Abstract

This empirical study investigates the respective effectiveness of three factors (need, search and evaluation) included in task-induced involvement load on the EFL vocabulary learning and retention. Three tasks with the same amount of involvement load but containing different factors are assigned to 108 non-English majors at Beijing Institute of Petrol-chemical Technology in China. After these reading tasks, the participants are given an unannounced immediate posttest. One week later, the participants are given the delayed posttest. A 3 × 2 analysis of variance (ANOVA) is employed to process the scores and identify the relationship between the EFL incidental vocabulary learning and the three factors contained in the involvement loads. The results are assumed to show that the Evaluation factor is more decisive and crucial than the other two factors (need and search). Learners benefit more by using the target words in their original contexts. That means vocabulary instruction should focus on tasks that require high degrees of evaluation.

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