ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the reader to some of the historical background of judgments as well as some of the current controversies within the field of linguistics, where the methodology originated. In so doing, the chapter presents an overview of the role of judgment data in linguistic research, chronicling the use of judgments within different linguistic theories. Differing terminological conventions are described, and rationales are presented for and against the use of judgments in supporting linguistic theoretical perspectives. These discussions cover the usefulness, reliability, and rigor of judgments. The question of what judgments actually reflect focuses on issues of gradience of linguistic data, variables that are introduced with different participant groups, and confounding variables that might interfere with the validity of judgment data. Within this latter category are included issues of memory and education level.
