Vignette Methodology

Abstract

The chapter offers an overview of vignette methodology, reviews existing research on vignettes both in the broad educational realm and in applied linguistics, and suggests ways and topics that could be studied through the vignette methodology. Vignettes are frequently defined as text-based, visual-based, or video-based descriptive instances representing specific situations to elicit data from participants. These episodes could include people, situations, or events. Vignettes enable researchers to mine information through carefully-crafted episodes and optionally designed follow-up interviews, which pave the way for effective elicitation of participants' beliefs, emotions, judgements, attitudes, or values. It could be stated that vignette methodology enables researchers to find the interpretive links between theory and practice. It is suggested that the vignette methodology offers a viable solution in cases where it is hard to come across or re-create the exemplary situations in real life.