ABSTRACT
In Data Collection in Sociolinguistics: Methods and Applications, we have explored a primary aim of sociolinguistics: to create and refine methods for the collection of data that reflect spoken and written language in use. As the contributors to this volume have suggested, research is only as solid as the data on which it is built, as sociolinguistic analysis and application depend on the valid and reliable collection of sociolinguistic data. The chapters and vignettes give important texture and insight into the many processes that are often involved in sociolinguistic data collection, from research design and ethical considerations to selecting appropriate methods, establishing archives, and sharing data with communities and other publics.
