L2 Writing and Vocabulary Development

This chapter explores the relationship between writing and vocabulary learning. The primary focus of the chapter is on the ways in which writing samples have been used to indicate a writer's productive lexical proficiency. The use of writing as a site for vocabulary learning is also discussed. The chapter includes a critical discussion of the measurement of lexical diversity, lexical sophistication, and the use of collocations in learner writing. Historical perspectives, current research contributions, and future directions in these areas are outlined. For those interested in conducting research in this area, the relative advantages and disadvantages of common research designs and analysis tools are also outlined.