MA Thesis 
                 Flashcards and the Memrise App for
                   English Vocabulary Acquisition 
                                2017
                         Woosong University 
                           TESOL-MALL
                          Donald E. Hobbs 
          Flashcards and the Memrise App for
           English Vocabulary Acquisition
                Dr. David Kent
           Submitted to the thesis committee
                2017 December 
              Woosong University 
                TESOL-MALL
               Donald E. Hobbs 
                        Abstract
            This study examines the effectiveness of two different personal study 
         methods for the acquisition of English language vocabulary – paper flashcards and
         Memrise, a popular vocabulary learning mobile application (app). The study was 
         conducted over 10 weeks at a private Korean information college (정보대) offering 
         a variety of 2-year programs. Two culinary program classes of 19 students each 
         participated in it. A repeated measure, quasi-experiment based on test scores 
         before-and-after provided the quantitative data, along with student self-reports and
         tracking information from the app itself. Several qualitative measures were also 
         used: questionnaires, focus groups, individual interviews, and finally, the personal 
         experiences and observations of both myself and the other instructor. Results were
         positive for both study methods, although the paper flashcard users showed a 
         significantly higher increase in test scores than those who used Memrise. The 
         author makes several recommendations about the use of mobile flashcard apps 
         outside of the classroom for increasing the likelihood that students will routinely 
         and effectively use one to study vocabulary and also proposes ideas for future 
         research hailing from the present study.  
                                   Donald E. Hobbs 
                            Department of TESOL – MALL
                                  Woosong University
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