Implementing the map task in applied linguistics research: What, how, and why

The “map task” is an interactive, goal-driven, real-time conversational task used to elicit semi-controlled natural language production data. We present recommendations for creating a bespoke map task that can be tailored to individual research projects and administered online using a chat interface. As proof of concept, we present a case study exemplifying our own implementation, designed to elicit informal written communication in either English or Spanish. Eight experimental maps were created, manipulating linguistic factors including lexical frequency, cognate status, and semantic ambiguity. Participants (N = 40) completed the task in pairs and took turns (i) providing directions based on a pre-traced route, or (ii) following directions to draw the route on an empty map. Computational measures of image similarity (e.g., structural similarity index) between pre-traced and participant-traced routes showed that participants completed the task successfully; we describe use of this method for measuring task success quantitatively. We also provide a comparative analysis of the language elicited in English and Spanish. The most frequently used words were roughly equivalent in both languages, encompassing primarily commands and items on the maps. Similarly, abbreviations, swear words, and slang present in both datasets indicated that the task successfully elicited informal communication. Interestingly, Spanish turns were longer and displayed a wider range of morphologically complex forms. English, conversely, displayed strategies mostly absent in Spanish, such as the use of cardinal directions as a communicative strategy. We consider the online map task as a promising method for examining a variety of phenomena in applied linguistics research.