Plonsky, L., Starfield, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Applied Linguistics Research Methodology. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59900-1_16

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