Experimental Linguistics: General Principles
Christelle Gillioz, Sandrine Zufferey · 2020
The experimental methodology in linguistics is part of a scientific approach for studying language. This chapter outlines the foundations of the experimental methodology and its main features. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this type of methodology, as well as the main arguments in favor of its use in the field of linguistics. The chapter describes in more detail the various characteristics of experimental research. It stresses the fact that experimental research must be based on a research question that makes it possible to formulate precise hypotheses. The chapter then shows that in order to empirically assess a hypothesis, an experimental study must manipulate variables of interest while controlling other variables, which may influence the outcome of the experiment. It also discusses some methodological aspects of data collection, so that they can be analyzed through the use of statistics.