Issues with pedagogical implications in applied linguistics research: A mixed-methods systematic evaluation

Abstract

Applied linguists often aim to conduct research with implications for practitioners (widely construed), but only recently has a research agenda emerged which empirically investigates whether this aim is being regularly met (see Sato, 2023). While multiple survey studies (e.g., Marsden & Kasprowicz, 2017; Sato et al., 2021) have made important contributions to this literature, no study has systematically examined how researchers offer implications to intended practitioner audiences. To explore this topic, we conducted a systematic analysis of 118 empirical studies published in TESOL Quarterly. We developed highly reliable scales (avg. IRR = 0.88) to assess the quantity, salience, and quality of pedagogical implications (PIs). Qualitative genre analysis further allowed us to synthesize the features of highly informative PIs. Based on these findings, we offer concrete recommendations for maximizing PI quality for researchers, editors, and reviewers.