Introduction to the Special Issue: Innovation in Research Methods in Applied Linguistics
This introduction provides a rationale for the papers in this special issue, establishing a link between these and last year's special issue on the subject of defining applied linguistics, and arguing the case for greater attention to be given to methodological issues in our field. Papers in the collection are briefly introduced in the context of five developments that make the publication of a collection on this topic particularly timely: the passing of existential angst, the end of the paradigm wars, the impact agenda, online opportunities, and technological advances.