137
students’ performance was fairly the same regardless of the type of dictionary used
.
However, the mean scores indicate that the subjects performed slightly better while
reading with access to a CD than with a PD, achieving average scores of 6
.
14 points
and 5
.
84
points respectively
.
The research hypothesis which stated that CD use promotes better
comprehension scores is refuted
.
Yet, a possible reason for the subjects’ similar
reading scores in both dictionary conditions could be the fact that no time limit was
put on the reading tasks, which might have made the subjects feel at ease doing the
tasks free from any time-limit stress
.
Perhaps if the reading tasks were limited in time,
the subjects might have rushed the whole reading process, thereby resulting in poor
concentration and lower scores, especially in reading with access to a PD which
entails longer and stressful consultation time
.
Though not fulfilling the assumption made in this study, the obtained results
are in line with what previous research has found on the effects of different dictionary
modalities on reading comprehension scores
.
Corresponding studies suggested that
dictionary type has no effect on readers’ comprehension performance
.
138
5
.
3
.
Lookup Frequency
Question Three examined whether there was a substantial difference in the
subjects’ number of lookups across the two dictionary types, CD and PD, to accept
the premise that one type of dictionary had an advantage over the other regarding
encouraging frequent
lookups while reading
.
Table 8 reports and compares the participants’ lookup frequencies in PD and
CD conditions
.
The means and standard deviations related to the subjects’ lookup
frequencies are presented in Table 9
.
Parallel box plots for subjects lookup
frequencies in PD and CD are set in Figure 22
.
139
Table 8 Subjects’ Number of Lookups in PD and CD Conditions
S
PDL
CDL
S
PDL
CDL
1
3
9
23
5
5
2
5
5
24
4
3
3
7
4
25
6
1
4
3
4
26
6
7
5
4
6
27
5
4
6
6
13
28
4
0
7
4
6
29
9
6
8
5
7
30
8
10
9
6
21
31
9
6
10
7
9
32
7
9
11
4
11
33
11
9
12
8
4
34
4
4
13
5
6
35
4
8
14
9
8
36
7
10
15
6
9
37
5
5
16
7
11
38
8
1
17
4
9
39
6
8
18
5
5
40
4
10
19
7
14
41
5
6
20
7
11
42
4
4
21
6
4
43
5
8
22
6
4
44
6
6
Note
.
S= Subjects, PDL= Number of lookups in PD condition, CDL= Number of
lookups in
CD condition
.
140
Figure 22
.
Parallel box plots for lookup frequencies in PD and CD conditions
The data presented in Table 2 on the previous page revealed that while 14
subjects looked up more words in the PD, 23 subjects opted for greater consultations
during reading with
access to a CD
.
However, the difference in the number of lookups
between the CD and PD varied from one subject to another, with 12 subjects looking
up far more words in the CD (3 more words and above), and 11 subjects looking up
one to two more words only
.
The remaining 7 subjects looked up as many words in
the CD as in the PD
.
The parallel box plots in Figure 22 indicate that the middle-half of subjects
looked up 4 and 7 words in the PD, whereas the middle-half of their lookup frequency
in the CD fall in the range of 4 to 9 words, with a median of 6 points in each lookup
141
condition
.
In addition, the comparison of size between the PD and CD box plots
indicates that the middle-half of the subjects’ lookup frequencies were very similar
and close to one another in the PD condition, as the box plot is relatively shorter than
the CD one
.
However,
the middle 50 % of the subjects’ lookups in the CD condition
seem to be scattered across a range of 6 lookup frequencies (4 to 9 words)
.
Interestingly, there is an observation of an extreme value (outlier) in the CD box plot
of subject 9 who looked up 21 words in the CD alone, and another observation of
subject 28 who did not
look up any words in the CD
.
Moreover, the long upper whisker in the PD box plot means that subjects’
lookup frequencies are scattered amongst the high lookup-frequency quartile group of
subjects who looked up 7 to 11 words, and very similar for the low lookup-frequency
quartile group of subjects whose lookup frequencies range from 3 to 4 words (short
lower whisker)
.
Descriptive statistics for the subjects’ lookup frequencies in PD and
CD are set in
Table 9 below
.
Table 9 Descriptive Statistics for Lookup Frequencies
in PD and CD Conditions
Paired samples statistics
Variable
Total
observations
Mean
Std
.
deviation
Minimum
Median
Maximum
PD
CD
44
44
5
.
82
7
.
05
1
.
781
3
.
785
3
0
6
6
11
21