A Survey of Indonesian Students' Use of Dictionaries

Abstract

This article aims to define the profile of Indonesian speakers as dictionary users by utilizing a questionnaire-based research. The survey was distributed to university students who were studying English as a foreign language. The students fall into two groups with pre-intermediate and intermediate levels of English proficiency. They were instructed to complete the survey. The question items encourage students to report their consultation frequency of dictionary use, dictionary choices and ratings, and dictionary information needs. The findings confirmed that both pre-intermediate and intermediate students use bilingual dictionaries more often than monolingual dictionaries. The two groups show indifference towards the evaluation of different dictionary types, since learners rate bilingual dictionaries as good as monolingual dictionaries. The collected data offers insights into students' awareness and knowledge of various dictionary types in the Indonesian lexicographic context.

Use of Dictionaries and Online Tools for Reading by Thai EFL Learners in a Naturalistic Setting

“…In terms of the students' choice of dictionaries and online tools, analysis of the data indicated that the students used bilingual dictionaries more frequently than monolingual ones as well as used online dictionaries more than paper-based dictionaries. This accords with a survey finding conducted by Fallianda (2020) that pre-intermediate and intermediate students use bilingual dictionaries more often than monolingual dictionaries. The finding of this study is also consistent with those in Tong (2019), Małgorzata (2016), andDashtestani (2013) in that bilingual and online dictionaries were the most popular among the students.…”

“…One of the most common methods to research dictionary use is perhaps questionnaire research. Many studies in dictionary research (Fallianda 2020, Hojatpanah and Dashtestani 2020, Alhatmi 2019, Abbasi et al 2019, Chotkarnchanawat et al 2017, Aslan 2016, Boonmoh 2010 have employed this method. Although questionnaire survey research can be used as a way of obtaining results from a great number of respondents and has the potential for generating and testing a hypothesis because the large number of respondents can also mean better representation of the whole population, one basic problem associated with this type of survey as discussed by Nesi (2000) is the accuracy of responses.…”

“…This also changes the ways students consult their dictionaries, and internet or online dictionaries have gained popularity among EFL students (Dashtestani 2015). A number of studies (e.g., Fallianda 2020, Alhatmi 2019, Metruk 2017, Aslan 2016, Anongchanya and Boonmoh 2015, Ding 2015 have shown a growing number of online dictionary users in many countries around the world.…”