Second Language Writing Research: Perspectives on the Process of Knowledge Construction

SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING RESEARCH: PERSPECTIVES ON THE PROCESS OF KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION. Paul Kei Matsuda and Tony Silva (Eds.) . Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2005. Pp. xv + 254, $79.95 cloth, $29.95 paper. This collection of articles, edited by Matsuda and Silva, is a valuable resource for both new and established researchers in the field of second language (L2) writing. The main goal of the text is to give readers insight into the messy realities of conducting research in this area by discussing issues that are not included in introductory books on research methodology. The volume is divided into three parts: “Research as Situated Knowledge Construction,” “Conceptualizing L2 Writing Research,” and “Collecting and Analyzing Data.”