Daniel R Isbell
Datos Biográficos
| ID | 2319441 |
|---|---|
| NOMBRE | Daniel R Isbell |
| NOMBRES | Daniel R |
| APELLIDO | Isbell |
| FIRMA | ISBELL D R |
| AFILIACIONES | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5850-8809 |
| VERIFICADO | Sí |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 29 |
| TOTAL DE CITAS | 29 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 29 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2017 |
| AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 4 |
An Update to Methods Showcase Articles in Language Learning
This editorial introduces an update to the Language Learning Methods Showcase Article (MSA) type. Specifically, the MSA type now welcomes submissions that describe and demonstrate the utility of data resources as well as empirical studies that investigate the validity of new or existing instruments and analytical techniques. A rationale for these changes is given, and some commentary on criteria for evaluating submissions of articles focused on d…
A survey of English language proficiency tests in international student admissions at US research-intensive universities
Over one million international students are enrolled in US higher education institutions. To be admitted into one of these degree-granting institutions, international students must demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency (ELP)–often with a test score. Previous research on ELP tests has shed light on how scores correlate with academic success and how institutions make decisions about minimum required scores, but the extent to which US …
Diagnostic Assessment
Distinct from other types of language assessments, diagnostic assessment has a primary focus on identifying learner strengths and weaknesses for the purpose of informing subsequent instruction or other types of learning activity. Diagnostic assessments may be based on theory‐driven constructs of language ability or language curricula, but in either case, the provision of detailed feedback in the form of multiple test scores or verbal descriptions…
Pronunciation in Classroom‐Based Assessment
In classroom‐based assessment, a clear link between what is taught and what is assessed is paramount. When pronunciation is an instructional focus, it is natural for pronunciation to be featured in classroom assessments. Classroom‐based pronunciation assessments can focus on global qualities of pronunciation, such as comprehensibility, or specific pronunciation features, such as individual segments and suprasegmental aspects. In either case, the …
Comparing Two Related Samples
Comparing two related samples, where data of an outcome variable are paired, is a common task for applied linguistics researchers, such as when seeking to compare pretest and posttest scores among a single group in a (quasi‐)experimental research design or when pairs of individuals have been matched on some variable of interest before (random) group assignment. Of interest in such cases is the difference between values for each pair of observatio…
Relationships between English proficiency test scores and academic outcomes
This study examined the relationships between English language proficiency (ELP) test scores and academic success at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) and considered whether academic outcomes differed for students who entered on the basis of different tests. Building on Isaacs et al. (2023), this study notably includes data on the use of Duolingo English Test (DET) in admissions decisions. More broadly, it fills a gap by examining outcomes…
Intelligibility and comprehensibility across Aptis Speaking tasks
Current Aptis Speaking rubrics reflect Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) Phonological Control descriptors, which were revised in 2018 to better emphasize the intelligibility of second language (L2) speech. The present study investigates the validity of Aptis Speaking scores and related CEFR-based interpretations by comparing official Aptis Speaking scores to laypersons’ assessments of intelligibility, a measure of accuracy of understa…
The relationship between intelligibility and comprehensibility in second language speech
This study examined the relationship between intelligibility and comprehensibility in second language speech. Four extended speech samples from 50 speakers spanning a wide range of proficiency were drawn from archived test data. These samples were listened to by 570 English users, who provided comprehensibility ratings and transcriptions to measure intelligibility. The relationship between intelligibility and comprehensibility was strong ( r = .8…
The influence of Cefr in South Korea’s 2022 National English Curriculum
While the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages was originally developed for the European context, its influence has extended to other regions. The present paper highlights this growing influence by reporting on revisions to grammar in South Korea’s National English Curriculum based on CEFR criteria and the related CEFR-based English Grammar Profile resource. Specifically focusing on Appendix 4 of the 2015 curriculum, which …
A comparison of lab- and web-based elicited imitation
Elicited imitation (EI) tasks are a practical tool for measuring second language (L2) knowledge and skills. In this study, we implemented a web-based EI task that measures English morphosyntactic knowledge and compared its measurement properties to a traditional laboratory-based EI. A cohort of 149 L2 English learners engaged in the web-based EI task, and 151 participants completed a traditional lab-based EI counterpart. Correlation analyses reve…
Speaking performances, stakeholder perceptions, and test scores
The extrapolation of test scores to a target domain—that is, association between test performances and relevant real-world outcomes—is critical to valid score interpretation and use. This study examined the relationship between Duolingo English Test (DET) speaking scores and university stakeholders’ evaluation of DET speaking performances. A total of 190 university stakeholders (45 faculty members, 39 administrative staff, 53 graduate students, 5…
Open Science and the next generation of language testing research
Open Science practices in language assessment
Making each point count
In this Brief Report, we describe an evaluation of and revisions to a rubric adapted from the Jacobs et al.’s (1981) ESL COMPOSITION PROFILE, with four rubric categories and 20-point rating scales, in the context of an intensive English program writing placement test. Analysis of 4 years of rating data (2016–2021, including 434 essays) using many-facet Rasch measurement demonstrated that the 20-point rating scales of the Jacobs et al. rubric func…
Linguistic influences on comprehensibility and accentedness in second language Korean speech
A considerable body of research has investigated the influence of linguistic variables on comprehensibility and accentedness in L2 speech. However, studies on this topic have overwhelmingly focused on L2 English, with little known about other L2s. This study investigated linguistic influences on accentedness and comprehensibility in L2 Korean. Participants included 198 L2 Korean speakers of varying proficiency levels and L1 and 82 L1 Korean liste…
Second language speech comprehensibility
Interest in second language (L2) speech comprehensibility, or listeners’ perceived ease or difficulty of understanding a given utterance, has seen continual growth since Munro and Derwing's (1995) seminal publication in Language Learning . While recognizing the body of knowledge that has developed in the 25 plus years since Munro and Derwing's study, in the present paper we look to the future as we consider what an active and informative research…
Open science
Open science (OS; also known as “open research” and “open scholarship”) refers to various practices to make scientific knowledge openly available, accessible, and reusable. The core purpose of such practices is to open the process of scientific knowledge creation, evaluation, and communication to societal actors within and beyond the traditional scientific community (UNESCO, 2021). Looking across the different areas within TESOL and applied lingu…
Revisiting US Undergraduate Perceptions of Non-native English Varieties
As the global importance of English and its proportion of non-native speakers have continued to grow, research on Global Englishes has prioritized non-native speakers’ changing attitudes toward non-native varieties. To investigate changes in attitudes among ‘Inner Circle’ English speakers, we conceptually replicated Lindemann’s (2005) survey of Millennial US undergraduates’ attitudes toward global English varieties with a sample of Generation Z u…
Discussions on the past, present, and future of quantitative research ethics in applied linguistics
An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the 'Save PDF' action button
Measurement Properties of a Standardized Elicited Imitation Test
Elicited Imitation Tests (EITs) are commonly used in second language acquisition (SLA)/bilingualism research contexts to assess the general oral proficiency of study participants. While previous studies have provided valuable EIT construct-related validity evidence, some key gaps remain. This study uses an integrative data analysis to further probe the validity of the Korean EIT score interpretations by examining the performances of 318 Korean le…
Misconduct and Questionable Research Practices
Scientific progress depends on the integrity of data and research findings. Intentionally distorting research data and findings constitutes scientific misconduct and introduces falsehoods into the scientific record. Unintentional distortions arising from questionable research practices (QRPs), such as unsystematically deleting outliers, pose similar obstacles to knowledge advancement. To investigate the extent of misconduct and QRPs in quantitati…
Self-Assessment of Comprehensibility and Accentedness in Second Language Korean
This study investigated L2 Korean speakers' self-assessment of speech comprehensibility and accentedness, including a conceptual replication of Trofimovich, Isaacs, Kennedy, Saito, and Crowther (2016, Experiment 1) and exploratory analyses of individual differences in self-assessment. L2 Korean speakers (N = 198) self-assessed their comprehensibility and accentedness using 9-point scales, rated their satisfaction with their pronunciation and the …
Conducting a Netnography in Second Language Acquisition Research
In this Methods Showcase Article, we highlight a qualitative research methodology called netnography, an adaptation of ethnography and ethnographic methods applied to researching digital/online communities. We briefly discuss how netnography has evolved from its origins in the fields of consumer research and marketing to its more recent applications in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) for exploring phenomena related to online langua…
Test Review
Administration of high-stakes language proficiency tests has been disrupted in many parts of the world as a result of the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic. Institutions that rely on test scores have been forced to adapt, and in many cases this means using scores from a different test, or a new online version of an existing test, that can be taken at home. The switch to accepting at-home proficiency tests for high-stakes decisions raises many conce…
The effectiveness of app‐based language instruction for developing receptive linguistic knowledge and oral communicative ability
Hundreds of millions of language learners around the globe study a second language with popular apps such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Busuu, and Babbel. This study examined the effectiveness of one app, Babbel, for developing both receptive linguistic knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, as well as oral communicative ability in Spanish as a second language. Fifty‐four English speakers not enrolled in Spanish classes studied Spanish on Babbel over…
The effectiveness of app‐based language instruction for developing receptive linguistic knowledge and oral communicative ability
Hundreds of millions of language learners around the globe study a second language with popular apps such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Busuu, and Babbel. This study examined the effectiveness of one app, Babbel, for developing both receptive linguistic knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, as well as oral communicative ability in Spanish as a second language. Fifty‐four English speakers not enrolled in Spanish classes studied Spanish on Babbel over…
Self-Assessment of Comprehensibility and Accentedness in Second Language Korean
This study investigated L2 Korean speakers' self-assessment of speech comprehensibility and accentedness, including a conceptual replication of Trofimovich, Isaacs, Kennedy, Saito, and Crowther (2016, Experiment 1) and exploratory analyses of individual differences in self-assessment. L2 Korean speakers (N = 198) self-assessed their comprehensibility and accentedness using 9-point scales, rated their satisfaction with their pronunciation and the …
Conducting a Netnography in Second Language Acquisition Research
In this Methods Showcase Article, we highlight a qualitative research methodology called netnography, an adaptation of ethnography and ethnographic methods applied to researching digital/online communities. We briefly discuss how netnography has evolved from its origins in the fields of consumer research and marketing to its more recent applications in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) for exploring phenomena related to online langua…
Narrative Perspectives on Self-Directed Foreign Language Learning in a Computer- and Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Context
Millions of learners around the world use self-directed computer- and mobile-assisted language learning (CALL, MALL) programs to study foreign languages. One such program, Duolingo, currently attracts over 120 million users and is claimed (by the publisher) to be a highly effective method of language learning. While L2 researchers have shown limited engagement with similar large-scale commercial programs, issues related to learner persistence, mo…
Open science
Open science (OS; also known as “open research” and “open scholarship”) refers to various practices to make scientific knowledge openly available, accessible, and reusable. The core purpose of such practices is to open the process of scientific knowledge creation, evaluation, and communication to societal actors within and beyond the traditional scientific community (UNESCO, 2021). Looking across the different areas within TESOL and applied lingu…
Second language speech comprehensibility
Interest in second language (L2) speech comprehensibility, or listeners’ perceived ease or difficulty of understanding a given utterance, has seen continual growth since Munro and Derwing's (1995) seminal publication in Language Learning . While recognizing the body of knowledge that has developed in the 25 plus years since Munro and Derwing's study, in the present paper we look to the future as we consider what an active and informative research…
Discussions on the past, present, and future of quantitative research ethics in applied linguistics
An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the 'Save PDF' action button
Equating in small-scale language testing programs
Language programs need multiple test forms for secure administrations and effective placement decisions, but can they have confidence that scores on alternate test forms have the same meaning? In large-scale testing programs, various equating methods are available to ensure the comparability of forms. The choice of equating method is informed by estimates of quality, namely the method with the least error as defined by random error, systematic er…
Narrative Perspectives on Self-Directed Foreign Language Learning in a Computer- and Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Context
Millions of learners around the world use self-directed computer- and mobile-assisted language learning (CALL, MALL) programs to study foreign languages. One such program, Duolingo, currently attracts over 120 million users and is claimed (by the publisher) to be a highly effective method of language learning. While L2 researchers have shown limited engagement with similar large-scale commercial programs, issues related to learner persistence, mo…
ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview – computer (OPIc)
Using the ACTFL OPIc to assess proficiency and monitor progress in a tertiary foreign languages program
Language tests are useful for many purposes, including monitoring language learning progress and evaluating language programs. This study investigated the interpretations and usefulness of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview – Computer (OPIc) scores across four languages at a large US public university, focusing on (1) the influence of learner backgrounds on oral proficiency variation and g…
Test Review
Administration of high-stakes language proficiency tests has been disrupted in many parts of the world as a result of the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic. Institutions that rely on test scores have been forced to adapt, and in many cases this means using scores from a different test, or a new online version of an existing test, that can be taken at home. The switch to accepting at-home proficiency tests for high-stakes decisions raises many conce…
The effectiveness of app‐based language instruction for developing receptive linguistic knowledge and oral communicative ability
Hundreds of millions of language learners around the globe study a second language with popular apps such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Busuu, and Babbel. This study examined the effectiveness of one app, Babbel, for developing both receptive linguistic knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, as well as oral communicative ability in Spanish as a second language. Fifty‐four English speakers not enrolled in Spanish classes studied Spanish on Babbel over…
Conducting a Netnography in Second Language Acquisition Research
In this Methods Showcase Article, we highlight a qualitative research methodology called netnography, an adaptation of ethnography and ethnographic methods applied to researching digital/online communities. We briefly discuss how netnography has evolved from its origins in the fields of consumer research and marketing to its more recent applications in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) for exploring phenomena related to online langua…
Measurement Properties of a Standardized Elicited Imitation Test
Elicited Imitation Tests (EITs) are commonly used in second language acquisition (SLA)/bilingualism research contexts to assess the general oral proficiency of study participants. While previous studies have provided valuable EIT construct-related validity evidence, some key gaps remain. This study uses an integrative data analysis to further probe the validity of the Korean EIT score interpretations by examining the performances of 318 Korean le…
Misconduct and Questionable Research Practices
Scientific progress depends on the integrity of data and research findings. Intentionally distorting research data and findings constitutes scientific misconduct and introduces falsehoods into the scientific record. Unintentional distortions arising from questionable research practices (QRPs), such as unsystematically deleting outliers, pose similar obstacles to knowledge advancement. To investigate the extent of misconduct and QRPs in quantitati…
Self-Assessment of Comprehensibility and Accentedness in Second Language Korean
This study investigated L2 Korean speakers' self-assessment of speech comprehensibility and accentedness, including a conceptual replication of Trofimovich, Isaacs, Kennedy, Saito, and Crowther (2016, Experiment 1) and exploratory analyses of individual differences in self-assessment. L2 Korean speakers (N = 198) self-assessed their comprehensibility and accentedness using 9-point scales, rated their satisfaction with their pronunciation and the …
Revisiting US Undergraduate Perceptions of Non-native English Varieties
As the global importance of English and its proportion of non-native speakers have continued to grow, research on Global Englishes has prioritized non-native speakers’ changing attitudes toward non-native varieties. To investigate changes in attitudes among ‘Inner Circle’ English speakers, we conceptually replicated Lindemann’s (2005) survey of Millennial US undergraduates’ attitudes toward global English varieties with a sample of Generation Z u…
Discussions on the past, present, and future of quantitative research ethics in applied linguistics
An abstract is not available for this content. As you have access to this content, full HTML content is provided on this page. A PDF of this content is also available in through the 'Save PDF' action button
A comparison of lab- and web-based elicited imitation
Elicited imitation (EI) tasks are a practical tool for measuring second language (L2) knowledge and skills. In this study, we implemented a web-based EI task that measures English morphosyntactic knowledge and compared its measurement properties to a traditional laboratory-based EI. A cohort of 149 L2 English learners engaged in the web-based EI task, and 151 participants completed a traditional lab-based EI counterpart. Correlation analyses reve…
Speaking performances, stakeholder perceptions, and test scores
The extrapolation of test scores to a target domain—that is, association between test performances and relevant real-world outcomes—is critical to valid score interpretation and use. This study examined the relationship between Duolingo English Test (DET) speaking scores and university stakeholders’ evaluation of DET speaking performances. A total of 190 university stakeholders (45 faculty members, 39 administrative staff, 53 graduate students, 5…
Open Science and the next generation of language testing research
Open Science practices in language assessment
Making each point count
In this Brief Report, we describe an evaluation of and revisions to a rubric adapted from the Jacobs et al.’s (1981) ESL COMPOSITION PROFILE, with four rubric categories and 20-point rating scales, in the context of an intensive English program writing placement test. Analysis of 4 years of rating data (2016–2021, including 434 essays) using many-facet Rasch measurement demonstrated that the 20-point rating scales of the Jacobs et al. rubric func…
Linguistic influences on comprehensibility and accentedness in second language Korean speech
A considerable body of research has investigated the influence of linguistic variables on comprehensibility and accentedness in L2 speech. However, studies on this topic have overwhelmingly focused on L2 English, with little known about other L2s. This study investigated linguistic influences on accentedness and comprehensibility in L2 Korean. Participants included 198 L2 Korean speakers of varying proficiency levels and L1 and 82 L1 Korean liste…
Second language speech comprehensibility
Interest in second language (L2) speech comprehensibility, or listeners’ perceived ease or difficulty of understanding a given utterance, has seen continual growth since Munro and Derwing's (1995) seminal publication in Language Learning . While recognizing the body of knowledge that has developed in the 25 plus years since Munro and Derwing's study, in the present paper we look to the future as we consider what an active and informative research…
Open science
Open science (OS; also known as “open research” and “open scholarship”) refers to various practices to make scientific knowledge openly available, accessible, and reusable. The core purpose of such practices is to open the process of scientific knowledge creation, evaluation, and communication to societal actors within and beyond the traditional scientific community (UNESCO, 2021). Looking across the different areas within TESOL and applied lingu…
Diagnostic Assessment
Distinct from other types of language assessments, diagnostic assessment has a primary focus on identifying learner strengths and weaknesses for the purpose of informing subsequent instruction or other types of learning activity. Diagnostic assessments may be based on theory‐driven constructs of language ability or language curricula, but in either case, the provision of detailed feedback in the form of multiple test scores or verbal descriptions…
Pronunciation in Classroom‐Based Assessment
In classroom‐based assessment, a clear link between what is taught and what is assessed is paramount. When pronunciation is an instructional focus, it is natural for pronunciation to be featured in classroom assessments. Classroom‐based pronunciation assessments can focus on global qualities of pronunciation, such as comprehensibility, or specific pronunciation features, such as individual segments and suprasegmental aspects. In either case, the …
Comparing Two Related Samples
Comparing two related samples, where data of an outcome variable are paired, is a common task for applied linguistics researchers, such as when seeking to compare pretest and posttest scores among a single group in a (quasi‐)experimental research design or when pairs of individuals have been matched on some variable of interest before (random) group assignment. Of interest in such cases is the difference between values for each pair of observatio…
Relationships between English proficiency test scores and academic outcomes
This study examined the relationships between English language proficiency (ELP) test scores and academic success at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) and considered whether academic outcomes differed for students who entered on the basis of different tests. Building on Isaacs et al. (2023), this study notably includes data on the use of Duolingo English Test (DET) in admissions decisions. More broadly, it fills a gap by examining outcomes…
Intelligibility and comprehensibility across Aptis Speaking tasks
Current Aptis Speaking rubrics reflect Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) Phonological Control descriptors, which were revised in 2018 to better emphasize the intelligibility of second language (L2) speech. The present study investigates the validity of Aptis Speaking scores and related CEFR-based interpretations by comparing official Aptis Speaking scores to laypersons’ assessments of intelligibility, a measure of accuracy of understa…
Psychology (21 obras) · Linguistics (14 obras) · Mathematics education (13 obras) · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning (10 obras) · Language proficiency (9 obras) · Computer Science (7 obras) · Second Language Learning and Teaching (7 obras) · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies (5 obras) · Language assessment (5 obras) · Phonetics and Phonology Research (5 obras)