This paper considers the problem of coherence and direction in CALL research. Rather than suggesting a top-down approach to setting goals for research, it argues for a much closer examination and a much stronger emphasis on existing CALL research work as a platform for directing and informing future CALL work. Based on a corpus of 47 CALL research articles published in books and journals in 1999, it sets out a framework for the description and analysis of CALL research as it is represented in the literature. Two major directions and three important, though less frequent, directions are described in detail, using examples from the corpus, and the implications for research in the future are considered. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying the goals of CALL researchers and on clarifying the unique attributes of research in this field.