Unmasking Inconsistency: A Methodological Systematic Review of Relative Clause Ambiguity Research

Articles in Press

Document Type : Article Reviews

Authors

University of Tehran

Abstract

Research on relative clause (RC) ambiguity resolution in first and second language contexts has produced conflicting results, with some studies indicating a preference for high attachment, others favoring low attachment, and some reporting no clear preference. These mixed results in conjunction with other variables, may be due to variations in the methodological features employed across studies. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a systematic review of the methodological features of relevant offline tasks to critically evaluate how these differences may lead to conflicting results. To address this issue, a systematic methodological review was conducted analyzing 108 features of offline tasks including identification, context, materials, design, administration, data analysis, open science practices, and transparency. The results revealed significant methodological variation in the literature and a moderate mean transparency score of 59.77. These findings emphasize the need for methodological standardization and greater transparency in future research to ensure reliable and comparable results in RC ambiguity resolution research.

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Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills)

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 March 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 21 December 2024
  • Revise Date: 08 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 10 March 2025

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