Moving beyond the baseline: Exploring the potential of experiments in language research

This chapter provides a narrower focus, i.e. analyzing the use of experimental designs in language research in International Management. It uses the term language research to mean language research in International Management. The chapter reviews the present use of experimental design in language research and provides some explanations as to why experiments are rarely used. Using this information as the baseline for the present application of experimental methods in language research, it illustrates how the method can be applied more broadly to advance research in the field. The chapter discusses the pros and cons of using students as a sample and its implications for International Management and language research. It outlines the key choices that need to be made in experimental design: student samples vs. mixed samples, between-subject vs. within-subject design, single vs. multiple studies and manipulation techniques.