From research to research synthesis in CALL

Any research study can only be fully appreciated once it is situated in relation to existing work. This is no mean feat, however, given the sheer quantity and variety of publications to date. Simply relying on one’s background and experience as an expert in the field, coupled with a few internet searches and following up individual references, is likely to lead to a very partial view. This paper argues the need for greater rigour (via meta-analytic and other types of syntheses) to gain a broader, deeper and more balanced understanding of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL).