A Study Of Triangulation-based Empirical Research In Language Teaching

Triangulation is a strategy which guides data collection and analysis of a study.It is used to generate better results by involving multiple data sources or perspectives.To enrich domestic research on triangulation in language teaching,samples for the current study were selected from eight journals during the period from 2010 to 2018,including four foreign journals(TESOL Quarterly,Language Teaching,Language Teaching Research and The Modern Language Journal)and four Chinese journals(Foreign Language World,Foreign Language of China,Foreign Language Teaching and Research and Modern Foreign Languages).After a three-phase sampling,38 triangulation-based empirical studies were focused on and further studied using the method of content analysis.With the aim at examining how triangulation is conducted respectively in triangulation-based mixed methods research,qualitative research and quantitative research,it was found that both a sequential explanatory design and an embedded design were generally used for conducting triangulation in mixed methods research while the use of multi-level scales to achieve within-method triangulation was practicable in quantitative research.As for qualitative research,triangulation could be conducted by collecting data from multiple sources,involving different sets of participants during data collection or engaging participants/another investigator in the phase of interpretation.Providing feasible schemes for conducting empirical research,the current study is expected to contribute to an improved understanding of pedagogic practice and shed some light on the conduction of empirical research in language teaching.