A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

The Effect of Mobile Dictionary Use on Vocabulary Mastery and Students’

Reading Comprehension: An Experimental Study of 11th Grade Students at

MAN 1 PATI

By
Mila Andiliya
1703046034

EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING FACULTY

UIN WALISONGO SEMARANG
2020
Background Of Study

The learning and teaching environments of the twenty first century are changing very fast
due to unprecedented opportunities advancement of information and communication
technologies have created for education. After around half a century of integrating computers
into instruction, the rapid evolution of mobile devices is opening up a whole world of new
learning experiences with technology.1 To master English language, students should pay
attention to many aspects of language (grammatical structure, vocabulary, and so on) in order to
achieve a high degree of competence in English. And one of the most important aspects is
vocabulary. McCarthy (1990:8) emphasizes that "No matter how well the student learns
grammar, no matter how successfully the sounds of L2 are mastered, without words to express a
wider range of meanings, communication in an L2 just cannot happen in any meaningful way".
This indicates that vocabulary size is fundamental in communication both in spoken and written.2
Nowdays, people like something instant, because it is considered more practical. As well as
learning. Many students today prefer to study through their computer or smartphone rather than
through book. They do this because they thing that it is faster and time efficient. And mobile
dictionary is one of learning evolution in the world of education which can help students in
vocabulary learning.3 Dictionary use has long been recognized as one of vocabulary learning
strategies (Gu and Johnson 1996, Scholfield 1997, Nation 1990, 2001, Gu 2003, Nation and
Meara 2010).4
Vocabulary learning in an L2 requires the acquisition of both the meaning and form of
new words and new word combinations. From recent research we know that acquisition of word
form occurs relatively late in the learning process (González-Fernández, 2017). For L2 learners

1
Mehrak Rahimi & Seyed Shahab Miri. The Impact of Mobile Dictionary Use on Language Learning:
Journal of Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 98. 2016
2
Kharis Munandar, Ari Nurweni, Mahpul. Vocabulary Learning Strategies And Vocabulary Size Of The
Indonesian Senior High School Students.2018
3
Naoki Sakata. Profiling Vocabulary for Proficiency Development: Effects of Input and General
Frequencies on L2 Learning: Journal of System. 2019
4
Mustafa Sevik. University prep-school EFL learners’ dictionary ownership and preferences: Journal of
Social and Behavioral Sciences 158 ( 2014 ) 226 – 232. 2017
to become successful in vocabulary learning, they should be prompted to explicitly direct their
attention to word form and engage in structural elaboration. One method through which learners
can be encouraged to focus on word form is by writing words down. 5 The role of technology has
a huge impact to assist the language teaching and learning. It could ehance their interest,
encourage their critical thinking, creativity, and imagination. They have unlimited sources to
explore and observe the new point of view from currently social phenomena.6
Based on the explanation above, the research experiment about the effect of using mobile
dictionary on vocabulary learning in students’ reading comprehension will be held at MAN 1
PATI.

Research Question

1. How is the effect of mobile dictionary use on vocabulary mastery and students’reading
comprehension?

Research Objective

1. In line with the research question above, the purpose of this study is to investigate the
effect of mobile dictionary use on vocabulary mastery and students' reading
comprehension.

Pedagogical Significances
This study is expected to have both theotical and practical contributions:

A. Theoritically

5
Sarah Candry, Julie Decloedt, June Eyckmans. Comparing the merits of word writing and retrieval
practice for L2 vocabulary learning: Journal of System. 2020
6
Jesús Andrés López Henao. The Influence of ICT in the Development of Writing Skills through an
Online Platform. 2017
 The result of this study is expected will be usefull in completing the study of knowledge,
especially in English education and mobile dictionary can be used as a media to learn and
develop students vocabulary and reading comprehension.
B. Practically
 To help students and teacher to find the other way to learn and teach vocabulary
using mobile dictionary.
 To the researcher, obtain a new knowledge and new way to teach.

Previous Research
1. “Dictionary Use and Vocabulary Learning In The Context Of Reading” by Yuzhen
Chen, 2017. The study revealed that compared with non-dictionary use, BLD use can
effectively facilitate vocabulary comprehension, indicating that dictionary use is a more
effective strategy of vocabulary learning than contextual guessing. Useful as it is,
contextual guessing might be a process prone to incomplete or wrong inference, in
particular for those students at the low level of L2 proficiency, whereas the use of
dictionary means exposure to the richer and more accurate lexical information which is
vital for correct comprehension of words. With adequate dictionary use skills, students
having access to good dictionaries will be much more likely to achieve successful word
comprehension than those who simply rely on contextual guessing. Therefore, as a
strategy of vocabulary learning, dictionary use deserves more attention in L2 vocabulary
research and pedagogy.
2. “The Effects of Vocabulary Knowledge and Dictionary Use on EFL Reading
Performance” by Zhifa Shen, 2013. Vocabulary is central to language. The present study
sheds light on the importance of vocabulary knowledge in EFL reading performance, to
be specific, vocabulary size and specific vocabulary knowledge, and the effect of
dictionary use on reading performance. The results show that vocabulary size, specific
vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension are highly, positively correlated. The
correlation between specific vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension is higher
than that of vocabulary size and reading comprehension. The results also show that the
access to a bilingual electronic dictionary has a significant effect on the reading
comprehension score for both high verbal ability group and the low verbal ability group.
 It is due to quick access to electronic dictionaries and relatively limited control of
vocabulary in English. It is also found that dictionary use largely helps with the
microcomprehension of the text.
3. “The Correlation Between Vocabulary Mastery and Students’ Reading Comprehension”
by I Nyoman Satria Indra Pebriawan, Basturi Hasan, Sudirman, 2018. The result of this
research shows that there is correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading
comprehension. So, student with larger vocabularies find reading easier, read more
widely, and do better in school. The coefficient correlation is higher that the critical
value. The statistical analysis also shows that the correlation between students’
vocabulary mastery and their reading comprehension was significant.
4. “Improving Vocabulary Mastery In Reading Comprehension Through Wall Picture” by
Vordesti Mariana S.V, Bambang Wijaya, Luwandi Suhartono, Jurnal Pendidikan dan
Pembelajaran Khatulistiwa, Vol 4, No 10, 2017. The result of this rearch shows that using
wall pictures in teaching reading comprehension could improve students’ vocabulary. It
could be seen from the following fact. Related to the test result, there was 27.92%
improvements of students mean score from pre-test to the posttest of the second cycle.

Literature Review
 Mobile Dictionary
Mobile Dictionaries are suppose to be useful aids to reading comprehension.
However, studies comparing dictionary use and non-dictionary use during reading
comprehension have yielded different or even contradictory findings. Some researchers
(e.g. Bensoussan, Sim and Weiss 1984, Nesi and Meara 1991, Neubach and Cohen 1988
cited in Nesi 2000: 37–39, Heijnen 2000 cited in Welker 2010: 177–178) identified a
non-significant relation between dictionary accommodation and test scores of reading
comprehension. But In contrast, some studies demonstrated a positive correlation
between dictionary use and vocabulary comprehension.7 “Oxford Dictionary Of English”
will be used for this study. Students can download this application in their own phone
through Play Store or App Store.

7
Yuzhen Chen. Dictionary Use and Vocabulary Learning In The Contex Of Reading: International
Journal of Lexicography, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 216–247. 2017
  Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Comprehension
As for vocabulary learning, results from previous studies support the role of dictionary as
a facilitator for vocabulary learning. Luppescu and Day (1993) found that dictionary
users, around half of the 293 Japanese university students, gained significantly higher
scores on a vocabulary test than non-dictionary users. Ronald (2002) also found benefits
of dictionary use to L2 vocabulary growth through a case study focusing on one
motivated learner majoring in English. The evidence of values of dictionary use was
partly supported by Hulstijn et al. (1996). They investigated the influence of three
vocabulary strategies in reading context – marginal glosses, bilingual dictionary use, and
reading text only – and one of their main findings was that when the dictionary group did
consult dictionaries, their retention rate of words was greater than that of the other
groups.8 The focus of this research will be on vocabulary about synonyms, antonyms, and
how students can understand the entire reading with their vocabulary knowledge. And the
text that will be used in this research is descriptive text.

Hypotheses
H0 : Using mobile dictionary have no significant effect on vocabulary
mastery and students’ reading comprehension.
H1 : Using mobile dictionary have significant effect on vocabulary mastery
and students’ reading comprehension.

Research Design and Participants

This study using an experimental research design and the subjects of the study will be
asked to finish a reading task, which is followed by an unexpected vocabulary retention test that
will be repeated one week later.
This research will be conducted at MAN 1 PATI, 2019/2020 Academic
Year, for 5 weeks. The subjects in this research are 40 students from 2 class

8
Jee Hyun Ma. An Experimental Study of Dictionary Use on Vocabulary Learning and Reading
Comprehension In Different Task Condition: International Journal of Lexicography Advance Access
published September 19. 2016
in eleventh grade. The first class consist of 20 students from science class
as the experimental group, and the second class also consist of 20 students
from social class as the control group. While the object of this research was
the application of mobile dictionary use on vocabulary mastery and students’
reading comprehension.

Research Variable
No Research Variable Indicators
.
1. Independent Variable (X):  Able to find the synonyms of the word
Mobile dictionary use  Able to find the antonyms of the word
 Able to find the right meaning of the
word
2. Dependent Variable (Y):  Writing
Vocabulary mastery and students’  Pronunciation
reading comprehension.  Meaning

Data Collections
In this research, there will be two types of data collection technique
that will be used by the researcher. The first is a pre-test, carried out before
students get the treatment, and the second is post-test, conducted after
students get the treatment.
a. Pre-test
Pre-test will be held before the treatment. Both control and experimental group will
be tested to know their vocabulary ability before giving the treatment.
b. Treatment
Before the post-test, the experimental group will get a treatment from the researcher
by given a descriptive text, then students will be asked to understanding the contents
 of the text and look for the synonyms, antonyms, and the meaning of some words
that have been determined by the researcher in the mobile dictionary.
c. Post-test
Post-test will be held after the treatment. Post-test will also given to both control and
experimental group to see if there any differences between both group after getting
the treatment.

Data Analysis
The quantitative data analysis will be performed with the data that obtained from the
result of pre-test and post-test. Then the data collection will be analyzed by the Statistical
Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 20.0. After that the researcher will analyze the
hypotheses if there is a significant differences of pre-test and post-test results from experimental
group and control group and draw the conclusion of the research.

Instruments
1. Vocabulary Mastery Test

The vocabulary mastery test will be used to make inferences about the test taker’s
vocabulary mastery in general by measuring the synonyms, antonyms, and the meaning
of words. Here is an example:

Borobudur Temple
 Borobudur is a Buddhist temple. It was built in the ninth century under Sailendra dynasty
of ancient Mataram kingdom. Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.

Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is influenced by the Gupta
architecture of India. The temple is constructed on a hill 46 meter high and consists of eight steps
like stone terrace. The first five terraces are square and surrounded by walls adorned with
Buddhist sculpture in bas-relief. The upper three are circular. Each of them is with a circle of bell
shape-stupa. The entire upper structure is crowned by a large stupa at the center of the top circle.
The way to the summit extends through some 4.8 km of passage and stairways.

The design of Borobudur symbolizes the conception of universe in Buddhist cosmology.

It is believed that the universe is divided into three spiritual spheres, kamadhatu, rupadhatu, and
arupadhatu. The first sphere, kamadhatu, represents respectively the sphere of desires where we
are bound to our desires; the second sphere, rupadhatu, represents forms where we abandon our
desires but are still bound to name and form; and the last sphere, arupadhatu, represents
formlessness where there is no longer either name or form. Borobudur temple which is
rededicated as an Indonesian monument in 1983 is a valuable treasure for Indonesian people.
With its magnificent size and architecture, no wonder that Borobudur Temple includes 7
wonders of the world.

Instruction:
After you read the text, please find the synonims, antonyms, and the meaning of underlined
words!
NO. SYNONYM ANTONYM MEANING
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

2. Reading Comprehension Test

 The test contained of written texts with essay questions for measuring reading
ability. Example:
Instruction:
After you read the paragraph above, please answer this following questions with the
correct answer!
a. When was Borobudur Temple built?
b. What type of temple is Borobudur Temple?
c. Mention the eight steps like stone terrace in Borobudur Temple!
d. Mention three spiritual spheres of the universe that contained in the design of
Borobudur Temple!
e. Explain why Borobudur Temple is includes one of the 7 wonders of the world!

Procedure and Timeline

4th May 2020 All Students from

Pre-test eksperimental and
control group
11 May 2020
th
Treatment using mobile All Students from
dictionary eksperimental group
18 th May 2020 Treatment using mobile All Students from
dictionary eksperimental group
25 th May 2020 Treatment using mobile All Students from
dictionary eksperimental group
1 st June 2020 All Students from
Post-test eksperimental and
control group

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Mehrak Rahimi & Seyed Shahab Miri. The Impact of Mobile Dictionary Use on Language Learning:
Journal of Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 98. 2016
Kharis Munandar, Ari Nurweni, Mahpul. Vocabulary Learning Strategies And Vocabulary Size Of The
Indonesian Senior High School Students.2018
Naoki Sakata. Profiling Vocabulary for Proficiency Development: Effects of Input and General
Frequencies on L2 Learning: Journal of System. 2019
Mustafa Sevik. University prep-school EFL learners’ dictionary ownership and preferences: Journal of
Social and Behavioral Sciences 158 ( 2014 ) 226 – 232. 2017
Sarah Candry, Julie Decloedt, June Eyckmans. Comparing the merits of word writing and retrieval
practice for L2 vocabulary learning: Journal of System. 2020
Jesús Andrés López Henao. The Influence of ICT in the Development of Writing Skills through an Online
Platform. 2017
Yuzhen Chen. Dictionary Use and Vocabulary Learning In The Contex Of Reading: International Journal
of Lexicography, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 216–247. 2017
Jee Hyun Ma. An Experimental Study of Dictionary Use on Vocabulary Learning and Reading
Comprehension In Different Task Condition: International Journal of Lexicography Advance Access
published September 19. 2016