Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T11:20:53.022Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The role of online dictionary advertisements in language reception, production, and retention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 September 2018

Anna Dziemianko*
Affiliation:
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland ([email protected])

Abstract

Today, people want to consult dictionaries of good quality, but they expect them to be available online for free. For this reason, publishers need advertisements to cover the costs of producing and maintaining online dictionary content. This paper aims to investigate the role of advertisements in language reception, production, and learning following online dictionary consultation. It also undertakes to determine whether advertisements in an online dictionary affect the time needed for dictionary-based decoding and encoding. In the experiment, participants consulted one of the most prestigious dictionaries of English for foreign learners, OALD9 (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 9th edition). Two versions of the dictionary were employed in the study: one that includes advertisements and is available online free of charge, and its advertisement-free counterpart, OALD9 Premium. In the receptive task, the participants were requested to explain the meaning of new English words. In the productive one, they had to use the words in sentences. Meaning retention was checked in the immediate post-test. The research reveals that advertisements in OALD9 impede language reception, production, and learning, and also extend the time for comprehending new words. Suggestions for further research into advertisements on dictionary websites are presented in the final part of the paper.

Type
Regular papers
Copyright
© European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References

Béjoint, H. (2015) Dictionaries for general users: History and development; current issues. In Durkin P. (ed.), The Oxford handbook of lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 724.Google Scholar
Benway, J. P. Lane, D. M. (1998) Banner blindness: Web searchers often miss “obvious” links. Internetworking, 1. http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~lane/papers/banner_blindness.pdf Google Scholar
Boelhouwer, B., Dykstra, A. Sijens, H. (2018) Dictionary portals. In Fuertes-Olivera, P. A. (ed.), The Routledge handbook of lexicography. Abingdon: Routledge, 754766.Google Scholar
Boonmoh, A. (2010) The use of pocket electronic dictionaries by Thai university students. Lexikos, 20: 680690. https://doi.org/10.4314/lex.v20i1.62743 Google Scholar
Brown, J. D. (2008) Statistics corner. Questions and answers about language testing statistics: Effect size and eta squared. Shiken: JALT Testing & Evaluation SIG Newsletter, 12(2): 3843.Google Scholar
Burke, M., Hornof, A., Nilsen, E. Gorman, N. (2005) High-cost banner blindness: Ads increase perceived workload, hinder visual search, and are forgotten. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 12(4): 423445. https://doi.org/10.1145/1121112.1121116 Google Scholar
Danaher, P. J. Mullarkey, G. W. (2003) Factors affecting online advertising recall: A study of students. Journal of Advertising Research, 43(3): 252267. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021849903030319 Google Scholar
Deng, Y. (2005) A survey of college students’ skills and strategies of dictionary use in English learning. CELEA Journal, 28(4): 7377.Google Scholar
De Schryver, G.-M. (2003) Lexicographers’ dreams in the electronic-dictionary age. International Journal of Lexicography, 16(2): 143199. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijl/16.2.143 Google Scholar
Diaper, D. Waelend, P. (2000) World Wide Web working whilst ignoring graphics: Good news for web page designers. Interacting With Computers, 13(2): 163181. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0953-5438(00)00036-9 Google Scholar
Dziemianko, A. (2010) Paper or electronic? The role of dictionary form in language reception, production and the retention of meaning and collocations. International Journal of Lexicography, 23(3): 257273. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijl/ecp040 Google Scholar
Dziemianko, A. (2011) Does dictionary form really matter? In Akasu, K. & Uchida, S. (eds.), ASIALEX 2011 proceedings: Lexicography: Theoretical and practical perspectives. Kyoto: Asian Association for Lexicography, 22–24 August 92101. http://hdl.handle.net/10593/5783 Google Scholar
Dziemianko, A. (2012) On the use(fulness) of paper and electronic dictionaries. In Granger, S. & Paquot, M. (eds.), Electronic lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 319341. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199654864.003.0015 Google Scholar
Fourney, A., Morris, M. R. Whyte, R. W. (2017) Web search as a linguistic tool. In Proceedings of the 26th International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2). Perth, Australia, 3–7 April, 549–557. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/search_linguistic.pdf Google Scholar
Gouws, R. H. Tarp, S. (2017) Information overload and data overload in lexicography. International Journal of Lexicography, 30(4): 389415. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijl/ecw030 Google Scholar
Hadlington, L. (2017) Cybercognition: Brain, behaviour and the digital world. Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Heuberger, R. (2015) Learners’ dictionaries: History and development; current issues. In Durkin P. (ed.), The Oxford handbook of lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2543.Google Scholar
Hussain, R. (2007) The impact of banner advertisement frequency on consumers’ attitudinal, behavioural, and cognitive responses moderated by banner advertisement type and appeal. Griffith University, unpublished PhD.Google Scholar
Jamet, E. (2014) An eye-tracking study of cueing effects in multimedia learning. Computers in Human Behavior, 32: 4753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.11.013 Google Scholar
Janoschka, A. (2004) Web advertising: New forms of communication on the Internet. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.131 Google Scholar
Kosem, I., Lew, R., Müller-Spitzer, C. Wolfer, S. (2017) The European survey of dictionary use. eLex 2017: Lexicography from scratch, 19–21 September 2017, Leiden. https://youtu.be/5YLfnmkuq9s Google Scholar
Kuisma, J. (2015) Consumer perception of online advertising: The effects of animation, ad characteristics, repetition and task relevancy on attention and memory. Aalto University, unpublished PhD.Google Scholar
Lambrecht, A. Tucker, C. (2013) When does retargeting work? Information specificity in online advertising. Journal of Marketing Research, 50(5): 561576. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.11.0503 Google Scholar
Levy, M. Steel, C. (2015) Language learner perspectives on the functionality and use of electronic language dictionaries. ReCALL, 27(2): 177196. https://doi.org/10.1017/S095834401400038X Google Scholar
Lew, R. Szarowska, A. (2017) Evaluating online bilingual dictionaries: The case of popular free English-Polish dictionaries. ReCALL, 29(2): 138159. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344016000252 Google Scholar
McCoy, S., Everard, A., Galletta, D. F. Polak, P. (2004) A study of the effects of online advertising: A focus on pop-up and in-line ads. In Proceedings of the Third Annual Workshop on HCI Research in MIS. Washington, D.C., 10–11 December, 50–54.Google Scholar
Midlane, V. (2005) Students’ use of portable electronic dictionaries in the EFL/ESL classroom: A survey of teacher attitudes. University of Manchester, unpublished master’s dissertation.Google Scholar
Müller-Spitzer, C., Koplenig, A. Töpel, A. (2011) What makes a good online dictionary? Empirical insights from an interdisciplinary research project. In Kosem, I. & Kosem, K. (eds.), Proceedings of eLEX2011: Electronic lexicography in the 21st century: New applications for new users. Trojina: Institute for Applied Slovene Studies 10–12 November 203208.Google Scholar
Müller-Spitzer, C., Koplenig, A. Töpel, A. (2012) Online dictionary use: Key findings from an empirical research project. In Granger, S. & Paquot, M. (eds.), Electronic lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 425457.Google Scholar
Nesi, H. (2009) Dictionaries in electronic form. In Cowie, A. P. (ed.), The Oxford history of English lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 458478.Google Scholar
Nesi, H. (2012) Alternative e-dictionaries: Uncovering dark practices. In Granger, S. & Paquot, M. (eds.), Electronic lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 363378. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199654864.003.0017 Google Scholar
Nesi, H. (2015) The demands of users and the publishing world: Printed or online, free or paid for? In Durkin P. (ed.), The Oxford handbook of lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 579589.Google Scholar
Nilsson, C. P. (2006) Attention to advertising. Umeå: Umeå University.Google Scholar
Pagendarm, M. Schaumburg, H. (2001) Why are users banner-blind? The impact of navigation style on the perception of Web banners. Journal of Digital Information, 2(1). https://journals.tdl.org/jodi/index.php/jodi/article/view/36/38 Google Scholar
Posner, M. I. (1980) Orienting of attention. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 32(1): 325. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335558008248231 Google Scholar
Prinsloo, D. J. (2005) Electronic dictionaries viewed from South Africa. Hermes, 34: 1135.Google Scholar
Rundell, M. (2011) Many a mickle makes a muckle. Round table talk at eLex2011: Electronic lexicography in the 21st century: New applications for new users. Trojina, Institute for Applied Slovene Studies, 10–12 November.Google Scholar
Rundell, M. (2012) The road to automated lexicography: An editor’s viewpoint. In Granger, S. & Paquot, M. (eds.), Electronic Lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1530. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199654864.003.0002 Google Scholar
Simola, J., Kuisma, J., Öörni, A., Uusitalo, L. Hyönä, J. (2011) The impact of salient advertisements on reading and attention on web pages. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 17(2): 174190. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024042 Google Scholar
Stephen, A. T. (2016) The role of digital and social media marketing in consumer behavior. Current Opinion in Psychology, 10: 1721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.10.016 Google Scholar
Stirling, J. (2003) The portable electronic dictionary: Faithful friend or faceless foe? http://www.elgweb.net/ped-article.html Google Scholar
Stokes, R. (2013) eMarketing: The essential guide to marketing in a digital world, (5th ed.). Capetown: Quirk eMarketing.Google Scholar
Tang, G. M. (1997) Pocket electronic dictionaries for second language learning: Help or hindrance? TESL Canada Journal, 15(1): 3957. https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v15i1.691 Google Scholar
Tono, Y. (2000) On the effects of different types of electronic dictionary interfaces on L2 learners’ reference behaviour in productive/receptive tasks. In Heid, U., Evert, S., Lehmann, E. & Rohrer, C. (eds.), Proceedings of the Ninth Euralex International Congress, EURALEX 2000. Institut für Maschinelle Sprachverarbeitung, Universität Stuttgart 8–12 August 855861.Google Scholar
Yantis, S. (1993) Stimulus-driven attentional capture and attentional control settings. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 19(3): 676681. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.19.3.676 Google Scholar
Zhang, P. (1999) Will you use animation on your web pages? Experiments of animation effects and implications for web user interface design and online advertising. In Sudweeks, F. & Romm, C. (eds.), Doing business on the Internet: Opportunities and pitfalls. London: Springer-Verlag London, 3551. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0561-9_4 Google Scholar
Zhang, P. (2000) The effects of animation on information seeking performance on the World Wide Web: Securing attention or interfering with primary tasks? Journal of Association for Information Systems, 1(1): 128.Google Scholar
Zhang, P. (2001) The impact of animation timing and location on visual search task performance in the Web environment. In Proceedings of the Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS 2001). Boston, 3–5 August, 1361–1366. http://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2001/264 Google Scholar
Zhang, P. (2006) Pop-up animations: Impact and implications for web site design and online advertising. In Galletta, D. & Zhang, P. (eds.), Human–computer interaction and management information systems: Applications. Armonk: M. E. Sharpe, 7097.Google Scholar
Zhang, P. Kim, Y. (2008) Web advertising: What do we know about its acceptance and impacts? A meta-analysis of the literature. In Proceedings of the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS 2008): Leveraging ICT for resilient organizations and sustainable growth in the Asia Pacific region. Suzhou, China, 3–7 July 2008, 246–257. http://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2008/246 Google Scholar
Zimmer, B. (2017) Defining the digital dictionary: How to build more useful online lexical references. eLex 2017: Electronic lexicography in the 21st century: Lexicography from scratch. Leiden, 19–21 September. https://youtu.be/q2mqxYlvtlg Google Scholar

Dictionaries

[COBUILD6] Sinclair, J. (ed.) (2008) Collins COBUILD advanced English dictionary (6th ed.). Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers. http://www.mycobuild.com Google Scholar
[LDOCE5] Mayor, M. (ed.) (2009) Longman dictionary of contemporary English (5th ed.). Harlow: Longman. http://www.ldoceonline.com Google Scholar
[OALD9] Deuter, M., Turnbull, J. & Bradbery, J. (eds.) (2015) Oxford advanced learner’s dictionary of current English (9th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://www.oxfordlearners dictionaries.com/ Google Scholar