Online dictionaries: expectations and demands

Buchbeitrag

This chapter presents empirical findings on the question which criteria are making a good online dictionary using data on expectations and demands collected in the first study (N=684), completed with additional results from the second study (N=390) which examined more closely whether the respondents had differentiated views on individual aspects of the criteria rated in the first study. Our results show that the classical criteria of reference books (e.g. reliability, clarity) were rated highest by our participants, whereas the unique characteristics of online dictionaries (e.g. multimedia, adaptability) were rated and ranked as (partly) unimportant. To verify whether or not the poor rating of these innovative features was a result of the fact that the subjects are not used to online dictionaries incorporating those features, we integrated an experiment into the second study. Our results revealed a learning effect: Participants in the learning-effect condition, i. e. respondents who were first presented with examples of possible innovative features of online dictionaries,judged adaptability and multimedia to be more useful than participants who did not have this information. Thus, our data point to the conclusion that developing innovative features is worthwhile but that it is necessary to be aware of the fact that users can only be convinced of its benefits gradually.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Deutsch

Klassifikation und Themen

• Thema: Computerunterstützte Lexikographie ; Benutzer ; Germanische Sprachen; Deutsch

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Müller-Spitzer, Carolin ; Koplenig, Alexander
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): Berlin; Boston : De Gruyter
• (wann): 2014-04-23

Weitere Informationen

• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:mh39-21787
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 06.03.2025, 09:00 MEZ