The Handbook of Applied Linguistics is a collection of over 30 newly commissioned articles that provide a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the field of Applied Linguistics. The handbook is divided in parts that demonstrate the two main approaches to the field: applications of linguistics (sometimes called linguistics applied or LA) to real world language data with the purpose of further understanding language and evaluating linguistic theory; and the problem-based approach (known as applied linguistics or AL) that investigates real world language with the purpose of understanding language use and ameliorating social problems.

The handbook presents applied linguistics as an independent and coherent discipline that seeks to unify practical experience and theoretical understanding of language development and language in use, and is a valuable resource for students and researchers in applied linguistics, language teaching and second language acquisition.