ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the techniques used in experimental pragmatics to elicit production, perception, and comprehension data that are reliable and valid to a degree. It describes methods used to elicit pragmatic data through structured interviews, followed by production instruments, methods that elicit pragmatic perception, and methods of evaluating pragmatic language comprehension, including electrophysiological methods. The chapter discusses issues of validity and reliability and the importance of appropriately matching tasks and measurements to research questions. It also describes two instruments that elicit production data under controlled conditions, written discourse completion tasks (WDCTs) and role plays, both of which elicit simulated data under controlled experimental conditions. The chapter also examines two types of introspection methods: think-aloud protocols and retrospective verbal reports in speech act research. Written multiple-choice completion tasks (WMCTs) aim to measure pragmatic knowledge comprehension. In pragmatics research, elicited data are often used to assess or measure a particular aspect of pragmatic knowledge.
