Frequently asked questions about taking part in our research.
Are you learning Turkish, or did you grow up with Turkish at home? Below are the questions learners ask us most often. If yours is not answered here, please get in touch.
Adults learning Turkish as a second or additional language, and speakers who grew up with Turkish as a heritage language. Some of our studies also involve multilingual adults more generally.
We are adapting LexTALE — a widely used short vocabulary test — for Turkish, and we are looking at how adults learning Turkish as a third language pick up patterns and anticipate upcoming words. All current projects are listed on our Research page.
It varies. Some studies need beginners, others more advanced learners, and some compare across levels. Tell us roughly how long you have been learning and in what setting, and we will let you know what fits.
You will do language tasks on a computer — for example deciding whether something is a real Turkish word, reading or listening to sentences, or responding to sequences. Some studies use eye-tracking, where a camera below the screen records where you look. Nothing is attached to you and there are no medical procedures.
No. This is research, not assessment. Your performance has no connection to any course, teacher or institution, and no one outside the research team sees your individual results.
We share a summary of the study's overall results with participants.
Individual scores on experimental tasks are not proficiency certificates and are not meaningful on their own, so we do not report them back as an assessment of your Turkish.
This depends on the study. We will tell you in advance which language the instructions and the consent documents are in, so that you can decide whether you are comfortable taking part.
We arrange the time and place with you. Before you agree to take part, we will tell you exactly what the session involves and how long to expect.
Participation is voluntary. Some studies offer a small thank-you gift or a certificate of participation; where this applies, we will tell you when we invite you.
Your data is stored securely and kept separate from your name and contact details. Results are reported only in grouped, anonymised form in scientific publications and presentations. You are never identified.
Yes, at any point and without giving a reason — before, during or after the session. If you withdraw, we will not use your data.
Email us at contact@mcdl.edu with the languages you speak and roughly how long you have been learning Turkish, and we will get back to you about a suitable study.
