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examples from the dictionary for the other four words
.
After a week lapse, the
subjects took recall and recognition vocabulary tests
.
Koyama and Takeuchi found
that there were no significant differences in search time and the quantity of retrieved
information between PD and PED conditions, and this was due to the improvement of
the PED’s interface design
.
In addition, although no significant differences were found between the PD
and PED conditions concerning recall scores, the mean score for recognition was
significantly higher in the PED condition
.
Finally, although they regarded it as
convenient, the students did not necessarily believe in the effectiveness of a PED for
L2 learning
.
Koyama and Takeuchi (2004a) concluded that the PD lookup process
leads to better retention
.
Koyama and Takeuchi (2004b) also conducted a study on EFL learners’
lookup behavior in PEDs and PDs, and more particularly to examine the potential link
between their lookup frequency and reading comprehension performance. The
subjects who took part in the study were 72 undergraduate students of the same
proficiency level, divided into two groups; each group completed a reading task in
one of the conditions, PED or PD. Statistical examination of the subjects’ reading
scores indicated that they looked up more words in the PED to comprehend the text in
a shorter period of time than the subjects in the PD condition. However, no significant
differences were found in the subjects’ reading scores.
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To further consolidate their findings, Koyama and Takeuchi (2007) replicated
their study with a group of 34 EFL students whose proficiency level was higher than
those in the previous study. Despite that the subjects and text used in this study were
different, the findings from this study were similar to the ones found in their previous
study; the subjects looked up more words in the PED than in the PD ( M = 11.12 &
7.41 respectively). However, no significant differences were found regarding their
reading scores ( M= 8.50 & 8.76 respectively). Koyama and Takeuchi concluded that
the increased lookup frequency involved in PED use does not necessarily suggest
better performance in reading comprehension.
Furthermore, Osaki, Ochiai, Iso, and Aizawa (2003) compared the effects of a
PED and a PD on locating appropriate meanings, reading comprehension, and word
retention by 167 Japanese university students. The subjects had to read a text and
supply definitions for the target words in one of these conditions
:
PED, PD, and no-
dictionary (ND)
.
After that, the students took a comprehension test in the fill-in-the-
blanks format
.
In addition, the two groups using the dictionary were given immediate
and delayed vocabulary tests that required supplying definitions for 15 target words
.
Osaki et al
. (2003)
found that the PED group scored significantly better than
the PD and ND groups on the definition test
.
The PED group scored better than the
PD group on the reading comprehension test, which in turn outperformed the ND
group
.
The findings from this study suggest the advantage of PEDs in helping the
subjects select the contextual meaning as well as in facilitating text understanding,
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although the PD was still more efficient than not using a dictionary at all
.
In addition,
no significant differences were found between the PED and PD groups on both
immediate and delayed vocabulary tests, which indicates that the dictionary type did
not affect word retention
.
Conclusion
The studies related to EDs use seem to have yielded significant findings on
their use. These studies were mostly about EDs effectiveness to the user’s search
purposes
.
Most of the findings have supported the convenience that various electronic
features could provided to the users, allowing them more helpful functions and faster
search results. The main reason for using an ED was the speed of access, meaning that
L2 learners would access the target words much easier and more quickly than with the
PD.
The review of the related literature has also revealed that some researchers
such as Laufer and Hill (2000) believe that EDs have a positive effect on vocabulary
learning, while others such as Koyama and Takeuchi (2004a) believe that using EDs
does not guarantee the enhancement of the retention of vocabulary
.
In addition, the
increased lookup frequency induced by PEDs was not found to enhance L2 learners’
performance in reading comprehension
.
Nevertheless, given the increasingly sophisticated needs of dictionary users, it
can be argued that the future of dictionary making holds a lot for EDs because of their
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huge memory and innovative functions (Li, 2003, p
.
108)
.
As research in CD use is
still very rare, research should be done to explore their effects on language learning,
and how such dictionaries are used, or how they might be used (Nesi, 1999)
.
The CD
use patterns of some Algerian students will be explored in the present study, as
Algerian EFL students use them heavily to improve their L2 performance.
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