Identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates Test
Depth of vocabulary knowledge (DVK) (i.e. how much a learner knows about the words he knows) is typically conceptualized as a psychologically multidimensional construct, including various forms of word knowledge. Read’s Word Associates Test (WAT) is the most common test of DVK in the literature, as...
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Castledown Publishers
2012-12-01
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| Series: | Vocabulary Learning and Instruction |
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| Online Access: | https://www.castledown.com/journals/vli/article/view/1451 |
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| author | Aaron Batty |
| author_facet | Aaron Batty |
| author_sort | Aaron Batty |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Depth of vocabulary knowledge (DVK) (i.e. how much a learner knows about the words he knows) is typically conceptualized as a psychologically multidimensional construct, including various forms of word knowledge. Read’s Word Associates Test (WAT) is the most common test of DVK in the literature, assessing knowledge of words’ synonyms and collocates. Despite the fact that the WAT aims to measure two dimensions of vocabulary knowledge, no studies until now have investigated whether these dimensions are psychometrically distinct. The present study seeks to fill that gap. A known-reliable-and-valid WAT developed by David Qian was administered to 530 Japanese university English majors. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to investigate the psychometric dimensionality of the WAT. It was discovered that a bifactor model, wherein the primary explanatory factor is a vocabulary g-factor, with additional, uncorrelated factors for synonym and collocate items, demonstrated the best fit. This finding implies that although these dimensions of DVK may be somewhat distinct, they are largely subsumed by general vocabulary knowledge.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b35b9fb5edc543ed9807eae7243f4b13 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2981-9954 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | Castledown Publishers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vocabulary Learning and Instruction |
| spelling | doaj-art-b35b9fb5edc543ed9807eae7243f4b132025-08-20T02:48:15ZengCastledown PublishersVocabulary Learning and Instruction2981-99542012-12-011110.7820/vli.v01.1.battyIdentifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates TestAaron Batty0Keio University Depth of vocabulary knowledge (DVK) (i.e. how much a learner knows about the words he knows) is typically conceptualized as a psychologically multidimensional construct, including various forms of word knowledge. Read’s Word Associates Test (WAT) is the most common test of DVK in the literature, assessing knowledge of words’ synonyms and collocates. Despite the fact that the WAT aims to measure two dimensions of vocabulary knowledge, no studies until now have investigated whether these dimensions are psychometrically distinct. The present study seeks to fill that gap. A known-reliable-and-valid WAT developed by David Qian was administered to 530 Japanese university English majors. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to investigate the psychometric dimensionality of the WAT. It was discovered that a bifactor model, wherein the primary explanatory factor is a vocabulary g-factor, with additional, uncorrelated factors for synonym and collocate items, demonstrated the best fit. This finding implies that although these dimensions of DVK may be somewhat distinct, they are largely subsumed by general vocabulary knowledge. https://www.castledown.com/journals/vli/article/view/1451depth of vocabulary knowledgemultidimensionalitystructural equation modelingvocabularyWord Associates Test |
| spellingShingle | Aaron Batty Identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates Test Vocabulary Learning and Instruction depth of vocabulary knowledge multidimensionality structural equation modeling vocabulary Word Associates Test |
| title | Identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates Test |
| title_full | Identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates Test |
| title_fullStr | Identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates Test |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates Test |
| title_short | Identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the Word Associates Test |
| title_sort | identifying dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in the word associates test |
| topic | depth of vocabulary knowledge multidimensionality structural equation modeling vocabulary Word Associates Test |
| url | https://www.castledown.com/journals/vli/article/view/1451 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aaronbatty identifyingdimensionsofvocabularyknowledgeinthewordassociatestest |