RESEARCH METHODS

RESEARCH PROJECT (60%)

MARKING CRITERIA

1 Introduction (2 marks)
Background (1); Significance (1)
2 Research aims and Research questions (2 marks)
Clear research aims (1)
Clear & answerable research questions(1)
3 Literature review (1 mark)
(see Assignment 1-Presentation)
4 Research methodology (3 marks)
Mark
Clear/detailed description of data collection tools/procedure 1
& Justifications 1
Validity and Reliability 1

5 Timeline (0.25 mark)

6 Expected outcome/impact (0.25 mark)
7 In-text citation & References (1.5 marks)

TOTAL: 10 marks
 The habits of using online English-English dictionaries of second-year
English majors at Hue University of Foreign Languages (HUFL)

1. Introduction

Dictionaries are highly valued in the process of lexical acquisition. As a result of

the growth of technology, paper dictionaries are gradually losing their supremacy;
besides, online dictionaries have been more predominant thanks to their usefulness
and convenience.

In recent years, the use of online dictionaries has been on the rise, the popularity of
which has been demonstrated by most foreign language learners as quick means of
looking up lexis in their learning process. There has also been the development of
online monolingual dictionaries. However, researchers have made little efforts to
find out the using tendency of these dictionaries. Additionally, not many teachers
are doing research about the students’ use of dictionaries and orienting them how
to use good ones efficiently, which can be difficult for their students on the way of
English learning.

Therefore, with the desire to study the English majors' use of online monolingual
dictionaries, we decided to do our research to grasp the using habit of second-year
English majors at Hue University of Foreign Languages.

2. Research Questions & Research Aims

2.1. Research Questions

1. How often do second-year English majors at HUFL use online English-English

dictionaries?

2. How do they use online English-English dictionaries and for what purposes?

3. What do they think about online English-English dictionaries?

2.2. Research Aims

This research aims at:

- Understanding the students’ habits of using online English-English dictionaries

- Figuring out the students’ perception of English-English dictionaries

3. Literature Review

3.1. The importance of dictionaries

Dictionaries have become an indispensable tool for any language learners.

The advantages provided by this tool can be colossal. When it comes to benefits of
using dictionaries, Tesng (2009) said: "Dictionaries are considered good
companions to language learners, especially to second or foreign language learners
because dictionaries can provide quick and direct access to the meaning of an
unknown word.". Taylor (2004) also stated: "English-English dictionaries are an
essential tool in building language for both native and non-native speakers.".
Dictionaries are the leading equipment for anyone who starts learning a foreign
language. Therefore, they are the subject of many discussions and also various
studies in the field of language learning.

3.2. The appearance of dictionaries

Along with the rapid development of technology, dictionaries have shifted

onto many other forms. They were first launched in digital form in the 1980s. At
the end of the decade, dictionaries on CD-ROM appeared. Following those, there
was the first electronic English learner's dictionary in 1993. These transitions have
been a controversial topic about whether people should continue using printed
dictionaries or begin to use digital ones (Rundell 2014). However, revolutions are
inevitable, and researchers have had closer insights into modern dictionaries,
especially internet dictionaries. With great effort, Robert Lew has portrayed a
detailed overview of online English-English dictionaries, including criteria for
classifications as well as related key issues. As Nesi (2015) stated: "Electronic
dictionaries have the advantage of providing the user with almost instant access to
a database much larger than a single book.", she has also given us an objective
look onto the utilisation and the benefits of electronic dictionaries.

3.3 Monolingual dictionaries

Among massive types of dictionaries, monolingual dictionaries are

dictionaries written in one language. If bilingual dictionaries provide users with
equivalent translations of the words by their native or familiar language,
monolingual ones explain the meaning of every word by the foreign language – the
language that you are learning. Although they are considered good to get students
into the habit of thinking in a foreign language, they do have drawbacks such as
hard-to-understand definitions, difficult morphological symbols.

Having studied monolingual dictionaries in EFL context, Holi (2012)

suggested: “In order to encourage students to use monolingual dictionaries,
teaching dictionary skills should always be integrated with instructions and the
dictionary use training should be given priority in English class. Dictionary
exercises such as looking for a suitable head entry, comprehending the entry,
locating the appropriate part of the definition, putting the word within the context
should be included in the syllabus.”

3.4 What has been done

Realising that language learners can benefit from using dictionaries, many
studies have been carried out for different purposes.

In-depth studies about particular types of dictionary and comparisons were

conducted (Béjoint – 1981; Chen – 2010, 2011; Hartmann – 1994; Laufer & Hadar
– 1994; Lew 2014, 2015; Carolin – 2014; Sarah – 2009; Stein – 1989). They dug
deeper into the significant roles as well as people's perspectives of monolingual,
bilingual, bilingualised and online dictionaries, which portrayed a general
overview of the up-to-date dictionaries.

Monolingual and bilingual dictionaries were also investigated in the EFL

contexts, demonstrating their effects on language acquisition of second-language
learners. (Ahangari & Dogolsara – 2015; Hayati & Fattahzadeh – 2006; Hayati &
Pour-Mohammadi – 2005; Nielsen – 2006; Zou, Xie & Wang – 2015; Zou, Xie &
Wang – 2015). These studies' findings are the impacts that these two dictionaries
have had on the students' vocabulary learning in particular and their performance
in general. There is a little difference has been found between using monolingual
and bilingual dictionaries: The use of monolingual dictionaries is more effective.

Some researchers have studied the English learners' behaviour of using

dictionaries to understand further how they use dictionaries and some problems
they encounter in respect of consultation. (Boonmoh – 2012; Ding – 2015; Nesi &
Haill – 2002). The researchers used the observation method and questionnaires to
evaluate the process of using dictionaries of the students in natural settings.
Eventually, they discovered a host of dictionaries that the students use or prefer
using, including bilingual, monolingual, and bilingualised dictionaries by different
means, from printed dictionaries, pocket electronic dictionaries to computer
dictionaries.

Previous works have focused on a wide range of dictionaries with different

purposes. However, few researchers have addressed online monolingual
dictionaries, especially the using habits of English majors. Also, interviews have
not been carried out. Therefore, besides inheriting the results of previous studies,
we are aiming to learn the habits of using the online monolingual dictionaries of
second-year English majors at Hue University of Foreign Languages by utilising
interviews and questionnaires in order to discover the students' use and perception
of English-English dictionaries.

4. Methodology 

     4.1 Subjects 

Our study participants are 100 second-year English majors, including 20 male and
80 female students with the age range of 20-22 from the Department of English –
Hue University of Foreign Languages. The students who have used online English-
English dictionaries will be selected among three Reading 4 classes after we have
the permission of the lecturers and the students. 
     4.2 Instruments

In this study, questionnaires and interviews will be deployed due to the scalability,
practicality, flexibility, and fast results they entail.

We use printed-out questionnaires in which three parts about the students'

frequency of use, using purposes, and perception respectively with ten questions
for each are organised. This initial step will take the students approximately 10
minutes to complete the survey and enable us to analyse the data quickly. Face-to-
face interviews are designed with a semi-structured format that is flexible and
easier to systematise and analyse collected information than unstructured or
structured interviews. Direct open-ended questions are posed for the students to
answer freely what their perception is as well as for us to gain further insights into
some difficulties they encountered. Each interview will be no longer than 5
minutes. We will also record the interviews using a mobile phone with the
interviewees' permission for data analysis. Our questionnaires and interviews are in
Vietnamese, which is the students' native language to avoid language barriers. 

By testing hypotheses and formulate unexplored ones, combining the data from
these methods should enrich the findings and make them more reliable. 

4.2.1 Our questionnaire

Bảng khảo sát được thiết kế nhằm mục đích thu thập số liệu nghiên cứu cho đề tài
“Khảo sát về thói quen sử dụng từ điển online Anh - Anh của sinh viên năm 2 khoa
Tiếng Anh trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ, Đại học Huế” Chúng tôi hi vọng bạn sẽ
dành một chút thời gian quý báu của mình để trả lời bảng hỏi một cách chân thật
nhất, những thông tin của bạn chỉ được sử dụng cho mục đích nghiên cứu và sẽ
không được công khai dưới bất kì hình thức nào. Nhóm tác giả xin cám ơn sự hợp
tác của các bạn.

Phần A: Thông tin cá nhân

Bạn đang học ngành gì?

A. Sư phạm Anh B. Ngôn ngữ Anh
Bạn thuộc giới tính nào?
A. Nam B. Nữ
Phần B: Câu hỏi khảo sát
Với những câu hỏi dưới đây bạn vui lòng khoanh tròn vào trước chữ cái chứa
đáp án bạn đã chọn.

1. Bạn đang sử dụng từ điển giấy hay điện tử?

a. Giấy b. Điện tử
2. Theo bạn từ điển giấy hay từ điển điện tử loại từ điển nào tiện dụng hơn?
a. Giấy b. Điện tử
3. Theo bạn sử dụng từ điển điện tử giúp bạn tiết kiệm thời gian hơn từ điển giấy?
a. Đồng ý b. Không đồng ý
2. Bạn đã bao giờ sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online chưa?
a. Rồi b. Chưa
3. Bạn thường sử dụng từ điển Anh – Anh online với mục đích gì?
a. Tra cứu từ vựng b. Tra cứu cách phát âm
c. Tra cứu ngữ pháp d. Tìm từ đồng nghĩa, trái nghĩa, thành ngữ, cụm động từ
4. Bạn thường sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online khi nào?
a. Khi cần tra từ mới b. Chỉ khi học
5. Là sinh viên chuyên ngành theo bạn, chúng ta có nên rèn luyện kĩ năng sử dụng
từ điển Anh – Anh online hay không?
a. Có b. Không
6. Theo bạn sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online để tra từ mới có gây mất thời gian
hay không?
a. Có b. Không
7. Tần suất sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online của bạn như thế nào ?
a. Hàng ngày b. Hàng tuần c. Chỉ sử dụng khi thấy cần

Với những câu hỏi dưới đây bạn vui lòng chọn các phương án trả lời từ 1 đến
5, trong đó:
1= Rất không đồng ý 2= Không đồng ý 3= Phân vân 4= Đồng ý 5= Rất đồng ý

STT Câu phát biểu Phản hồi

1 Sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online sẽ 1 2 3 4 5
cung cấp nhiều thông tin về từ vựng
?
2 Sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
giúp bạn học cách giải thích ngôn
ngữ bằng Tiếng Anh
3 Sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
cho biết nhiều từ vựng liên quan đến
từ bạn tìm kiếm
4 Sử dụng từ điển Anh – Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
giúp bạn hiểu thêm ngữ cảnh sử
dụng của một từ
5 Sử dụng từ điển Anh – Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
giúp bạn hiểu sâu nghĩa của từ hơn
từ điển Anh - Việt
6 Sử dụng từ điển Anh – Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
có nhiều ví dụ minh họa hơn để bạn
hiểu nghĩa của từ một cách sâu sắc
7 Sử dụng từ điển Anh – Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
làm tăng kỹ năng dịch của bạn
8 Sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
giúp bạn trong việc học ngữ pháp
9 Sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online 1 2 3 4 5
giúp bạn học cách phát âm một cách
chuẩn xác.

10 Sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online 1 2 3 4 5

giúp bạn nắm vững được cấu trúc
ngữ pháp của từ vựng

Những khó khăn của bạn khi sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh?
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………

Xin cám ơn sự hợp tác của các bạn!

4.2.2 Our interview questions

1. Các bạn đang sử dụng loại từ điển nào để phục vụ cho việc tìm kiếm từ vựng?
2. Bạn đã bao giờ sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online chưa? Nếu có tần suất các
bạn sử dụng như thế nào?
3. Theo bạn việc sử dụng từ điển Anh - Anh online mang lại những lợi ích gì?
4. Những khó khăn của bạn trong việc tra từ vựng bằng từ điển Anh – Anh online
và nguyên nhân của những khó khăn đó?
5. Đề xuất của bạn về việc làm thế nào để tất cả các bạn sinh viên chuyên ngành
chuyển từ việc sử dụng từ điển Anh - Việt sang sử dụng từ điển Anh – Anh
online thường xuyên và hiệu quả hơn.

     4.3 Procedure

All the subjects were pre-asked to ensure that they have used online English-
English dictionaries at least three times.

In our study, we initially divide the participants into three groups based on the time
frame of the three Reading 4 classes. The groups with 32-35 students will be asked
to do the questionnaires after listening to our introduction and instruction. In about
10 minutes, they should complete our surveys. 

Subsequently, we will invite five students from each group to join our interviews
for more than 5 minutes voluntarily. To tap into the interviewees' comfortable
responses, we have borrowed vacant rooms, and our interviews will be conducted
for approximately 5 minutes. Feedback of the questionnaires, additional perception
toward online English-English dictionaries, and some consultation difficulties will
be collected.
4.4 Data analysis

With the degrees in the survey table and the participants' answers, we will use the
Excel software to summarize the basic information, their perception of the online
English-English dictionaries, employing frequency, and using habits of the
subjects. Since then, we will know the status of using the dictionaries, specifically
online English- English dictionaries of second-year English-specialized students.
For degrees of awareness and perception of the students in using online English-
English dictionaries, we will use statistics and process by charts and tables so that
readers can easily visualise.

5. Timeline

Task Dates Expected results

Introduction 1/2020- Complete the

1. Proposal 2/2020 Introduction
2. Research reasons
3. Reasearch questions
4. Reasearch methods

Content 2/2020- Complete the

Chapter 1: Theoretical Basis 4/2020 Theoretical basis
1. Definition of online English - English
dictionary
2. History and procedure trasition from
paper dictionary to electronic dictionary
3. The importance of using online English -
English dictionary
Chapter 2: Reasearch method 4/2020- Complete the
1. Approaching 6/2020 research method
2. Reasearch tool
3. Collecting quanlitative and quantitative
data
4. Handling the data
5. Analyzing the data
Chapter 3: Findings 6/2020- Complete the
1. Results of the investigation 8/2020 research outcome
2. Perceptions of students
3. Advantages and disadvantages in the
research process
3.1: Advantages
3.2: Disadvantages
1. Conclusions 8/2020- Complete the
2. Recommendations. 10/2020 conclusions and
2.1: For English Department recommendations
2.2: For student

Complete the research and write a report 10/2020-

12/2020

6. Findings

This research aims to discover the tendency, habit, and preference of using online
English-English dictionaries of second-year English majors at HUFL. Besides
carrying out surveys and interviews about the students' habits and perceptions, we
would like to ask them whether they have any difficulties in consultation to lay the
groundwork for other studies.

Our team hopes that English teachers, who wish to see the general overview of
their students' habit of using online English-English dictionaries and orient them to
make use of these kinds of dictionaries, find this study useful. Students interested
in online English-English dictionaries and want to refer to the use of those can also
read this research as reference.

7. Conclusion

This research may be lacking in certain aspects. We will merely test the use of the
sophomores in the context of Hue University of Foreign Languages. Also, the
observation method will not be utilised. Therefore, we suggest other researchers
fill these gaps by carrying out more studies to enrich the field of dictionary use. 
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