Assessing second language vocabulary knowledge: Depth versus breadth (1996)

Wesche, M. & Paribakht, T.S. (1996). Assessing second language vocabulary knowledge: Depth versus breadth. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 53 (1), 13-40.

Abstract

Provides a detailed analysis of techniques used for second language vocabulary assessment and the implied assumptions about the underlying construct of vocabulary knowledge. The article notes that existing measures of vocabulary size are uninformative as to the depth of knowledge that learners have about particular words. (56 references) (Author/CK)