ABSTRACT
Case study research has played a crucial role in the development of the field of applied linguistics, especially in the subdomains of second language (L2) acquisition, L2 writing, L2 teacher development and identity, transnationalism and multilingualism, and (L2) academic discourse socialization, among other areas. This chapter documents how and why case studies in our field have evolved in recent decades and the implications of such changes for contemporary case study research. Examples of recent case studies drawn from the broad field of second language studies illustrate such changes as well as enduring, core features and advantages of this methodological and rhetorical approach to research and scholarship. In addition, the chapter provides recommendations for researchers wishing to conduct case study research either on its own or in conjunction with other approaches, and criteria by which case study research can be assessed.
