International Journal of Education and Social Science (IJESS)
Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): VOL 7 NO 1 APRIL 2026

English Vocabulary Size of Second-Semester Students at Universitas Indonesia Timur: A Diagnostic Study Based on Paul Nation's Vocabulary Size Framework

Suci Ayu Kurniah P (Universitas Indonesia Timur, Makassar, Indonesia)
Rusliana (Universitas Indonesia Timur, Makassar, Indonesia)
Novalia Tanasy (Universitas Muslim Maros, Makassar, Indonesia)
Joko Purwanto (Universitas Indonesia Timur, Makassar, Indonesia)
Aisyah (Universitas Indonesia Timur, Makassar, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Apr 2026

Abstract

This study investigated the English vocabulary size of 34 second-semester students at Universitas Indonesia Timur as an indicator of their academic lexical readiness. A descriptive quantitative design was employed, and data were collected through an online vocabulary size test administered via VocabularySize.com. The scores were analyzed using descriptive statistics and grouped into 1,000-word bands. The findings showed that students’ vocabulary-size scores ranged from 300 to 6,000, with a mean of 3,600.00 and a standard deviation of 1,663.330. The largest proportion of students was in the 3,000–3,999 band, while 61.8% scored below 4,000, 38.2% reached 4,000 or above, and only 29.4% reached 5,000 or above. Interpreted through Paul Nation’s lexical-threshold framework, the average score indicates that the students have basic to lower-intermediate receptive vocabulary knowledge but remain below the estimated threshold for independent academic reading and adequate spoken-text comprehension. These results suggest the need for diagnostic, level-based vocabulary instruction that strengthens high-frequency, mid-frequency, academic, and discipline-specific vocabulary. The study contributes local empirical evidence from an Eastern Indonesian higher-education context and offers a practical basis for English for Academic Purposes instruction.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ijess

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Education Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences Other

Description

IJESS International Journal of Education and Social Science is an international, peer-reviewed journal publishing articles on all aspects of EDUCATION and SOCIAL SCIENCES. IJESS International Journal of Education and Social Science welcomes submissions of the following article types: (1) Papers: ...