The Cambridge Introduction to Applied Linguistics

Written by a global team, this up-to-date introduction to applied linguistics helps students learn what it's like to do applied linguistics, and not just read about theoretical concepts. First, it provides frameworks for understanding both the shared characteristics of work in applied linguistics and the diversity of topics and analyses. Each chapter then highlights a topic area, covering key concepts, a specific project undertaken by the authors, and their personal reflections on entering the field. Hands-on analysis and other application activities also encourage students to test different skills related to each chapter. Finally, students are introduced to the tools they need to continue in applied linguistics: how to read and write empirical research, how to evaluate primary literature, and starting points for expanding their interest in specific subject areas. The authors provide examples from different geographical regions and languages to engage an international audience. At the same time, multilingualism, interdisciplinarity, and technology are integrated as themes within the text to reflect how these areas are now interwoven throughout applied linguistics.

About the Authors

Susan Conrad is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. The co-author of several books, she has given seminars in Europe, South America, Asia, the Pacific, and North America. As head of the Civil Engineering Writing Project, she coordinates engineers and applied linguists working to improve student writing; the work has won two awards from the American Society for Engineering Education.

Alissa J. Hartig is Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics at Portland State University, where she teaches an introduction to applied linguistics. She has taught English to speakers of other languages in Guinea, Mexico, and South Korea, and her interdisciplinary work in law and chemistry frequently involves translating concepts from applied linguistics into terms that are accessible to those outside of the field.

Lynn Santelmann is Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. Her work has a cross-linguistic dimension, such as teaching and conducting research in Sweden and Germany. She has interdisciplinary training in theoretical linguistics, cognitive science, and psychology, and her research interests include the acquisition of language in a variety of contexts, from first language acquisition to acquiring academic language.