ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012

Memorizing Vocabulary through Mind Mapping Technique
Nuttanuch Munsakorn
Assistant Professor, Language Institute
Bangkok University, Thailand
E-mail: nuttanuch.m@bu.ac.th
Abstract: This paper makes an attempt to show the effectiveness of mind mapping technique as a vocabulary storage method.
The study was a one-group pretest-posttest experiment and aimed to investigate the effect of mind mapping technique on
vocabularies learning of 40 Bangkok University students and explore their attitude towards the use of mind mapping technique.
The instruments were the vocabulary tests, and the questionnaire exploring attitude towards mind mapping technique. The
pretest and posttest scores of the experimental group were calculated for descriptive statistics and compared using a dependentt-Test measure. It was found that students obtained higher scores for the posttest than the pretest scores at the 0.05 level ofsignificance. In addition, their attitude towards using the mind mapping technique was at a high level. Moreover, the results fromthis study supported that using mind mapping technique helped the students store a new bunch of vocabularies, and motivatedthem to learn English language.
Keywords: EFL learners, mind mapping technique, vocabulary learning

1. Introduction
In the context of English as foreign language learning, vocabulary knowledge has been identified as one of
the utmost obstacles of most students as they are learning foreign language (Shaw, 1991). If the students
have limited number of vocabulary, they will have some difficulties to understand and speak English
language. Like other EFL learners, Bangkok University students in Thailand also confront with the problem oflacking of vocabulary knowledge.
The lack of vocabulary knowledge of the students may due to storing and retrieving vocabulary they havelearnt. Even if these students tried to memorize new vocabulary on their own ways, they found thatmemorizing new words is not an easy job for them at all (Behesshti, 2011; Kun and Mei, 2010). Therefore,
the vocabulary recognition of the students is far lower than they expected. This makes the students
discourage to learn English language leading to their academic failure in the future.
Thus, to encourage the students’ confidence in learning vocabulary, the teachers can assist the students
in overcome retention and recall difficulties by teaching the students specific vocabulary retention techniques
as shortcuts to enhance their learning ability to make vocabulary memorizing less of struggle (Saeidi and
Jafari, 2010). Oxford and Scarcella, (1994) and Nemati, (2009) agreed that vocabulary can be learnt
intentionally through some strategies and plans. Furthermore, the vocabulary retention techniques have been
proved to be very helpful when learning new words since they facilitate the storage and retrieval of new
information when it is needed for comprehension or production (Oxford, 1990).
The vocabulary retention techniques classified by Oxford, 1990 (as cited in Jenpattarakul, 2012),
namely grouping, association, placing new words into a context, using imagery, semantic mapping, using
keyword, replacing sounds in memory, and structure reviewing. Basically, some techniques such as placing
new words into a context, using keyword, structure reviewing, and replacing sounds in memory are employed
less by Thai students because these vocabulary retention techniques involve grammatical point, vocabulary
rule, and language pattern which the students considered as obstacles in vocabulary learning. As highlighted
by Jenpattarakul (2012), Bangkok University students prefer making visual picture because it is a simple andeffective way to remember the words. He also suggested that the teachers should design the teaching of
vocabulary to be entertaining and easy to understand.



83

ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012

Consequently, to encourage students to learn vocabulary easily, semantic mapping or mind mapping isbelieved as one of the effective techniques which can be used to teach vocabulary. This technique will help
the students to solve the problem of lacking of vocabulary knowledge and encouraging students to memorize
vocabulary easily. The students remembered unknown words better when provided with both pictorial andwritten annotations than when provided with only one kind or no annotation (Plass and et.al, 1998 cited inNam, 2010). Mind mapping is the technique that let students use left and right brain in the memorizing
process to improve their vocabulary retention (De Porter, Readon, and Nourie, 1999). Mind mapping
technique allows the students to clarify their thoughts by categorizing and grouping into related ideas (Bono,2010). This is confirmed that mind mapping is a creative note-taking method which eases us to remember
much information
Furthermore, Buzan (1993), the memory expert, explained that mind mapping is a pattern which at leastconsists of picture, symbol and color that will not just help the students to understand the vocabularyknowledge but also make the students feel good and enjoyable, and attract their brain which at last lead themto have interest in mastery vocabulary knowledge. Additionally, the study showed that mind mapping is also a
useful technique that can be introduced to the students at any level of proficiency (Eppler, 2006). Michael(2010) also supported that mind mapping technique has been used with great success in EFL classes aroundthe world.
For these reasons, mind mapping technique is chosen to be a specific technique to help memorize
vocabulary of the students at Bangkok University, Thailand, and the present study makes an attempt to show
the impact of using mind mapping technique and reflect the students’ attitude towards mind mapping
technique. The results of this study can be the guidance of the teachers in developing teaching method andpersuading the students to develop their vocabulary retention skill.
2. Purposes of the Study
This study aims to:
1. investigate the effect of mind mapping technique on vocabulary learning.
2. explore the students’ attitude towards the use of mind mapping technique
3. Research Questions
To accomplish this investigation, the following research questions were formulated:
1. To what extent did the students improve their vocabulary retention after learning with mind
mapping technique?
2. How did the students respond to the use of mind mapping technique?
4. Previous Research Studies
Oxford (1990) suggested that mind mapping incorporates a variety of memory strategies such as grouping,using imagery, associating, and elaborating and it is important for improving both memory andcomprehension of new vocabulary items. Bornay (2011) investigated the usefulness of using grouping andmind mapping techniques as vocabulary learning tools of the Spanish first-year university students. The
findings suggested that mind mapping technique can contribute to developing participants’ visual learning
style, raise metacognitive awareness, and enhance their regulatory skill. Moreover, the results of theparticipants’ reflection on using mind mapping technique showed that mind mapping is very useful whenleaning new words. The reflection is relevant with Oxford (1990), who emphasized that memory strategies
have proved to be very useful when learning new words since they facilitate the storage and retrieval of new
information when it is needed for comprehension and production.

84 

ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012

Besides, many research studies have revealed that mind mapping techniques were used by EFL learners
when learning new words in overcoming retention and recall difficulties. The first one was conducted byBaleghizadeh and Naeim (2011), who did an action research to investigate vocabulary retention of an EFL
learner through semantic mapping technique. The results confirmed that semantic mapping foster learner’s
vocabulary retention skill. Similar findings were reported by Morin and Goebel , 2001 (cited in Baleghizadeh
and Naeim, 2011), which emphasized the effectiveness of using semantic mapping as a strategy that helps
beginner and intermediate learners recall words better. In the same line with the study of Kun and Mei(2010), the findings demonstrated the effectiveness of vocabulary learning strategies: combining mind
mapping with corpus-based data-driven in vocabulary acquisition of Chinese English major students. The
results also indicated that learning vocabulary through mind mapping technique is more effective thanlearning vocabulary by rote recitation of EFL students. Furthermore, Pishghadam and et.al (2010) did theexperiment to examine the effects of visual and verbal intelligences-based teaching on vocabulary retention
and written production of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. The findings revealed that the students’vocabulary retention was enhanced by visual intelligences-based teaching. It is clear that the researchers
who conducted these studies maintained that mind mapping technique or any visualize format is crucial tovocabulary learning and retaining of EFL learners.
Another line of research has centered on mind mapping considered as one of great personal learning
tools for knowledge construction and sharing. The study of Eppler (2006), for example, demonstrated thatmind mapping technique enhanced learners’ motivation, attention, understanding and recall. The findings
also showed advantages of using mind mapping technique as follows: 1) be easy to learn and apply 2)
encourage creativity and self-expression 3) provide a concise hierarchic overview and 4) be easy to extend
and add further content. The research has also shown that mind mapping dropped in the categories of
attractive, colorful and memorable features. For these features, mind mapping tends to be more memorable
at medium to high level. Eppler further states that mind mapping would be best used in-class and is great
personal tools of undergraduate and graduate university teaching.
It is important to recognize that the above studies have attempted to equip the EFL students with mind
mapping technique and train the students to utilize this vocabulary learning tool effectively to develop theother language skills.
5. Perspectives of Mind Mapping
Mind mapping technique is known as semantic map, net working, cognitive mapping, or memory mapping.
The best mind mapping is colorful and uses much pictures and symbols; usually like an art (Buzan, 1993).
Colors and pictures help to construct students’ imagination in making mind mapping with their own styles
since words or pictures which are in the curvy lines or branches will help the students’ memory to makeassociations. Based on Buzan’s mind maps, Eppler (2006) summarized the key features and main
application parameters mind map as follows:

85

ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012
Format Parametersx
Sample representation

Mind Mapsx

Source: http://mrdauzz92.blogspot.com/2010/12/mind-mapping.html
xDefinitionxxx

Main function or benefit
Typical application context
Application guidelinesx

Employed graphic elementsxx

Reading direction
Core design rules or guidelines

x
x
x
x
x

Macro structure adaptability
Level of difficulty
Extensibility
Memorability
Understandability by othersx
A mind mapping technique is multicolored and imagecentered, radial diagram that represents semantic or other connections
between portions of learned material hierarchicallyxShow sub-topics of a domain in a creative and seamless mannerx
Personal note taking and reviewingx
Use it for pre-analytic idea jostles or rapid note-taking, or to
structure the main contents of a course or topic hierarchicallyxCentral topic bubble and colored (sub-) branches with text above
branches, pictogramsxCenter-outxStart with the main topic (center) and branch out to sub-topics,
employ colors to add additional meaning. Write text above thebranchesx
Somewhat flexible, but always radial
x
Low
x
Open
x
Medium to highxLow

6. Methodology
The participants and Setting
Participants of this study comprise 40 first-year students at Bangkok University in Bangkok, Thailand. The
participants were selected by the purposive sampling technique. Among these participants, twenty nine ofthem were males and other eleven students were females. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 20
years old. All of them enrolled on a required Fundamental English II course of 3 credits in the first semesterof the academic year 2012.
Instruments
To collect the data required, the following instruments were employed in the study:
Vocabulary Tests: Two pre and post multiple-choice tests are designed to check students’ self-study
progress. One vocabulary test was given in (week 1) functioning as the pretest and the second one as theposttest at the end of the term (week 6). Even though these two vocabulary tests were different, the contents
and difficulty level are closely similar. The vocabulary items of the two tests are taken from a text book for
EN011: English in Action Course, American English File student Book 3 (2008) by Clive Oxenden andChristina Latham-Koening, Oxford University Press.

86 ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012

The self-report questionnaire: This self –report questionnaire survey the students’ attitude towards mind
mapping technique in vocabulary learning. It includes 10 statements corresponding to the students’ attitudes
on learning vocabulary through mind mapping techniques.
Data Analysis
Researcher checked the vocabulary tests. After that the data obtained from the tests and the questionnaires
were analyzed quantitatively through dependent t-test and descriptive statistics. The data obtained from thisstudy were subjected to a number of statistical techniques including the basic descriptive statistics, such asmean (x), standard deviation (SD), and variance.
Treatment Procedure
Week 1: The teacher taught the learners 10 unfamiliar vocabularies from unit 1 from the American English
File Student Book 3 by telling the learners to remember the words’ definitions. When the learners learnt new
vocabularies, they were asked to write down the meanings either Thai or English. At the end of the period,
the teacher informed that the first vocabulary test will be taken next week (Week 2).
Week 2: The teacher had the learners to take the first vocabulary test. The test requires the students tochoose the best answer to complete the sentences. The vocabulary items are the words that the learners
have learnt in the first. Each student completes the test within 30 minutes. After that, the teacher corrected
and recorded the pretest scores as shown in the table 1.
Week 3: The teacher introduced the learners to know Mind Mapping technique - one of several vocabularyretention techniques. The teachers taught the learners how to create mind maps as the following steps:
Step 1: Make a central image in the centre of the paper. Color and add somethinginteresting.
Step 2: Draw some basic ordering ideas and spread out from the central image.
Step 3: Think of all funny and interesting things as much as possible and connect
with the central image to give you the inspiration.
Step 4: Add some branches to the basic ordering ideas using symbols, pictures, andcolors as much as possible.
Step 5: Think of the details which are interesting can encourage your curiosity, adding
to your mind map.
Step 6: Continue it until you have adequate information for your mind map.
Week 4: The learners practiced to create mind maps of 5 new vocabularies from unit 1 from the American
English File Student Book 3. Each student was asked to memorize words from unit 1 through mind mapping
technique.
Week 5: The teacher taught the learners a new 10-vocabulary set from unit 2 from the American English File
Student Book 3 and gave them the word definitions. In this week, each student was asked to use mind maps
to help them memorize these words. At the end of this period, the teacher informed that the second
vocabulary test will be taken next week (Week 6).
Week 6: The learners were asked to do the second vocabulary test. They have 30 minutes to complete thetest. The test is aimed at checking the learners’ memory of the words’ definitions that they memorized by87

ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012

using mind mapping technique in (Week 5). The teacher corrected the tests and recorded the post-testscores as shown in table 1.
Table 1: Pre-test and Post-test scores
Student
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Pre-test(20 scores)
8
10
11
12
10
13
11
14
13
13
15
10
9
12
14
11
13
10
10
13

Post-test(20 scores)
12
15
18
16
15
18
15
18
15
13
16
16
13
19
20
17
17
19
13
20

Student
No.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
Average

Pre-test(20 scores)
12
10
11
9
10
12
13
9
9
12
14
10
10
10
10
12
10
9
11
11
11.15

Post-test(20 scores)
19
19
17
15
16
19
19
16
18
19
19
19
15
16
18
16
19
17
20
20
17.025

7. Result
Research Question 1: To what extent did the students improve their vocabulary retention after learning withmind mapping technique? To answer the first research question concerning the student’s performance invocabulary retention, the results of which have been shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Mean of the pre-test and post-test of the students

PretestPosttest

N
40
40

X

S.D.

11.15

1.703

17.03

2.178

t

sig

-16.559.000**The results shown in Table 2 indicate that the mean of the posttest is higher than that of the pretest by using
the Paired-Sample Test. The result from the t-Test revealed that there was significant difference in pretestand posttest. The finding supported that mind mapping technique was most likely to improve the students’vocabulary retention skill.
Research Question 2: How did the students respond to the use of mind mapping technique? To answer thesecond research question concerning students’ views in self-report, the results of which have been shown in
Table 3.

88 

ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012

Table 3: Percentage and number of students marking on each statement
Statements
1. Mind mapping helps me toacquire vocabulary knowledge
through working by myself.
2. Mind mapping helps me toremember new words.
3. Mind mapping helps me tolearn vocabulary easily.
4. I feel relaxed when I study
new vocabularies by using
mind mapping.
5. Mind mapping increased my
vocabulary proficiency.
6. Mind mapping motivatedme to learn new vocabularies.
7. I learned new words throughthe mind mapping.
8. I can remember the meanings
of words and store in my longterm memory.
9. Mind mapping decreases
difficulty in vocabularyretention.
10. I can remember words in avery short time.

Strongly
agree

Agree

NeutralDisagreeStrongly
disagreeMeanStandard
Deviation

47.5
(19)

25
(10)

20
(8)

7.5
(3)

0
(0)

4.125

0.992

37.5
(15)
50
(20)

30
(12)
35
(14)

27.5
(11)
12.5
(5)

5
(2)
2.5
(1)

0
(0)
0
(0)

4.0

0.934

4.325

0.797

57.5
(23)

37.5
(15)

2.5
(1)

2.5
(1)

0
(0)

4.5

0.679

30
(12)
52.5
(21)
37.5
(15)

37.5
(15)
37.5
(15)
30
(12)

30
(12)
10
(4)
15
(6)

2.5
(1)
0
(0)
17.5
(7)

0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)

3.95

0.846

4.425

0.675

3.875

1.114

30
(12)

42.5
(17)

12.5
(5)

12.5
(5)

2.5
(1)

3.85

1.075

65
(26)

27.5
(11)

2.5
(1)

2.5
(1)

2.5
(1)

4.5

0.877

27.5
(11)

32.5
(13)

37.5
(15)

2.5
(1)

0
(0)

3.85

0.864

4.14

0.885

Total

Mean levels:
4.50-5.00 = very high
3.50-4.49 = high
2.50-3.49 = moderate
1.50-2.49 = low
1.00-1.49 = very low

From the table 3, we can see that the overall mean score was at a high level (x= 4.14, S.D. = 0.885). The
three highest scores of the students’ opinions fell on statement no. 9 “Mind mapping decreases difficulty invocabulary retention” (4.50, S.D. = 0.877), statement no. 4 “I feel relaxed when I study new vocabularies byusing mind mapping” (x = 4.50, S.D. = 0.679), and statement no. 6 “Mind mapping motivated me to learn new
vocabularies” (x= 4.43, S.D. = 0.675) respectively. In other words, the students think that mind mapping has
three benefits for learning vocabulary accordingly : 1) the mind mapping technique helps them to decreasedifficulties in vocabulary retention. 2) they feel relaxed when they studied new vocabularies by using mind
mapping. 3) mind mapping motivated them to learn new vocabularies. However, only 5 percent of all
students rated strongly disagree. This could explain that the students reflect their very positive attitudes
toward using mind mapping technique in vocabulary learning.
8. Conclusion and Implication
The research findings indicated that mind mapping technique may contribute to the improvement of students’vocabulary learning and retaining. Furthermore, the mind mapping technique becomes a tool for both storingand expanding vocabulary size. It helps the students to memorize words in their long-term memory because
it is easy to recall. The positive effect of mind mapping technique become obvious after it was introduced to

89ISSN2039Ͳ9340MediterraneanJournalofSocialSciencesVol.3(10)July2012

be a vocabulary learning tool. The means of these scores have considerably and meaningfully increased
comparing to the pretest scores before the students were taught through the mind mapping technique. It is
confirmed that mind mapping improves the recall and retention of the students. Mind mapping can also helps
the students to solve the problem of lacking stock of vocabulary in their memory. It is concluded that mind
mapping has high efficiency in vocabulary learning and retaining. Moreover, the result from the questionnaire
showed that the students had a very high level opinion on benefit from memorizing words through mind
mapping technique. Apart from higher vocabulary proficiency that the students gained from using mind
mapping technique, they agreed that they can get rid of their uncomfortable feelings when learning new
words from text. Additionally, the mind mapping motivated the students to learn vocabularies. This might bebecause mind mapping technique maximizes the students’ vocabulary knowledge in the form of art (Buzan,1993). To sum up, learning new vocabulary is a challenge to foreign language learners but they canovercome by having access to a variety of vocabulary learning strategies. Learners should be trained
strategies they lack.
Based on the conclusions of this research, vocabulary can be learnt intentionally through somestrategies and plans. The teachers can help the students gain greater control over their vocabulary learning
process by teaching them specific vocabulary learning and retention techniques. This suggestion was
supported by the study of Kitto, J., & McKeogh, J (2006). The EFL teachers should focus on the use of mind
mapping technique to teach vocabulary for the first- year students. The teachers should also recognize thatmind mapping are highly beneficial and could be introduced to the students as early as possible. To sum up,
the teachers can help the students to enhance their knowledge of vocabulary through equipping learners witha variety of vocabulary learning techniques.
References
Baleghizadeh, S., & Naeim, M. (2011). Enhancing vocabulary retention through semantic mapping: a single-subject study. The
International Journal-Language Society and Culture, 32, 11-16.
Buzan, Tony. (1993). http://www.usingmindmaps.com/ what-is-a-mind-map.html Accessed on February 1st, 2012.
Bornay, N. (2011). Explicit strategy training in vocabulary learning for beginning Spanish students. FULGOR - Flinders University
Languages Group Online Review. http://journaldatabase.org/articles/explicit_strategy_training_vocabulary.html Accessed on
February 2nd , 2012.
Clive O., & Christina, L. (2008). American English File Student Book 3. Oxford University Press.
De Bono. (2010). http://www.usingmindmaps.com/mind-maps-iFn-education.html Accessed on February 1st, 2012.
Eppler, J. (2006). A Comparison between concept maps, mind maps, conceptual diagrams, and visual metaphors as complementary
tools for knowledge construction and sharing. Palgrave Macmillan Ltd., http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ivs. Accessed on
February 2nd,2012.
Jenpattarakul. W. (2012). An examination of the usage of vocabulary retention techniques (VRTs) of Thai undergraduate EFL students.
Mediterranean of Art and Science, 3(1).
Kitto, J., & McKeogh, J. (2006). http://www.tki.org.nz/r/eso/esolonline/teachers/prf_read Accessed on February 1st, 2012.
Kun. Y., & Mei. L. (2010). The effective strategy for the Chinese English Majors to learn vocabulary: Combining mind-mapping with
corpus-based data-driven learning. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=5608428 Accessed on February 1st,
2012
Nam. J. (2010). Linking research and practice: Effective strategies for teaching vocabualry in the ESL classroom. TESL Canada
Journal/Revue TESL DU CANADA. 28(1), 127- 135.
Nemati, A. (2009). Memory vocabulary learning strategies and long-term retention. International Journal of Vocational and Technical
Education, I(2), 14-24.
Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. New York: Newbury House Publishers.
Pishghadam and et.al (2010), The impact of visual and verbal intelligences-based teaching on vocabulary retention and written
production of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. MJAL, 2(5). 379-395.
Saeidi, M. & Jafari, M. (2010). The effect of awareness-raising strategy on EFL learners’ retention of ESP terms. International
Conference on Language, Literature and Linguistics IPEDR. Press, Singapore. 26, 343-348.
Shaw, P. (1991). Science research students’ composition processes. English for Specific Purposes. 10, 189-206.

90 