Sammendrag
This thesis deals with the strategy use of a group of Norwegian school pupils. The strategies the pupils use for learning English vocabulary are analysed in relation to grades, sex and attitudes towards learning English in school, among other factors. The analysis is based on a questionnaire that was distributed to 122 pupils in lower secondary school in early summer 2001.
The first part of the thesis is concerned with various theories within the field of learning strategy research. A consideration of the history of strategy research is also included, and the connections between second language learning research and the field of psychology are shown. The methodology is subsequently discussed.
The second half of the thesis is concerned with the discussion of the results from the filled-in questionnaires. The major findings are first dealt with. They include such results as the fact that pupils generally use few strategies, and that girls use more strategies than boys. Attempts to explain these results are consequently made.
In the last part of the thesis the minor findings are discussed. Further differences between boys and girls are more closely examined. The influence of a second foreign language, of English grade and of attitudes towards English as a school subject on strategy use is also discussed in detail. The results are summed up towards the end of the thesis. No conclusive answers are given, however, as the findings are extremely disparate.