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Lexical Coverage and Reading Comprehension Revisited

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Title: Lexical Coverage and Reading Comprehension Revisited
Language: English
Authors: Stuart Webb, Ana Pellicer-Sánchez, Andi Wang
Source: Reading in a Foreign Language. 2025 37(1).
Availability: National Foreign Language Resource Center at University of Hawaii. 1859 East-West Road #106, Honolulu, HI 96822. e-mail: readfl@hawaii.edu; Web site: https://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Difficulty Level, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Scores, Reading Tests, Graduate Students, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
DOI: 10.64152/10125/67517
ISSN: 1539-0578
Abstract: The present study is a partial replication of the most widely cited study of lexical coverage and reading comprehension by Hu and Nation (2000). Ninety-four advanced L2 learners read a short story at one of 90%, 95%, 98%, and 100% lexical coverage and then completed a 14-item reading comprehension test. The results showed that although comprehension scores did tend to increase from 90% to 100% coverage, there were no statistically significant differences in comprehension scores between those who read the text with 90%, 95%, and 98% lexical coverage. Participants who read the text with 100% coverage did have significantly higher scores than those who read it at 90% and 95% coverage. The results also revealed that lexical coverage and perceived difficulty both have a role in predicting comprehension scores, but the amount of variation explained is small (11% and 8%, respectively).
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1486674
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Lexical Coverage and Reading Comprehension Revisited
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stuart+Webb%22">Stuart Webb</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ana+Pellicer-Sánchez%22">Ana Pellicer-Sánchez</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andi+Wang%22">Andi Wang</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Reading+in+a+Foreign+Language%22"><i>Reading in a Foreign Language</i></searchLink>. 2025 37(1).
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  Data: National Foreign Language Resource Center at University of Hawaii. 1859 East-West Road #106, Honolulu, HI 96822. e-mail: readfl@hawaii.edu; Web site: https://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/
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  Data: 21
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Comprehension%22">Reading Comprehension</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary%22">Vocabulary</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Difficulty+Level%22">Difficulty Level</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scores%22">Scores</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Tests%22">Reading Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduate+Students%22">Graduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.64152/10125/67517
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– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The present study is a partial replication of the most widely cited study of lexical coverage and reading comprehension by Hu and Nation (2000). Ninety-four advanced L2 learners read a short story at one of 90%, 95%, 98%, and 100% lexical coverage and then completed a 14-item reading comprehension test. The results showed that although comprehension scores did tend to increase from 90% to 100% coverage, there were no statistically significant differences in comprehension scores between those who read the text with 90%, 95%, and 98% lexical coverage. Participants who read the text with 100% coverage did have significantly higher scores than those who read it at 90% and 95% coverage. The results also revealed that lexical coverage and perceived difficulty both have a role in predicting comprehension scores, but the amount of variation explained is small (11% and 8%, respectively).
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        Value: 10.64152/10125/67517
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Reading Comprehension
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vocabulary
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Difficulty Level
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scores
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Lexical Coverage and Reading Comprehension Revisited
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            NameFull: Ana Pellicer-Sánchez
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            NameFull: Andi Wang
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            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 1539-0578
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              Value: 37
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            – TitleFull: Reading in a Foreign Language
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