The Comparative Effect of Glossing, Dictionary use, and Etymological analysis on Iranian ESP Learners Vocabulary Recognition

vocabulary is an essential component of English language learning. The present study examined the effect of three techniques (glossing, dictionary use, and etymological analysis) on vocabulary recognition.To fulfill the purpose of this study, 45 English for specific purposes (ESP) learners from Anzali Azad University in architecture participated in this research. They were divided into three groups, and each group was randomly assigned to one kind of treatment (glossing, dictionary use, and etymological analysis). Prior to performing the treatment, a Michigan proficiency test was administered to measure the language proficiency of ESP learners and to ensure the homogeneity of the learners. The three experimental groups received three tasks for three weeks. Learners, then, took a vocabulary recognition test (VRT). The results indicated that the experimental group receiving dictionary use recognized technical words in architecture much better than the other two experimental groups. Finally, the implications of the results as they relate to educational programs were discussed.