Abstract :
I begin this professional reflection on my forty years in applied linguistics with a bit of background information to help put my professional development into perspective. I then write, more or less chronologically, about my experiences with language testing research, quantitative research methods, curriculum and program evaluation, shifting interests in research methods, and expanding research topics. I end by reflecting on three lessons that I have learned over the years: first, people have played a very important role at all stages of my career (i.e., nobody succeeds without help); second, we all tend to stereotype and pigeonhole each other professionally, but it would be wiser to recognize that people in our field are multidimensional and likely to continue learning and changing throughout their careers; and third, the field of applied linguistics is constantly shifting, changing, and growing. Most importantly, I have enjoyed every minute of my ride through applied linguistics. Isnʹt that the point?
