A Survey on Vocabulary Learning Strategies: A Case of Iranian University Students

This study focused on identifying the vocabulary learning strategies employed by Iranian university students. To reach the objective of the study ۱۰۰ university students with the age range of ۲۰ to ۴۵ were selected randomly from Ilam Islamic Azad University. The participants contained the EFL, accounting, psychology, management, and law students. Each discipline included ۲۰ (۱۰ male and ۱۰ female) students. Then, the vocabulary learning strategies questionnaire developed by Schmitt (۱۹۹۷) was administered to the participants of the five groups in different separate sessions. After, providing the necessary explanations, the participants were told to indicate if they use the particular strategy. The results indicated that the most frequently used strategies by EFL, accounting, law, psychology, and management students were cognitive, memory, metacognitive, cognitive, and social strategies respectively. Moreover, based on the result, the least frequently employed strategies by these groups of students were social, determination, social, memory, and determination strategies respectively. Generally, the results demonstrated that there existed a meaningful difference in vocabulary learning strategies employed by university students. The findings of the study are advantageous for EFL teachers, EFL students, and ESP students

Keywords:

Vocabulary Learning Strategies , ESP , University Students