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1.
The students would spend less time reading the text in the CD condition than
in the PD condition
.
2.
Comprehension performance would be higher in the CD condition than in the
PD condition, since the CD is expected to promote better reading
comprehension scores
.
3.
The students would look up more words in the CD condition to comprehend
the text than in the PD condition
.
4.
There would be a positive correlation between the subjects’ look-up frequency
and their reading scores
.
Increased dictionary look-up frequency could induce
better understanding of the reading passages; therefore, the comprehension
scores would be higher
.
Similarly, lower look-up frequency could result in
poor understanding of the reading passages and thus the reading scores
.
5.
The students would remember words better after using PDs than using CDs;
that is, the words looked up in the PD will be better retained than those looked
up in the CD
.
6
.
Method of Investigation
To answer the aforementioned research questions and to examine the validity
of their corresponding hypotheses
,
a quasi-experimental design was adopted.
The subjects who took part in this study were 44 EFL sophomores studying at
the English Department at Mentouri Brothers University- Constantine 1, Algeria
.
9
They were assigned two reading tasks under two conditions
:
using a PD at one time
and a CD at another
.
The presentation mode of the reading tests was on computer
screen alone
.
A piece of monitoring software was installed on the subjects’ computers
in the computer laboratory to record their lookups in the CD condition, and to take
notes of the time they needed to finish the reading tasks in both conditions
.
The
recorded information was automatically saved in data files concealed in the subjects’
computers, and a paired-samples t-test was then conducted to test the research
hypotheses regarding potential differences in reading time, lookup frequency, and
degree of comprehension
.
As for the vocabulary retention variable, a pretest and posttest were
administered to the subjects in both lookup conditions (PD and CD)
.
Half of the
sample (22 students) were assigned to the PD lookup condition and the other half to
the CD lookup condition
.
However, the subjects were not forewarned that a
vocabulary retention test would be given a week later regarding the words looked up
in the pretest
.
An independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare memory for
words between the two groups
.
Detailed information about the research strategy and the way the empirical
phase was conducted to fulfill the research objectives is provided in the research
methodology chapter
.
10
7
.
Significance of the Study
The present study will hopefully benefit researchers and educators in the field
of L2 learning
.
Since dictionary use is unlikely to have been researched in the
Algerian context before, we know nothing about how learners use CDs and how CD
use might affect L2 learning in general and reading comprehension and vocabulary
learning in specific
.
In addition, given the fact that L2 learners heavily depend on dictionaries
(Fan, 2003; Gu & Johnson, 1996; Schmitt, 1997), it is necessary to find out more
about dictionary use
.
This is particularly the case especially when EFL learners
increasingly depend on new types of reference materials such as CDs, which are
becoming more popular among Algerian L2 learners
.
This study investigating the use
of CDs not only contributes to a better understanding of L2 learners’ use of
dictionaries, but also helps the understanding of how new language learning
technologies impact dictionary use
.
Furthermore, this study also has significant pedagogical implications
.
To my
knowledge, no CD using skills are taught in Algerian EFL classrooms, and training is
merely restricted to the use of PDs
.
CD-ROM dictionary skills are left to individual
learners to learn on their own by trial and error
.
This is partially because the teachers
themselves might not be aware of the potential benefits of CDs, or because there is
only little empirical research on CD use on which teachers can base their instruction
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and refine the existing dictionary training syllabus to fit the new trends in language
learning technologies and reference tools
.
It is my belief that the findings from this study would inform teachers about
students’ CD use and improve the ways and methods they use to train their students in
dictionary skills
.
The significance of such a study is further endorsed by Hartmann’s
(1999b, p
.
37) belief that
:
8
.
Definitions of Terms
CD-ROM dictionary
:
A dictionary stored on a compact disk and installed on a
computer so that users can look up words and display their definitions on the
computer screen
.
It gives pronunciations for each word entry and provides a wide
range of interactive and multimedia content
.
In the present study, it refers to the
Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary in CD-ROM format
.
Printed monolingual dictionary
:
A dictionary presented on paper (hard-copy) that
contains word entries with their definitions in the same language, and they are
Research into dictionary use . . . provide[s] the framework
for all lexicographic production, and more such research
will be needed if the level of dictionary awareness is to be
raised and the teaching of reference skills is to be improved.
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