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How Do Polish Learners Of English Rate Bilingual And Monolingual Dictionaries?, Robert Lew
How Do Polish Learners Of English Rate Bilingual And Monolingual Dictionaries?, Robert Lew
Robert Lew
The topic of this paper is the evaluation by Polish learners of English of bilingual and monolingual dictionaries used by those learners. Data for the paper come from 712 Polish learners of English representing a broad range of EFL proficiency levels. Subjects were asked to rate two dictionaries: their dictionary of first choice and their dictionary of second choice. The effect of choice as a predictor variable is also explored. A tendency is revealed for the mid-level competence learners to give the lowest ratings to their dictionaries. Monolingual dictionaries were given significantly higher ratings than bilingual dictionaries. Subjects rated dictionaries …
Designing Relational Database Structures For Storing And Processing Language Questionnaire Data: Example From A Study In Dictionary Use, Robert Lew
Robert Lew
The author discusses a methodological approach to storing, structuring, and processing complex data for a large-scale dictionary use study.
Questionnaires In Dictionary Use Research: A Reexamination, Robert Lew
Questionnaires In Dictionary Use Research: A Reexamination, Robert Lew
Robert Lew
The present paper re-examines the usefulness of questionnaires in dictionary use research, using Glynn Hatherall's well-known criticism of questionnaires as a starting point. It is argued here that charges directed at questionnaires apply equally easily to the alternatives suggested by Hatherall. It is claimed that some research questions require a questionnaire approach. It is also demonstrated through example that unreliability of questionnaire-based studies may well result from design factors unrelated to questionnaires themselves. Use of multiple methods and careful design is advocated. Finally, suggestions are offered for improving questionnaire design in dictionary use research.
A Study In The Use Of Bilingual And Monolingual Dictionaries By Polish Learners Of English: A Preliminary Report, Robert Lew
Robert Lew
The paper presents a selection of results from a study investigating dictionary use by 712 Polish learners of English representing a variety of FL competence levels and backgrounds. Data from Learner Survey, experiment, and Teacher Survey are brought in to test hypotheses relating to a variety of aspects of dictionary use. Here two aspects have been selected for presentation. First, frequency with which learners seek different types of information in their dictionaries is analyzed. It is found that the need for meaning and equivalents dominates over non-semantic information at all levels but the highest. At the advanced level, interest in …