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ISSN 1936-9859; https://asiacall.info/acoj  Revision: ..../...../..... 

Vol. 12, No. 3, 2021  Accepted: ..../...../..... 

pp. 28-38  Online: ..../...../..... 

 

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The Difference Effects of Paper Dictionaries vs. Online Dictionaries 

Trinh Thi Lan Anh1*, Tran Thi Kim Ngan1, Vo Thuy Bao Ngoc1, Huynh Thi Thu Suong1 

 

1 Faculty of Foreign Languages, Van Lang University, Vietnam 

* Corresponding author’s email: trinhanh270520@gmail.com 

 

Abstract 

The dictionary helps to learn foreign languages more easily and, with the invention of the online dictionary, users 

are now better supported and more effectively. Therefore, many studies have been conducted to show the 

influence of paper dictionaries and online dictionaries on users and problems in using the two types of dictionaries. 

The present study was based on 300 junior students from Van Lang University in Ho Chi Minh City. The results 

illustrated that students had a strong preference for online dictionaries. The survey also found that most students 

use the dictionary regularly as an effective tool to improve their language levels when it comes to boosting the 

vocabulary bank. Finally, most students at Van Lang University tended to choose online dictionaries for learning 

new vocabularies, although some of them still do not deny the value of paper dictionaries.  

Keywords: paper, online, dictionaries, students, University, differences, benefit, advantages, effect. 

 

1. Introduction 

1.1 Background of the study   

Today, with the integration of cultures worldwide, language acts as a bridge between different regions of different 

countries in this modern era. According to D’Astoli (2016), if seen in any aspect, the ability to communicate in a 

foreign language makes people able to be able to get a better understanding of each other. So people believe that a 

foreign language is essential to life and try to improve their knowledge about foreign language. However, many 

people have problems understanding the meaning, intonation, and usage in the learning process. Therefore, the 

dictionary becomes an indispensable tool for those who are having problems learning foreign languages. 

 

1.2 Statement of the problem 

For these reasons, print dictionaries were born and became an effective tool for the student to find new words' 

meanings. It has been recognized over time by the undeniable upsides that it brings. Kipfer (2013) claimed that 

print dictionaries are more detailed when it comes to explanation and pronunciation and are a good brain exercise 

that pushes learners' critical thinking and spellings during the searching process. What is more, our fast-growing 

digital society has led to the popularity of online dictionaries worldwide. According to Shamar (2020), online 

dictionaries seem to be beneficial in terms of illustrating foreign terms through audio and visual methods. Thus, 

both online and paper dictionaries are equally appreciated by learners for their own benefits. 

 

1.3 The purpose of the study 

The purpose of this study is to clarify the value of using a dictionary in learning foreign languages. Learners have 

the chance to recognize the validity of dictionaries when it comes to facing new words. Besides, the research 

focuses on emphasizing each type of dictionary's strengths and weaknesses so that learners could make the right 

decision about which one to choose in the long run. McKeown (1993) mentioned that different dictionaries suit 

different kinds of users as many of them require English learners of high level to grasp new words completely. 

What is more, the conducted research provides learners the chance to enhance their English levels by deeply 

understanding how to use a dictionary correctly. According to Ridley (2016), being able to make use of a 

dictionary in the right way enables students to enhance communication and upgrade their academic achievements 

at school. Thus, English teaching quality is significantly improved. 

 

 

 

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1.4 The significance of the study 

This study's implication stems from the improper use of self-electricity by learners of a foreign language, even 

laziness to use a dictionary. From there, the reference will cause awareness for the readers as an opportunity to 

reaffirm the indispensable role of the dictionary in human life, and this method will encourage learners to be more 

interested in using appropriate dictionaries for themselves in the 4.0 era today for its benefits because Underhill (qt. 

in Ilson, 2012) mentioned that there are advantages when using dictionaries to learn a new language. 

 

2. Literature Review 

Many recent studies have focused on the problem of contrast between the helpfulness of online dictionaries and 

print dictionaries to English learners. Rundell (2014) reported that since the dictionary began to change its form 

from the printed to the digital, people have discussed the negative sides of a paper dictionary, the positive sides of 

an electronic dictionary, and the potential usefulness of an electronic dictionary. Based on the specific advantages 

that the computer dictionary, for example, the producer can easily upgrade the dictionary's quality, users can 

access and search large amounts of information quickly. People tend to favor online dictionaries over paper 

dictionaries. The online dictionary provides a special consultation service for users; for instance, the users do not 

need to look up each page to determine the word they need in alphabetic of a traditional dictionary (Kim, 2003, 

p.5). The human tendency towards convenience has prompted students to Many recent studies have focused on the 

problem of contrast use e-dictionaries more than ever and leads to electronic dictionaries' mass production (Zarei 

& Gujjar, 2012, p.631). Li Lan's (2006) survey shows that more than 70% of students use online dictionaries more 

often than traditional dictionaries, and she confirmed that the era of paper dictionaries is coming to an end (qt. in 

Zarei & Gujjar, 2012). 

Amirian and Heshmatifar (2013) reported that through an experiment, the students who use an online dictionary 

determine the definition and the meaning of new words more quickly and exactly than those who use a paper 

dictionary. It is believed that an online dictionary is a useful tool in learning a foreign language. Li and Xu (2015) 

conducted that the bulky and outdated paper dictionary gradually replaces the online dictionary because of fast 

retrieval and less time-consuming. The foreign language learners have had an awareness of online dictionaries' 

weaknesses and strengths; they often use many online dictionaries to overcome every online dictionary's blemish 

(Jin & Deifell, 2013). Word Reference reported that online dictionary is the most regularly visited since learners 

can share and look for helpfulness with the proper usage of phrases and sentences in a social context and particular 

culture in online forums. This instance showed that foreign language learners knew how to use reference sources 

flexibly to get the best effect (qt. in Lantolf & Thorne, 2006). In general, paper and online dictionary has its 

advantages and disadvantages and chooses which type depends on learners' needs and habits (Hulstijn & Atkins, 

2015). 

According to Filer (2017), today, technology information develops rapidly, many people have the advanced means 

of service to understand the new word or use. Chen and Dziemianko (2010) claimed that many people use online 

dictionaries and print dictionaries to understand the meaning of a new vocabulary. And this is arguably really 

important from the author's point of view. In addition, the author also affirms the essential role of dictionaries in 

three fields, such as form, meaning, and use. However, there is no denying that electronic dictionaries are also 

limited to screen size than paper dictionaries (Koren, 1997). However, Tang (1997) found that people still like to 

choose electronic dictionaries over paper dictionaries because of some of their positive features. For example, 

learners can easily carry it anywhere. Besides, they can hear sample pronunciation from this modern medium. 

Especially at the same time, looking up words with large volumes will be faster and more convenient. 

(Dziemianko, 2010). Furthermore, Stirling (2003) mentioned that this method would help learners study earlier 

and more positively while discovering new vocabularies through the voice function of personal electronic 

dictionaries (qt. in Filer, 2017). 

Like the purpose of the current studies, Kim (2003) researched the influence of computer dictionaries and print 

dictionaries on learners' L2 learning. This study was done by dividing 37 college students in Korea into two 

groups. Both groups will read and understand a short text; they will use a dictionary to look up and memorize the 

14 required words. Collecting data after studying the searching and learning words through the dictionary of 37 

Korean students, the results showed that when reading a short text, L2 learners tended to look up the computer 

dictionary higher than the paper dictionary. Research also shows that computer dictionaries help absorb new 

vocabulary better than a paper dictionary by guiding and attracting learners' attention to new vocabulary. Besides, 

we still can that the vocabulary retention rate of words that are looked up in a computer dictionary is not too 

different from those found in a paper dictionary.   

Tulgar (2017) believes that using dictionaries is a particularly delicate problem for students of the Faculty of 

Foreign Language as it is generally expected that students here will truly be proficient in the language so they can 

hear, speak, read, and write. Therefore, technology development has influenced the students to use the dictionary 

to apply in learning. This study aims to clarify that university students of the Faculty of Foreign Language in 



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Turkey use their dictionaries and learn their favorite dictionaries. Twelve students used the dictionary, were 

invited to participate in the interview studies at the end of the term. Interviewing these participants was conducted 

individually and lasted about 20 minutes to ask them about their benefits, preferences, how often they viewed the 

dictionary, and what dictionaries they came to information (word meaning, pronunciation, grammar, etc.). The 

general results given after the study are that although most of the participants often use an online dictionary 

because it provides fast access in a short time, they also appreciate the benefits of a paper dictionary as it contains 

more information than an electronic dictionary. 

Similar to this survey, Yuzhen (2012) tried to analyze the habit of dictionary use in learning L2 vocabulary of a 

learner's reading context. It pertains to learners using English-Chinese bilingual dictionaries to complete their 

difficulties with the new words. This study also involves the random acquisition of vocabulary from English-major 

students at Chinese universities. The survey participants were asked to read a passage in English. They completed 

the task with one of three supports: a paper dictionary, an online dictionary, or no access to any dictionaries. After 

they finished, they were asked to take a surprise memorization test of any reading passages' vocabulary. After a 

week, the experiments were repeated. Research shows that using a dictionary facilitates good vocabulary 

understanding for learners and increases the ability to absorb random words. There are not too many differences 

between paper dictionaries and online dictionaries, but online dictionaries show an advantage in retaining 

vocabulary. 

Aust, Kelley & Roby (1993), in a similar survey, invited 80 university language learners to participate in a survey 

which compares the use of paper dictionaries and one of the online dictionaries based on frequency participation, 

learning time, the effectiveness of the dictionary, and the ability of users to understand. The result is that online 

dictionary users are more likely to understand more definitions than regular dictionary users. Also, the advisory 

rate for online dictionary users is higher than for paper dictionaries. Also, Zarei & Gujjar (2012) also conducted a 

study investigating the ability to support EFL learners to learn the vocabulary of both kinds of dictionaries. Four 

groups of men and women were selected for the survey by vocabulary test when they use a dictionary. After that, 

the groups were evenly divided into two groups of one female and one male just using the online dictionary, while 

other groups (female and male) used only the paper dictionary. The results showed that the participant's gender did 

not affect the learners' use, but the online dictionary's contribution to vocabulary learning was considerably 

tremendous than that of the paper dictionary. 

In a similar recent study, M. Mohamad, Rashid & W. Mohamad (2017) create that learners in foreign language 

classes often use the dictionary as a learning aid. Today, although there are many different types of dictionaries, 

online dictionaries are the most widely used. This study aims to find out the benefits of online dictionaries for ESL 

learners and the difficulties they encounter each time using them. Ten TESL tertiary students from a Malaysian 

public research university volunteered to become participants. During the focused interviews, the questionnaires, 

and the emails used for the research, results have shown that although the e-dictionary offers some benefits in 

terms of vocabulary enhancement for learners, ESL learners complete experience difficulties. This study shows 

that online dictionaries provide learners with the convenience of learning vocabulary. They can study at whatever 

place or the time they want, for example. Also, an online dictionary helps learners learn the correct pronunciation 

of words, vocabulary instructions, determine the origin of the words, and more clearly than paper dictionaries. The 

main difficulties of the commonly listed online dictionaries are restricted internet access, the definition of the 

vocabulary is incomplete, lack of examples, the website is not reputable enough, etc. This study directly impacts 

next to language teaching and learning when today's students use online dictionaries in their study a lot. 

Many studies have investigated the attitudes of English teachers or students when they’re using electronic 

dictionaries. Dashtestani (2013) studied both teachers' and students' views about using online dictionaries to learn 

English. The survey participants were asked to answer the questionnaires of 73 EFL teachers and 126 EFL 

students. In which, 66 teachers and 81 students participated in the next interview. The study’s results showed that 

both EFL students and teachers have positive attitudes towards using online dictionaries. Besides, they also said 

that there are some limitations (a good example is that students will lose focus on learning due to electronic 

dictionaries on phones in class). This analysis shows that most Iranian EFL students prefer using online 

dictionaries on their mobile phones rather than using paper dictionaries. 

As mentioned above, the former studies gained different results about using online dictionaries versus paper 

dictionaries. The combination of traditional and digital dictionaries greatly benefits learners when it comes to 

bringing about high effectiveness in checking the words' definitions (Daisy Zou et al., 2017). She also argued that 

although they have their characteristics, they share equally important value on English usage. According to 

Truong (2012), the most obvious difference between online and print dictionaries is represented. While paper 

dictionary only provides learners with fixed definitions, the online dictionary also gives suggestions on relating 

words to expand their vocabulary with the uploaded audio. The visual clues also have a crucial role in boosting 

learners' motivation and enhancing study quality.  

 



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2.1 Research Gap  

It is clear that there are a large number of researches have been carried out to clarify the specific features of using 

online dictionaries versus using a print dictionary. However, there are still many gaps that have not been filled yet.  

One obvious matter we have to argue is which kind of dictionary suits English learners' levels. Different types of 

dictionaries are all designed to check the words' meanings; however, the presentation styles have significant 

differences in the various levels of English learners. Another crucial thing we need to do is find out how to fully 

take advantage of using each type of dictionary based on their owner's distinctive beneficial features. Although 

these dictionaries bring about equally important value to learners, using them correctly seems to benefit them 

greatly. 

 

2.2 Research Questions  

The study was conducted to validate the influence of paper dictionaries and online dictionaries on users. This 

study is designed to explore to provide answers to the following questions:  

1. What are the people's perceptions of paper or online dictionaries using? 

2. Is there any difference between using an online dictionary and paper dictionaries? 

 

3. Research Methodology 

3.1 Research context & Sample 

3.1.1 Research context 

This survey was conducted at Van Lang University campus 1, where it specializes in training majors such as Law, 

Architecture, Foreign Languages, and Construction. To catch up with the era that is to integrate with the world, the 

school realizes the importance of learning foreign languages. So learning a foreign language and passing exams is 

one of the mandatory requirements to ensure the output for students. Depending on the student's major, each 

person is required to learn a foreign language in their curriculum with the professional subjects. Foreign language 

students study books edited by the Faculty's teachers, while other major students study the "Jetstream" textbooks 

of Jane Revell and Mary Tomalin, published in 2016. The goal of the curriculum is to ensure output for students 

and equip students with background knowledge of foreign languages so they can confidently go to work. 

 

3.1.2 Population and sampling methods  

In terms of finding subjects to serve for research, we focus on research subjects who are junior students of Van 

Lang University because they are the most convenient research subjects. Most researchers sampled based on 

accessibility, intimacy, as well as convenience at a given time or the willingness to join a certain group of people 

(Etikan, Musa, & Alkassim, 2016, p.2). We selected the junior students because they are the same age, so they 

also have the same Research Methods subject as us, so they are easy to access, and they will be ready to 

participate in the survey. In addition, junior students have also entered the major, so it will be easy to differentiate 

their goals in using the dictionary. Three hundred junior students of Van Lang University are drawn from 600 

students in the first semester to serve for research. They are junior students studying a language other than their 

native language (English, French, Chinese, Japanese, and so on), aged 20 to 25. At the time this study took place, 

they are or have learned another language. They have also read paper dictionaries or used online dictionaries to 

look up to their needs. 

 

3.2 Research design 

Type of research: We are going to conduct some surveys about using dictionaries to learn English among Van 

Lang University's students. The print questionnaires and some interview questions are used to get the learners' 

opinions or ideas about what kind of dictionary they usually use. The questionnaires are handed out to around 300 

students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages. The survey is conducted within the university campus, and the 

collected data can be in both written form and recorded form.  

Reviews of the research design or used theories: The research is followed by a range of questions from 

questionnaires to interview questions to collect more information. The research would be more objective and 

accurate. The research is designed following the form of a direct survey on a large number of students.  

The reason that research design is the best: We need a lot of personal ideas to identify the trend towards using 

dictionaries in learning English. The more answers we get, the more accurate the survey is. By using the surveys, 

questionnaires, or quizzes, we can get information from many sources, but we can still save time because it does 



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not take much time to fill in the forms or answer the interview questions. Doing such a survey is also simple 

because of its flexibility when it comes to getting to know people's points of view about a specific topic. 

According to DeFranzo (2015), surveys can be performed in many forms, which enable conductors to gain 

information from various sources and enrich the paper.  

Type of data used to answer the research questions: Recorded ideas or opinions, as well as written 

information from handed out forms, are used as ingredients in the research. All collected da ta is used and 

analyzed carefully before being put in the research.   

 

* Instruments 

The crawl is based on the Google form tool. It has a built-in tool that calculates the results based on a pie chart and 

outputs each response percentage. There are a total of 21 questionnaires and are divided into two sections to 

clarify each research question. More specifically, questions 1-3 confirm whether the subject's information is 

relevant to the study. Questions 4-6 determine the subjects' perception of online and paper dictionaries generally. 

Question 7 identifies the specific reasons people buy and use that type of dictionaries. Questions 8-9 investigate 

object perceptions of research subjects regarding dictionary use in the university environment. Question 10 asks 

about the subject's view of the paper dictionary exclusion. Questions 11-12 ask about how often users use 

dictionaries and what types of dictionaries are often used by users. Questions 13-19 seek out users' opinions about 

specific aspects of the two dictionaries. Questions 20-21 explore the frequency of time that users spend using a 

dictionary. 

3.3 The procedure of the study 

Questionnaires will be shared out on Tuesday, 03.11.2020, for 200 students at Van Lang University, and we will 

also interview 15 students on Thursday, 05.11. 2020.  

Questionnaires were collected on Friday 06.11.2020 and interviewed on 05.11.2020. Fifteen students will be 

interviewed in Vietnamese, and this recorded by a mobile phone. Then, it will be translated into English. 

 

4. Findings and Discussion 

4.1 The demographic data of the participants 

Participants were junior students of Van Lang University at the first campus 1. 300 students were selected 

randomly from a total of junior students of campus 1. There are four faculties: Faculty of Law, Faculty of 

Architecture, Faculty of Construction are three faculties according to the common English curriculum of the whole 

school, and the Faculty of the foreign language department, students are divided into many different foreign 

language majors. In year 3 of the curriculum, most students have begun to have access to specialized knowledge. 

 

Based on the data obtained from the survey, 51.7% of them belong to the Faculty of Foreign language, 19.3% 

were students of the Faculty of Architecture, 12.3% belong to the Faculty of Civil Construction, and 16.7% were 

students of the Faculty of Law. The difference is because the amount of foreign language students is more than the 

other. 

51.70%

19.30%

16.70%

12.30%

Percentage of faculties

Faculty of Foreign Language

Faculty of Architecture

Faculty of Law

aculty of Civil Construction



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4.2 Research Questions 1: What types of dictionaries do university students prefer?  

Table 1: The users' general perception about the usefulness.   

  Online dictionary Paper dictionary 

Usefulness (on the scale 1-5) 4.58   3.6 

Table number 1 shows the respondents' perceptions about the helpfulness of the online dictionary (OD) and the 

paper dictionary (PD). According to the table, the usefulness of an online dictionary (4.58) seems to overwhelm a 

paper dictionary (3.6). 

Table 2: The perception of the student about the dictionary at VLU. 

  

OD PD 

Number Percent Number Percent 

Popular in VLU 

Supported to maintain 

282 

287 

94% 

95.7% 

18 

13 

6% 

4.3% 

The table also shows that a large number of students support maintaining online dictionaries on the university 

campus (94%), while the number of students supporting paper dictionaries in the same environment only accounts 

for a small number (6%). When asked about the popularity of two types of dictionaries, the online dictionary 

seems to be more common with 287 responses (95.7%), while only 13 people (4.3%) vote for the popularity of 

paper dictionaries. As we can see from the table above, the online dictionary receives bigger support and 

popularity than the online dictionary when it comes to research at Van Lang University. 

 

4.3 Research Questions 2: Is there any difference between using an online dictionary and a paper dictionary? 

 

Chart 1: Criteria 

The chart above shows the factors that users consider when it comes to using a dictionary. Besides cost, formality, 

and word information, other factors influence people's decisions on choosing a dictionary.  It can be seen clearly 

from the chart that word information has the biggest influence on people's decisions when they pick a dictionary 

(91%) and it is perhaps the most important thing when it comes to deciding which one to buy. Cost is the second 

thing people considering as another key thing to buy a dictionary (63%). The differences between prices of 

dictionary can have a big impact on people's buying decisions because they want to buy something useful at 

reasonable prices. Another factor that students really care about when they decide to use a dictionary is formality 

63%

45.70%

91%

4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Cost Formality Word information Others

Criteria 

Criteria



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(45.7%). People also have many other choices about which factor influences their decisions on buying dictionaries, 

but it only accounts for a small proportion (4%). 

Table 3: The users' perception about the importance of dictionaries. 

  

Yes No 

Number Percent  Number Percent  

Important 292 97.3% 8 2.7% 

The table above shows the results concerning people’s opinions about the importance of the two types of 

dictionaries and whether we should eliminate the paper dictionary. The collected data reflects that many students 

recognize the importance of dictionaries in their lives (97.3%) while others (2.7%) refute it.  

 

Table 4: The users' perception about eliminating paper dictionaries. 

A number of users agree on eliminating paper dictionaries for their own reasons (144). At the same time, a few more 

students disagree with the idea of removing paper dictionaries from the education environment. It can be seen that 

respondents' opinions vary significantly; however, no one can indeed deny the role of the dictionary, and the paper 

dictionary is still strongly supported to thrive.  

 

Table 5: Users’ review of the aspects of a dictionary. 

  

OD PD 

Number Percent Number Percent 

Preference 284 94.7% 16 5.3% 

Check 283 94.3% 17 5.7% 

Time-saving 289 96.3% 11 3.7% 

Economical element 289 96.3% 11 3.7% 

Presentation style 274 91.3% 26 8.7% 

Portability 290 96.7% 10 3.3% 

Pronunciation improvement 289 96.3% 11 3.7% 

Effect 288 96% 12 4% 

The table above shows the feedback about two types of dictionaries on some specific areas, namely: preference, 

check, time-saving, economic element, presentation style, portability, pronunciation improvement, and effect. First, 

many respondents prefer online dictionaries (94.7%) to paper dictionaries (5.3%) because the online dictionary is 

more common and easier to use. Next, when being asked about which type of students usually use to check new 

words' meanings, the online dictionary also gets more responses (94.3%) than the paper dictionary (5.7%). What is 

more, time-saving is another area that being noticed about the characteristics of these two types of dictionaries. 

The online dictionary appears to be more time-saving (96.3%) compared to the paper dictionary (3.7%). Besides, 

  

Yes No 

Number Percent  Number Percent  

Eliminating PD 144 48% 156 52% 



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the online dictionary also has a reputation for being more economical (96.3%) because people do not have to pay 

any fees to use the service while using paper dictionaries charges users a lot more money. 

Furthermore, many more people (91.3%) have voted for online dictionary presentations because it is easy to study 

and enables users to check meanings easily. On the contrary, only a small number of students vote for the paper 

dictionary's presentation style (8.7%). Moreover, the collected data shows that an online dictionary is more 

portable (96.7%) thanks to the advanced apps, whereas only ten people (3.3%) believe that a paper dictionary is 

portable. When it comes to improving pronunciation, an online dictionary seems to be more advantageous (96.3%) 

because learners can enhance their pronunciations through audio. Finally, it is undeniable that using an online 

dictionary is more effective than a paper dictionary for all the reasons mentioned above. 

The below chart shows the frequency of dictionary use among respondents at Van Lang University. Of all the 

students questioned, 41 people (13.7%) reported that they use dictionaries almost every day for checking and 

learning new words' meanings. Another 22 (7.3%) said that they use a dictionary sometimes. Many students (79%) 

admitted that they only use a dictionary when they are in need, such as to prepare for exams, homework, or when 

they're in special situations. So we can see that using a dictionary regularly has not been a study habit among VLU 

students yet. 

 

Chart 2: Frequency of use 

The chart below indicates the amount of time that users usually spend on a dictionary. It is clear that people 

usually spend around 15 minutes to more than an hour using the internet (from 6.3% to 7.7%). A large number of 

others admitted that the amount of time they spend using a dictionary depends on the number of words that they 

need to check (79%). From all the data above, it is clear that people's opinions about using dictionaries vary on 

their purposes and circumstances. 

 

Chart 3: Time of use. 

13.70%

7.30%

79%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

Everyday Sometimes Only when you need

Frequency of use 

Frequency

7.70% 6.30% 7%

79%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

15 minutes 30 minutes More than an hour Depending the

amount of words

Time



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4.4 Discussion 

This study had the same results as previous research results of Rundell (2014) when it showed that both types of 

dictionaries have different pros and cons in understanding, receiving, and storing vocabulary. Besides, the capacity 

of the online dictionary is more effective than one of the paper dictionaries. More importantly, this study shows 

that online dictionaries provide learners with the convenience of learning vocabulary, such as studying wherever 

or whenever they want. Simultaneously, the online dictionary helps learners learn the correct pronunciation of 

words, vocabulary guidance, determine the origin of vocabulary, and so on, which more clearly than the paper 

dictionary. Since then, it shows that using the dictionary facilitates the learners' understanding of the vocabulary 

and increases the ability to absorb random words. There are not too many differences between paper dictionaries 

and online dictionaries, but online dictionaries show the advantage in terms of vocabulary retention. According to 

Tulgar (2017), after the study, most participants often use online dictionaries because it can determine all 

information they need in a short time; moreover, they recognize the usefulness of paper dictionaries. According to 

Yuzhen (2012), the main difficulty of the commonly listed: online dictionaries is restricted internet access, 

incomplete word definition, lack of examples, insufficiency of website reputation, etc. (a good example would be 

a student distracting from learning due to the use of electronic dictionaries on the phone in class). This research 

directly influences the teaching and learning of languages as students nowadays use online dictionaries to study a 

lot. 

 

5. Conclusion  

This study aims to show the advantages of online dictionaries and paper dictionaries in the current era through 

assessment of consumers, particularly students K.24 of year 3 in the Faculties of Law, Construction, Architecture 

and Foreign Languages from Van Lang University in Ho Chi Minh City. The researcher test to recognize which 

type of dictionaries will be chosen while the user wants to look up its meaning. Would students like to choose 

electronic dictionaries or paper dictionaries for their learning purpose? The survey revealed that although 

electronic dictionaries and print dictionaries are beneficial to students, most of them like to easily select electronic 

dictionaries as a modern tool to look up new vocabularies. Many students felt that it is convenient and useful when 

applying online dictionaries, which can create a new application for learners' pronunciation. This is not available 

on paper.  

However, paper dictionaries' important role is not still denied because some students believe that paper 

dictionaries help explain exactly the word's meaning. Besides, because most students like to choose online 

dictionaries, this study encourages learners to equip with several modern tools. It can be a tablet or a smartphone 

to serve in maximizing the effectiveness of learning new words through the online dictionary. This will definitely 

help Van Lang students improve their pronunciation skills shown in that when students check the meaning of a 

word, they also understand their correct pronunciation. This is a different point with print dictionaries. This 

encourages many students to prefer electronic dictionaries to paper dictionaries for their learning in foreign 

languages. In the future, we hope that we can expand the participants and scope of research with a larger number 

in all different faculties at Van Lang University. This will give the study paper exact results and show how to 

choose a suitable form for students while using dictionaries for a foreign language in the 4.0 era today.  

 

References 

Amirian, S. M., & Heshmatifar, Z. (2013). The impact of using an electronic dictionary on vocabulary learning 

and retention of Iranian EFL learners. International Journal of Research Studies in Educational 

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