i
LEARNING STRATEGIES AND PROFICIENCY LEVEL IN ESSAY WRITING AT ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
UIN SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA
THESIS
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan (S.Pd) in Teaching English
By
Wakhibah Dwi Khusnah
D75211078
ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHERS TRAINING
SUNAN AMPEL STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
SURABAYA
ABSTRACT
Khusnah, Wakhibah Dwi. (2015). Learning Strategies and Proficiency in Essay Writing at English Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. A Thesis English Education Department, Faculty of Education and Teachers Training Sunan Ampel State Islamic University, Surabaya. Advisor: M. Hanafi.
Key Words: Learning strategies, Proficiency level, Essay writing
Writing is great challenge whether performance in mother tongue or in second foreign language. Studies writing show that writing is complex activity comprising a number of processes includes the use of various strategies. Then, strategies are important for developing and overcoming the students’ difficulties in essay writing. It proven by the fact that essay writing as an obligatory subject in University. Thus, learning strategies is the way to achieve learning goal like good writing and high score. The election of learning strategy is important because it influences in
students’ score and level in essay writing. This paper examines learning strategies
and proficiency level in essay writing among 38 students and determines the
strategies preference used; the students’ proficiency levels; and the strategies tend to
give high proficiency level. The inventory of learning strategies questionnaire had created and validated in previous research, as well as a background questionnaire. The data is analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. The statistical devices used in this study are mean and contingency coefficient correlation analyses. The findings of this study are analysis contingency coefficient correlation produced a highly positive correlation of 0,920 by approx.
Sig. was 0,008. Then, the result of students’ strategies preference in essay writing
ABSTRAK
Khusnah, Wakhibah Dwi. (2015). Learning Strategies and Proficiency in Essay Writing at English Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. A Thesis English Education Department, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Sunan Ampel State Islamic University, Surabaya. Advisor: M. Hanafi.
Kata kunci: Strategi Pembelajaran, Level Kecakapan, Menulis Esai
C. Objective of The Research ... 8
D. Hypothesis ... 8
E. Significance of The Research ... 9
F. Scope and Limitation of the Research ... 9
G. Definition of Key Terms ... 10
CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Review of Related Literature ... 14
1. Essay Writing ... 14
2. Learning Strategy ... 16
3. Proficiency Level ... 18
4. Learning Strategy and Proficiency Level in Essay Writing ... 21
B. Review of Previous Studies ... 23
CHAPTER II I : RESEARCH METHOD A. Research Design ... 27
B. Population and Sample ... 29
C. Research Instruments ... 30
1. Questionnaire (Checklist) ... 30
2. Rubric ... 31
D. Data Collection Technique ... 34
1. Questionnaire... 34
2. Documentation ... 35
CHAPTER IV : FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
A. Research Findings ... 40 1. The strategies preference used by students in essay writing ... 41 2. The student levels of proficiency in essay writing ... 43 3. The strategies that tended to give high proficiency in essay writing.... 45 4. The correlation between learning strategies and proficiency level in
essay writing ... 47 B. Discussion ... 51 CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION
LIST OF TABLE
Table 4.1 The Median Result ... 45
Table 4.2 The Result of Case Processing Summary ... 49
Table 4.3 The Result of Learning strategies * Proficiency Level Cross tabulation .... 49
1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
This research focused on learning strategies and proficiency level in essay
writing at English Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. This
chapter concentrated on the research background, the research question, the
objective of the research, the hypothesis, the significance of the research, the
scope and limitation of the research, and the definition of key terms.
A. Research Background
Learning strategies is the way of people to achieve their learning
goals. According O‟melay and Chamot learning strategies is the behavior that
individuals use to help them comprehend, learn or retain new information.1
The learning strategies focus on the application of learning strategies to
second language acquisition by students in learning English especially in
essay writing.
In essay writing, strategy is the key good producing good writing.
Pipin states, that strategy can develop students‟ skill in writing.2 It indicates
that learning strategy is important for developing and overcoming the
1J. Michael O‟Mallay and Anna Uhl Chamot,
Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition
(Cambridge University Press, 1990), p. 1.
2
Pipin Rizky Pindowati, The Effectiveness of Diagram of Ideas Strategy to Enhance Students’ Writing
2
students‟ difficulties in essay writing. Chamot states that learning strategy are
the conscious thoughts and actions that learners take in order to achieve a
learning goal.3 One of the learning objectives is high score so that the student
should practice and use language-learning strategy. The election of learning
strategy is important because it influences in students‟ score and level in essay
writing.4
In Academic essays, there are many difficulties in coherence, unity,
organization, word choice, grammar and style. Masrul states that the students
problem lies in the how the student generate and organize the ideas to write
the topic.5 In addition, Susanto states that many students got difficulties in
essay writing especially in grammar, vocabulary choice, punctuation, and
spelling.6
For many students in English Education Department, academic essay
is present great challenge. There are some students who weak in English
Language especially in writing skills.
3
Anna Uhl Chamot, Issues in Language Learning Strategy Research and Teaching (Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 2004), p. 14.
4
Behnaz Ashraf Ganjooei and Ali Rahimi, Language Learning Strategy Use for EFL E-Learners and Traditional Learners: A Comparative Study (The Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2004), p. 11.
5
Masrul Huda, Mind Mapping Strategy to Develop Students’ ability in writing descriptive text grade
VII-9 at SMPN 14 Malang (Malang: Unpublished thesis. English Education Department of Undergraduate Program, State University Malang, 2012).
6
Heru Susanto, Students’ Difficulties of Writing Thesis (Linguistic Aspect)” A Case Study The Eight
3
Firstly, the most difficult part of writing an essay is the start. It is very
hard to come up with a good thesis statement. Sometimes the students do not
know where and how to start writing an introduction. The thesis statement is
very important because it shapes the body paragraph and determines what
students are going to write. The students need to have a good opening so that
the others part will be easier.
Secondly, organizing is not an easy task. It is important how the
students put all the information together in a logic way. The students have to
keep track with the topic and do not go off track. For example, if you do not
organize the information well, everything will become a mess and fail.
Therefore, the organization has to be clear and well planned.
In essay writing, the students need to use a large amount of technical
and academic words accurately. Consequently, the students‟ problem is the
academic language. Sometimes, the students‟ vocabulary is not enough for the
writing; the students cannot find the exact technical words that can express the
meaning. The students may lose for word while writing essay. To improve
this, students have to learn more academic words and practice more regularly.
Although there are many hardships writing academic essays, the
students need to practice more and more to improve our writing skill. Besides
the practice, the students need strategy to overcome their difficulties.
Therefore, practice and strategy is interplay in essay writing. There are several
4
strategies, cognitive strategies, and social/affective strategies.7 However,
Oxford give sever strategies in essay writing are, metacognitive strategies,
cognitive strategies, compensatory strategies, memory strategies, affective
strategies, and social strategies.8
In this research, the researcher uses metacognitive strategies, cognitive
strategies, and social/affective strategies. Metacognitive strategies (organizing
and evaluating learning) : e.g. I think about my progress in learning English.
Cognitive strategies (using all your mental processes) : e.g. I find the patterns
in English. Social/affective strategies (learning with others/managing
emotions) : e.g. I ask for help from English speaker / I encourage myself to
speak English even when I am afraid of making mistake. The reason the
researcher uses those strategies to indicate the students‟ because the strategy
often used in earlier research. In addition, the strategy is simple and easy
understands by students. Besides that, the researcher wants to show that those
strategies be able to be applied in this research.
The researcher uses those strategies for Argumentative class at English
Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. The reason the
researcher takes in this class because not all of department in UIN Sunan
Ampel Surabaya study about argumentative essay.
7O‟Mallay and Chamot,
Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition, p. 13. 8
5
Argumentative essay is the third step in writing at English Education
Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. In this step, the students learn and
develop their idea, opinion or argument to make good essay. Before the
students take thesis proposal seminar class (the last step in writing), the
students should learn argumentative essay. Argumentative essay helps student
developing their ideas to make proposal. In addition, the students should make
thesis for partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Sarjana
Pendidikan (S.Pd) in Teaching English. After the students graduate from
university, the students will become the teacher. As the teacher, the students
should master in writing. Therefore, the students should learn Argumentative
essay as one-step to achieve like good writer.
There have been some studies, which examined the learning strategies
and proficiency level in essay writing. The first study by Dian Aprita Widiarti
entitled The Use of Self-Assessment as Feedback strategy to improve student
writing ability at MAN SIDOARJO by Dian Aprita Widiarti. This previous
study focuses on the implementation of self-feedback in MAN Sidoarjo. The
problem of this study is the teacher and student when using self-feedback and
the student improvement after using self-back. The result of this study is the
most students did not make improvement after using self-assessment as
feedback. To overcome this condition, the teacher should give self-assessment
regularly to make his or her student accustomed and well trained to use
6
Second, a study by Pipin Risky Pindowati entitled The Effectiveness
of Diagram of Ideas Strategy to Enhance Student Writing Achievement for
Eleventh Grades at SMAN 1 Mojosari, Mojokerto. This previous studies
examine the effectiveness of diagram of ideas strategy to enhance
student-writing achievement for the eleventh grade of SMAN 1 Mojosari, Mojokerto.
The result of this study shows that diagram of ideas strategy was effectively
improving students‟ writing skill. The recommendation for the English
research and future research is for the teachers suggesting to use diagram of
ideas strategy as a way to assess teaching and learning process. Moreover, for
the future research, they are expected to conduct the research on other skill.
Third, a study byMasrul Huda entitled Mind Mapping Strategy to
Develop Student Ability in Writing Descriptive Text Grade VII-9 at SMPN
14. This study was focusing on solve the problem related to how the student
generate and organize the ideas to write the topic. This study proposes mind
mapping with the propose mind mapping with proper model to develop the
seventh year student ability in writing descriptive text. The design of this
study is collaborative classroom action research. The researcher and the
teacher worked together in cyclic activities-planning, implementation,
observing, and reflecting on the data gained from the teaching and learning
process with run into cycles. The recommendation for the future research is to
7
language skills. It is done to know whether or not Mind mapping strategy can
be used to improve listening, speaking and reading skill.
Fourth, a study by Ema Aji S entitled Employing Response Journal
Writing Strategy to Improve Writing Skills at First Year of SMPN 8 Malang.
The study focused on designing to improve students‟ writing skill through
employing response journal strategy. This study was a classroom action
research, which consisted two cycles. The result of this study showed that the
response journal strategy was able to improve student-writing skill in term of
fluency. There were some procedures followed in employing response journal
writing.
From the previous study, the question has not answered is, the
correlation between learning strategies and proficiency level in essay writing.
Therefore, the researcher answer those question in those research.
Considering the importance the learning strategies and proficiency
level in essay writing, the researcher wants find out whether there is a
significant correlation between learning strategies and proficiency level in
essay writing. Therefore, the researcher decides to present the researcher by
the title: LEARNING STRATEGIES AND PROFICIENCY LEVEL IN
ESSAY WRITING AT ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION
8
B. Research Question
The research attempted to identify the correlation between learning
strategies and proficiency level in essay writing at English Teacher Education
Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
Specifically, it aimed to answer the following questions:
1. What are the strategies preferences used by students in Essay writing at
English Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya?
2. What are the student levels of proficiency in essay writing at English
Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya?
3. What are the strategies that tends to give high proficiency in essay
writing at English Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel
Surabaya?
4. Is there any the correlation between learning strategies and proficiency
level in essay writing at English Teacher Education Department UIN
Sunan Ampel Surabaya?
C. Objective of the Research
According the statement of the problem, the purpose of this research was:
1. To know the students‟ preference strategy used in essay writing at
English Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya
2. To know the student proficiency level in essay writing at English
9
3. To know the best strategy that tend to give high proficiency in essay
writing at English Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel
Surabaya
4. To know the correlation between learning strategies and proficiency
level in essay writing at English Teacher Education Department UIN
Sunan Ampel Surabaya
D. Hypothesis
In accordance with the exploratory notion adopted by this research, it
aims to test the following set of hypotheses:
1. The alternative hypothesis ( Ha ) is there is significant correlation between
learning strategies and proficiency level in essay writing at English
Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
2. The Null hypothesis (Ho) is there is not significant correlation between
learning strategies and proficiency level in essay writing at English
Teacher Education Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
E. Significance of the Research
By conducting this research, we recognize the correlation between
learning strategies and proficiency level in essay writing. The result of the
10
1. For the students of English Teacher Education Department
It would gather helpful information to assist student to be aware of the
strategies they use to develop their writing skill; improve writing
performance and they know that their efficiency in using strategy related
with their proficiency level.
2. For the lectures of English Teacher Education Department
The teacher can teach learning strategies to those below average with
hope to upgrade their common of English.
F. Scope and Limitation of the Research
The researcher conducts this research by choosing English Teacher
Education Department Surabaya UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. The reason
researcher choose this place because it has learning program such essay
writing, which essay writing focus on argumentative essay. The subject of the
study is the student on writing III of English Teacher Education Department.
In writing III, the students get learning about argumentative essay.
The „argumentative essay‟ is the most common genre that
undergraduate student have to write (Wu), particularly in the arts, humanities
and social sciences (Hewings). Although the nature of the essay varies
considerably across and even within disciplines, the development of an
argument regarded as a key feature of successful writing by academics across
11
writing in 20 disciplines that a commonly recognized value of the essay is its
„ability to display critical thinking and development of an argument within the
context of the curriculum‟.9
The researcher limits discussion was correlation learning strategies
and proficiency level in essay writing.
G. Definition of Key Terms
To prevent misunderstanding of the meaning of the terms in the
research, the researcher provides the terms as follows:
1. Essay writing
Essays writing are shorter pieces of writing that often require the student
to improve their skills such as close reading, analysis, comparison and
contrast, persuasion, conciseness, clarity, and exposition. In essay writing,
there are three elements introduction, body of the essay and conclusion.10
In this research, the meaning of essay writing as document that has
defined structure an introduction, body and conclusion. Essay writing has
three main types are, Descriptive, Expository and Argumentative. In this
research only discuss one types is Argumentative essay.
9
Ursula wingate, “Argument!” Helping Students What Essay Writing is About (Journal of English for Academic Purpose, 2012), p. 1.
10
12
2. Learning strategies
Learning strategies is the way of people to achieve their learning goals. In
this research, learning strategies is the specific method or special trick
used by English Teacher Education Department students in essay writing.
Learning strategies classified into metacognitive strategies (use to plan,
monitor and evaluate students‟ own learning process and consider most
effective in their learning.), cognitive strategies (manipulate incoming
information in the form of summarizing, deduction, inference, note taking,
induction and translation to make learning effective), and social/affective
strategies ( combining and organized as cognitive and learning with
others/managing emotions).
3. Proficiency level
Proficiency level is the individuals‟ ability or capacity use language for
specific purposes in essay writing.11 In this research, proficiency level is
the students‟ score in essay writing. In this research, proficiency level is
the student rank in essay writing. Brown and Bailey states that designed
analytical scoring scale that specified five major categories and
description of five different level in each category, ranging from excellent
11
13
until college – level in each categorize.12 For all of categorize Jacob stated
that designed analytical scoring scale that specified four major categories
and description of five different levels in each category from excellent
until unacceptable.13
12
H. Dougla. Brown, Language Assessment Principle (Longman, 2003), pp. 244–245.
13
14
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Literature
On this chapter, the researcher attempts to elaborate the
research of theoretical background. They were:
1. Essay writing
In academic writing, there found variety of writing are, papers
and general subject reports, essays, composition, academically focused
journals, short-answer test responses, technical reports, theses, and
dissertation. In this research focused on essay writing. There found
three types in essay writing are, Descriptive, Expository and
Argumentative.14 Descriptive essay is the essay that is the content
about the descriptive of subject, e.g. place, person or event. Expository
essay is the writing that is about explaining the concept or theory.
Whereas, Argumentative essay is essay which present an argument
through reasoning and the use of evidence.
In the process of argumentative essay, the writer needs the
respond of argument to the assigned question by thinking, reading and
writing is the writer way to consider the thesis statement. Thesis
statement is the supported the body of topic sentence in each
14
Academic essay: Academic Tip Sheet, p. 1,
15
paragraph. Each topic sentence always supported by evidence and
example. Therefore, in argumentative essay writing, the writer should
give attention into topic and supporting sentence. Besides that, the
writer should keep mind on the structural element of argumentative
essay. The key structural of argumentative essay consist of the
introduction, body and conclusion. The argumentative essay start from
the introduction where in introduction comprising about brief
background or contextual information, focus attention on specific
theme of this writing. Then, the thesis statement gives specific
statement outlining main argument and it elaborate on organization or
structure (map of the essay). In conclusion, restate the thesis
statement, and then summarize the key points and evidence that
provide to keep the writing and final comment on the topic.15
Besides that, the introduction, body and conclusion
argumentative essay has several notices: organization, logical
development of ideas (content), grammar, punctuation, spelling and
mechanism, style and quality of expression.16 From some noticed in
writing, the analytical scoring is proper for this research. In classroom
evaluation of learning, analytical scoring served many six major
15
Writing Introductions and Conclusions for Essays (The University of Melbourne), p. 1. http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/academicskills, accessed 23 Apr 2015.
16
16
elements of writing score, thus enabling student to home in on
weakness and to capitalize on strengths.
2. Learning Strategy
According to Oxford, learning strategies are behaviors or
actions that learners use to make language learning more successful,
self-directed and enjoyable. In addition, Stern had noted that learning
outcomes influenced by learning process, and the learning process is
affected by the learners‟ internal characteristics and learning
conditions.17 Therefore, the studies on language learning strategies
have been of great significance. Besides that, the learning strategy
gives key position for the students. The students be able successful or
unsuccessful depend on their strategy use. The students cannot achieve
their goal without practice and using of learning strategy.
In this research, the strategies have been taken from Malley
and Chamot give three strategy categories: metacognitive, cognitive
and social/affective.18 However, Oxford gives six categories of
learning strategies.19 Metacognitive strategies use to plan, monitor and
evaluate students‟ own learning process and consider most effective in
their learning. Cognitive strategies manipulate incoming information
17
Jing Liu, Language Learning Strategies and Its Training Model (www.ccsenet.org/ies, 2010), p. 100.
18O‟Mallay and Chamot,
Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition, p. 8. 19
17
in the form of summarizing, deduction, inference, note taking,
induction and translation to make learning effective. Compensatory
strategies are as good learners also use guessing and inferring.
Memory strategies are like combining and organized reviewing as
cognitive. Affective strategies, like self-encouragement and high
motivation use to control one‟s emotional state and anxiety level.
Social strategies are like asking for help, questioning and sharing
worries show cooperative attitude of learners.20
In 1983, Stern has summarized and reclassified his
classification of ten strategies became five main language learning
strategies: 1) Management and Planning Strategies, 2) Cognitive
Strategies, 3) Communicative - Experiential Strategies, 4)
Interpersonal Strategies, 5) Affective Strategies.21
In learning strategies found that the internal and external
factors affected in students learning. Gagne stated that two different
types of conditions that exist in learning: internal and external factor
influenced in students‟ learning. Capabilities that already exist in a
20
Ibid., pp. 12–14. 21
18
learner before any new learning begins make up the internal conditions
necessary for learning.22
One of the purpose investigations such as learning strategies is
gaining insight into the metacognitive, cognitive and social / affective
process involve in language leaning. Those aim help students who are
having challenge became better language learners. Research in
strategies is important because they are readily teachable There a
number of reports of successful strategy training programmers, e.g.
Cohen provide very comprehensive instruction for implementing
strategy training. An alternative to direct training is to embed
strategies in teaching task and materials.23
3. Proficiency Level
Proficiency level has found that has affected in quality and
quantity the students‟ writing performance even though it may not
actually be all that contributes to the success of writing. According to
Widdowson, the complexity of writing processes in academic settings
was complex by the complexity of acquiring proficiency in a foreign
language. Leki observed that after ten years of studying English in
classrooms abroad, some ESL students might still have trouble writing
22
Gagne, M. Driscoll and Robert M., Essentials of Learning for Instruction, 2nd edition (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1998), p. 17.
23
19
effectively in English and that those who could recite grammar rules
were not always able to use those rules in producing language.24
Proficiency level is the fluency or speed of writing measured by
mean number of words written per minute on the one hand and
students‟ proficiency scores. The students‟ proficiency level can
measurable by using levels and scoring. The quantity of what the
students‟ writing produces depend on their proficiency level and some
contributing factors, such as the type of text and discursive
requirements. Therefore, the researcher used Browns‟ theory to
indicate the students‟ proficiency level. According Douglas, there are
five levels in essay writing are, excellent, good, fair, unacceptable and
college level.25
a. Excellent (20-18)
In this level, the student can participate without any difficulties. In
most cases, they can follow variety direction from the complex
until multi-level direction without assistance. Mostly, the student
can write short papers and clear express statement of position,
points of view and arguments. In their writing, the student
generally control of varied sentence structures, spelling and
vocabulary, expressing well-develop thoughts.
24
Abbas Zare-ee, Does English Proficiency Level Predict Writing Speed, Length, and Quality (Arab World English Journal ISSN: 2229-9327, 2011), p. 129.
25
20
b. Good (17-15)
In this level, the student language skills are adequate for most
day-to-day communication needs. The student ability producing the
text is good. Structure, vocabulary and overall organization
approximate the writing native of speakers English. Nevertheless,
errors persist in one or more of these dominant.
c. Fair (14-12)
In this level, the student capacity to writ frequently marked by
grammatical error.
d. Unacceptable (11-6)
In this level, the students are able to generate simple text that
reflects to their knowledge level of syntax. The texts may include
significant amount of spelling, grammatical, vocabulary. They
gradually construct more meaning from the words themselves but
the construction is incomplete.
e. College – Level (5-1).
Student in this level participate in writing activities by drawing
picture. They may be able to copy letters or from them from
memory and may be able to copy some words. They can imitate
21
Then, they may attempt to apply writing conventions but do so
inappropriately when copying.
The total score can range from 34 until 100. Jacobs further
break down the individual scales and the overall summed scale
into numerical ranges that correspond to four mastery levels:
excellent (83-100 points), good (63-82 points), fair (52-63 points),
unacceptable (34-52 points). As Jacobs‟s states, „These levels are
characterized and differentiated by key words or “rubrics”
representing specific criteria for excellence in composition‟.26
4. Learning strategy and proficiency level in essay writing
Learning strategies become significant in the process essay
writing and differences between low and high proficient students have
found in the number and range of strategies used, in how the strategies
applies to the task, and in appropriateness of the strategies for the
tasks.27 This implies the interplay of a number of factors for successful
application of writing strategies. The instance have strategy is useful,
but students‟ aware of requirements of the writing tasks and the use of
appropriate strategies to carry out the task often determine the
effectiveness of the strategies used.
26
Jacobs, S, Composing and Coherence: A Process Study, p. 25. 27
22
Ridhuan & Abdullah reported that good students and weak
students in his study shared common writing strategies, mainly
cognitive strategies, to generate ideas for their essays. The strategies
included transcribing, rehearsing ideas, rehearsing structure, rereading,
translating and repeating. On the other hand, Chien claimed that the
high achievers in his study focused more on generating text (writing
out the sentences) while the low achievers focused only on generating
ideas. Another important strategy that differentiates the skilled
students and less skilled student writers is the revising strategy.28
Park‟s research, conducted among 332 Korean university
students, revealed a significant relationship between SILL (Strategy
Inventory for Language Learning) learning strategies and English
proficiency. Additionally, results indicated that cognitive and
social/affective strategies were more predictive of students‟ scores
than other strategy categories.
Oxford also designed a strategy assessment survey based on
her classification system. This assessment tool, the Strategy Inventory
for Language Learning (SILL), has currently recognized as the most
comprehensive and widely used instrument for identifying strategy
preferences of language learners throughout the world (Bremner;
Foong & Goh, Green & Oxford). The SILL has checked for reliability
28
23
and validated in multiple ways extensively. As of 1995, it had used in
over 45 major studies involving approximately 8,500 learners‟
worldwide (Oxford & Burry-Stock).29 Oxford & Burry Stock
investigate that the learning strategy use found to be significantly
related to English proficiency.30
B. Review of Previous Studies
1. The first study entitled The Use of Self-Assessment as Feedback strategy
to improve student writing ability at MAN SIDOARJO by Dian Aprita
Widiarti (2009).31 The research question are :
a. How is implementation of self-assessment as a feedback strategy to
improve student writing ability?
b. What are problems faced by the teacher and student when using
self-assessment as a feedback strategy to improve student writing ability?
c. How is the student improvement in writing a text after using
self-assessment as a feedback strategy?
This research was descriptive qualitative research which was aimed
knowing the implementation of self-feedback in MAN Sidoarjo. The
problem of this study is the teacher and student when using self-feedback
and the student improvement after using self-back. The result of this
29
Deanna L. Nisbet, Language Learning Strategies and English Proficiency of Chinese University Students(Foreign Language Annals • Vol. 38, No. 1, 2005), p. 101.
30
Ibid.
31
24
study is the most students did not make improvement after using
self-assessment as feedback. To overcome this condition, the teacher should
give self-assessment regularly to make his or her student accustomed and
well trained to use self-assessment as feedback
2. The second study entitled The Effectiveness f Diagram of Ideas Strategy
to Enhance Student Writing Achievement for Eleventh Grades at SMAN 1
Mojosari, Mojokerto by Pipin risky pindowati (2013).32 The research
question is:
a. Is the diagram of ideas strategy more effective than traditional
strategy to enhance student writing achievement for the eleventh
grade of SMAN 1 Mojosari, Mojokerto ?
This research was a Quasi Experimental design that aimed at
knowing the effectiveness of diagram of ideas strategy to enhance
student-writing achievement for the eleventh grade of SMAN 1 Mojosari,
Mojokerto. The student faced some different problem to use diagram of
ideas strategy. The result of this study shows that diagram of ideas
strategy was effectively improving students‟ writing skill. The
recommendation for the English research and future research is for the
teachers suggesting to use diagram of ideas strategy as a way to assess
32
Pipin Rizky Pindowati, The Effectiveness of Diagram of Ideas Strategy to Enhance Students’
25
teaching and learning process. Moreover, for the future research, they are
expected to conduct the research on other skill.
3. The third study entitled Mind Mapping Strategy to Develop Student
Ability in Writing Descriptive Text Grade VII-9 at SMPN 14 Malang by
Masrul Huda (2012). 33The research question is :
a. How can mind-mapping strategy develop the student writing ability
in descriptive writing grade VII-9 at SMPN Malang?
This study was focusing on solve the problem related to how the
student generate and organize the ideas to write the topic. This study
proposes mind mapping with the propose mind mapping with proper
model to develop the seventh year student ability in writing descriptive
text. The design of this study is collaborative classroom action research.
The researcher and the teacher worked together in cyclic
activities-planning, implementation, observing, and reflecting on the data gained
from the teaching and learning process with run into cycles. The
recommendation for the future research is to conduct the research by
implementing Mind Mapping strategy in other language skills. It is done
to know whether or not Mind mapping strategy can be used to improve
listening, speaking and reading skill.
33
Masrul Huda, Mind Mapping Strategy to Develop Students’ ability in writing descriptive text grade
26
4. The fourth study entitled Employing Response Journal Writing Strategy
to Improve Writing Skills at First Year of SMPN 8 Malang by Ema Aji S
(2012.34 The study was designing to improve students‟ writing skill
through employing response journal strategy. This study was a classroom
action research, which consisted two cycles. The result of this study
showed that the response journal strategy was able to improve
student-writing skill in term of fluency. There were some procedures followed in
employing response journal writing.
From the previous study, the question has not answered is, the
correlation between learning strategies and proficiency level in essay
writing. Therefore, the researcher answer those question in this research.
34
27
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD
In this chapter, researcher describes the research design that used in this
study. This chapter concentrates on research design, population and sample,
research instrument, data collection, and data analysis technique.
A. Research Design
In this research, the researcher want to get information learning
strategies and proficiency level in essay writing at English Teacher Education
Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. In statistic, there were 2 kinds of
statistic. They were descriptive and inferential. In inferential, there were 2
kind of inferential. They were parametric and non-parametric.35 The
parametric and non-parametric analyzed the associative correlation in this
research. In parametric found some parametric statistics are product moment,
multiple correlation, and partial correlation. First, product moment is the
technique that had introduced by Pearson. This correlation used to know the
relations between two variables are type of interval. Second, multiples
correlation is correlation that shows the correlation between 2 variables of
independent collectively or more than one dependent variables. Third, partial
correlation is the technique analyzing the correlation between independent
variables and dependent variables where one of independent variables make
35
28
consistent or controlled. It means that partial correlation shows the correlation
between 2 variable or more than it. It predicted can influence the correlation
variables. In non-parametric statistic, there were 3 varieties. It was
contingency coefficient correlation, spearman rank correlation, and Kendall‟s
tau. Contingency coefficient correlation is the method to count the correlation
between variables that it nominal data. In this correlation, Chi Quadrat has
strong effect because it used to examine independent k sample comparative
hypothesis. Whereas spearman correlation is the technique that used to know
the relations between two variables are types of spearman or ranking. In this
correlation, the researcher should know that the variables form of ranking. In
addition, Kendall‟s tau is the correlations that use to correlate two set data
from of spearman. In this correlation, the data is not original and it can
process became tau.36
The correlation method used to correlate two variables that were
learning strategies and proficiency level in essay writing. Correlation is the
kind of research that used to know the relations between two or more
variables. From the correlation, the researcher has known the variety of
relation between one variable with other. The main characteristic of
correlation research is the subject just little.
36
29
In this research, the researcher used non-parametric statistic because it
used to examine the nominal data. For analyzing these researches, it used
contingency coefficient because it the data was nominal.
B. Population and Sample
Population and sample were very important for conducting a research.
According to Sugiono the population was, groups of subject that is determined
by the researcher to be studied and drawn the conclusion.37 The sample is part
of population. A sample is small proportion of a population selected for
observation and analysis.
The population of this research was the student of English Teacher
Education Department of Faculty Tarbiyah UIN Sunan Ampel Surabya in the
students take Argumentative class.
The technique that the researcher used was cluster sampling. Cluster
sampling is the method that used to decide object of research or the large
source. In cluster sampling found stratified random sampling. It used to take
the data which strata characteristic. In these cases, there found 2 way to use
stratified random sampling. The first was determined the area sample. The
second was determined the people that stayed in this area by sampling.
In these researches, the area sample was argumentative class. In
argumentative class, it consists of 5 class (A until E class). The researcher
only take 2 class that is A and B class because the mid-test that made
37
30
argumentative essay only A and B class. The object of A class was 19 student
and B class was 19 students so that the sample of these research was 38
students.
C. Research Instrument
Research instrument is the important role in collecting data. The
proper instrument is important in collecting data because it gained the
objective outcome of this research. The researcher chose an indirect
communication technique like questionnaire. The questionnaire used to gain
the data of students‟ preference strategies used in essay writing. In other wise,
the rubric used to analyze the students‟ proficiency level in essay writing.
1. Questionnaire (checklist)
Questionnaire checklist is one of instrument that used to collect
quantitative data. Questionnaires are instruments completed by the
responds themselves. 38The question contains about the respondent to
choose, among a possible set of answers, the response that mostly closely
represents his/ her viewpoint. The results of questionnaire were fact,
experience, opinion, and idea.39 For getting the data, questionnaire
arranged agreeable questions and the question make checklist.
The questionnaire was asking about which strategy tend give high
proficiency in essay writing. In addition, the questionnaire adapted from
38
Tharenou phyllis, Donohue, and Cooper, Management Research Method (Cambridge University Press), p. 102.
39
31
the Writing Strategies of American University Students Focusing on
Memory, Compensation, Social and Affective Strategies.40
2. Rubric
An assessment rubric is a matrix, grid or cross- tabulation employed
with the intention of making expert judgments of student work both more
systematic and more transparent to student. Equivalently, a rubric may
have its criteria listed as column headers and the standards as row labels.
Ideally, the criteria derived by analyzing competent judgments about
student performances to identify the dimensions that seem to explain the
observed quality, and the standards set out the performance levels on
those criteria.41In addition, the criteria in those rubrics were:
1. Organization
Focused on central idea with appropriate elaboration and conclusion.
2. Logical development of ideas : content
Used logical development of ideas.
3. Grammar
Appropriate verb tense used with variety of grammatical and syntactic
structures.
40
Ana Belén Cabrejas Peñuelas, The Writing Strategies of American University Students Focusing on Memory, Compensation, Social and Affective Strategies (Elia, 2012), pp. 108–112.
41
32
4. Punctuation, spelling, and mechanism
Absence of errors in punctuation, spelling, and capitalization.
5. Style and quality of expression
Used varied and precise vocabulary appropriate for purpose.
Overall impression is the all of paragraph is good and correspond to all of
criteria above. From those all classified in five level:
1. Excellent (20-18)
a. Participants in writing actives with no teacher support
b. Shows the good control of sentence structure, spelling and
vocabulary
c. Writes effectively for different audience and purposes
d. Edit for sentence-level, structure, spelling, and mechanism;
revises for content, organization and vocabulary
2. Good (17-15)
a. Participants in writing actives with minimal teacher support
b. Writes mostly coherent, unified, and appropriately sequenced
sentences
c. Produces writing than meet creative demand of most social and
33
d. Makes error and modality, tenses and agreement and others area
of grammar
e. Produces writing that generally express complete thoughts
3. Fair (14-12)
a. Composes short paragraph that are mostly intelligible
b. Begins to edit for sentence-level structure, spelling, and
mechanism, revises of content, organization of vocabulary,
usually support of the teacher
c. Writes has less dependence of visual supports, shared
experiences and scaffolding.
4. Unacceptable (11-6)
a. Produces writing that is marked by the lack of tense, number,
and agreement
b. Make frequent errors in mechanism such as punctuation and
capitalization
c. Writes mostly effectively when supported by visual, share
experienced or scaffolding
d. Begin to revise or edit own writing with teacher support
5. College – level (5-1).
a. Has zero to very limited ability in writing English
b. Can participate in writing activities
34
d. May be able to copy some word
e. Mat attempt to apply some writing conventions, but often does
so inappropriately.42
After the students fulfill the criteria above and get scoring, the
students classify based on Jacob. The student classifications are:
a. 83-100, it means the student level is excellent.
b. 63-82, it means the student level is good.
c. 52-63, it means the student level is fair
d. 34-52, it means the student level is unacceptable
From above category, we know the student level of proficiency in essay
writing.
The rubric functioned for grading the students‟ mid-test in fourth
semester at English Teacher Department UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
D. Data Collection Technique
The research was quantitative research. The researcher collecting data
from the fourth semester students by giving questionnaire and taking
document study.
1. Questionnaire
The questionnaire is technique for collecting data. One
questionnaire is one set of writing about the question. The question
42
35
formulated to respondent answer the question. The question chosen for
indicating the concepts contained in the aims. Ensuring good links
between concepts and their indicators lies at the heart of a good question
design and some concepts are easier to indicate.43 In this research, the
questionnaire adapted from the Writing Strategies of American University
Students Focusing on Memory, Compensation, Social and Affective
Strategies.44 The questionnaire used to analyze the students‟ preference
strategies used in essay writing. The total question in this questionnaire
was 30 questions and every strategy consists of 10 questions.
2. Documentation
Documentation is one of procedure collecting the data, which used
in research method. There some many kind of documentation, but the
researcher can take one of them that appropriate.45 In this research, the
researcher takes the document from the lecturer. The document which
taken is students‟ mid-test (see appendix 4). In this case, the researcher
did not take the student score from the lecturer but the researcher gave the
students‟ score based on the rubric. Because of grading between the
researcher and lecturer use different way. The component used in grading
was different.
43
Gerlandkeller, Brian warrack, and Henry Bartel, Statistic for Management and Economics, 3d ed
(California: Dexbury Press, 1994), p. 225. 44
Cabrejas Peñuelas, The Writing Strategies of American University Students Focusing on Memory, Compensation, Social and Affective Strategies.
45
36
E. Data Analysis Technique
There were three kinds of data gathered in the research. The data were
concern with the result of student writing essay by using their strategy use in
writing.
Then the researcher calculated the student score and strategy use in
writing. The procedures are follows:
1. For analyzing the students‟ preference strategies, the researcher used the
questionnaire checklist that taken from the Writing Strategies of
American University Students Focusing on Memory, Compensation,
Social and Affective Strategies.46 Then, it calculated based on the
students‟ strategy used by sum the each strategy. After that, the high sum
of strategy became the students‟ strategy used commonly. (See Appendix
1)
2. For analyzing the document, the researcher used rubric (see appendix 5).
The rubric used to give the students‟ score. The score analyzing of those
research based on Brown and Bailey, composition profile of writing skills
with following component; organization, logical development of ideas
(content), grammar, punctuation, spelling, and mechanism, style and
quality expression. For example if the score of organization is 20-18. If
the score 17-15, it means good. If the score is 14-12, it means fair. If the
score is 11-16, it means is unacceptable, if the score is 1-5, it means
46
37
collage level. The scoring is same in each component. The result of
scoring gave influence in the student level. For example if the result
student score :
a. 83-100, it means the student level is excellent.
b. 63-82, it means the student level is good.
c. 52-63, it means the student level is fair
d. 34-52, it means the student level is unacceptable
After the result of the students score found, it calculated based on the
students‟ proficiency level above.
3. For analyzing which strategies tended to give learners‟ high proficiency
the researcher combine the result from data analyzing students‟ strategy
and students‟ score. After the data combined, it analyzing based on SPSS
16.0 by choosing mean.
4. For analyzing the correlation between learning strategies and proficiency
level in essay writing at English Teacher Education Department UIN
Sunan Ampel Surabaya, the researcher used contingency coefficient
correlation. The contingency coefficient can be calculated in the
following procedures:
a. Obtain a cross-table of the variables X and Y, where X has r categories
and Y has c categories.
38
c. The observed contingency coefficient is calculated as: which varies
between 0 and Cmax.
i. Cobs = �
2
�2+
Note that Cmax varies depending on the number of categories for X
and Y.
d. If X and Y have the same number of categories (i.e. r = c), then the
maximum value for the contingency coefficient is calculated as:
i. Cmax = −1
Where r is the number of rows (see step 1).
e. If X and Y have a differing number of categories (i.e. r ≠ c), then the
maximum value for the contingency coefficient calculated as:
i. Cmax = −1 � −1= −1 � −1
4 1/4
f. The standardized contingency coefficient is calculated as the ratio:
i. Cstand = �� �
Which varies between 0 and 1 with 0 indicating independence and 1
39
The procedure above could use to analyze the correlation between
learning strategies and proficiency level manually. In this research,
analyzing of the correlation between learning strategies and proficiency
level used SPSS 16.0. It became the tools to analyze the correlation
40
CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION
This chapter presents the results of collecting data and the analyzing data
through students‟ essay. It is used to find the result about the strategies
preference used by students in Essay writing; the student levels of proficiency in
essay writing; the strategies that tends to give high proficiency in essay writing;
and the correlation between learning strategies and proficiency level in essay
writing then discussion followed based on the data analysis.
A. Research Finding
The researcher have been done the research and have been gotten the
complete data from all technique included questionnaire and documentation
analyzing. To gain the objectives of the research, the researcher has analyzed the
data systematically and accurately. The data has analyzed in order to give
meaningful interpretation and draw inference about the object of the evaluation.
In reporting the findings of the research, the researcher reported the results based
on the topic in this research problems. It has specified as follows: the strategies
preference used by students in essay writing, the student levels of proficiency in
essay writing, the strategies that tends to give high proficiency in essay writing,
and the correlation between learning strategies and proficiency level in essay
41
1. The strategies preference used by students in essay writing
The finding for the first research problem has gained through
questionnaire. In questionnaire technique, the researcher used
checklist. The collecting data by questionnaire was holding on May
22 2015. The data was obtained through the questionnaire which
taken before mid-test. The object of research was 38 students which
taken by randomly. In questionnaire, the students found the
statements about writing in English. The student should be read
before filled the questionnaire. Then, the students filled the
questionnaire by giving mark (√) the appropriatenumber 1, 2, 3, 4,
or 5 that told how true of their statement. After the questionnaire
filled, it analyzed by researcher. The researcher analyzed the
questionnaire by getting calculated the result each strategies (see in
appendix 2). After collected the questionnaire, it be classified based
on three components of students‟ strategies that consists cognitive
strategies, metacognitive strategies, and social/affective strategies.
Whereas the strategies based on Malley and Chamot was, consist of
three strategies. Next, it classified based on the result of each
strategies preference (see appendix 3). Every strategy has different
42
writing became the student strategies in essay writing. The result of
students‟ preference strategies can be seen in table 4.3.
In each strategy has different result. The high results become
the students‟ preference strategies in essay writing (see in appendix
2). For the result of the students‟ preference strategies could be seen
in figure 4.1.
Figure 4.1
The Result of Students’ Strategies Preference Used in Essay Writing
Based on figure 4.1 shown that from 38 students, there was
21 (55 %) students‟ preference to use cognitive strategies, 17 (45%) 55%
45%
0%
Cognitive
Metacognitive
43
students‟ preference to use metacognitive strategies, and no
one-student (0%) preference to use social/affective strategies.
2. The student levels of proficiency in essay writing
For finding, the second problem has gained from the rubric
used to give the students‟ score. The score analyzing of those
research based on Brown and Bailey, composition profile of writing
skills with following component; organization, logical development
of ideas (content), grammar, punctuation, spelling, and mechanism,
style and quality expression (see appendix 5). For example if the
score of organization is 20-18. If the score 17-15, it means good. If
the score is 14-12, it means fair. If the score is 11-16, it means is
unacceptable, if the score is 1-5, it means collage level. The scoring
is same in each component (see appendix 6).
The score result gave influencing in the students‟ level. The
students‟ proficiency level in essay writing analyzed based on
Jacobs‟ theory. In Jacobs‟ theory stated that analytical scoring has
categories for giving students‟ level. The students‟ level has known
based on the Jacobs‟ theory. Before determined the students‟ level,
the students‟ score has known. It means that the students‟ score
determined the students‟ proficiency level in essay writing. For the
44
the students who get 63-82, it means the student level is good. For
the students who get 52-63, it means the student level is fair. For the
students who get 34-52, it means the student level is unacceptable
(see appendix 7).
The result of students‟ proficiency level in essay writing has
been figured in figure 4.2.
Figure 4.2
The Result of Students’ Proficiency Level in Essay Writing
Based on the figure 4.2 shown that from 38 students, there was
3 (8%) students got excellent, 33 (84%) students got good, 2 (5%)
students got fair, and no one-student got unacceptable. 8%
84% 5%
3%
Excellent
Good
Fair
45
3. The strategies that tended to give high proficiency in essay
writing
For finding, the third problem has gained from the result of the
first and second problem. For the result of first problem has shown
that 21 students‟ preference to use cognitive strategies, 17 students‟
preference to use metacognitive strategies, and no-one student
preference to use social/affective strategies.
For the result of the second problem has shown that 3 students
got excellent, 33 students got good, 2 students got fair, and no
one-student got unacceptable (see appendix 8). After the data classified
based on the students strategies preference and the students writing
score, it analyzed by SPSS 16.0.It has analyzed by statistical
analysis using mean. Mean is the technique used to explain the
group that based on average from the groups‟ frequency.47
47
46
Table 4.1 The Median Result
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Included Excluded Total N Percent N Percent N Percent Writing Score
Learning Strategies 38 100.0% 0 .0% 38 100.0%
Report
Writing Score Learning
Strategies Mean N
Std. Deviation Cognitive 74.67 21 8.499 Metacognitive 73.71 17 5.169 Total 74.24 38 7.130
Dependable of the output above explained that N or the
research data was 38. The mean of cognitive was 74.67. The
students‟ total that a preference cognitive strategy was 21 students.
The standard derivation of cognitive strategies was 84.99. It means
that the mean disperse from sample was 84.99. The mean of
metacognitive was 73.7. The students‟ total that a preference
metacognitive strategy was 17 students. The standard derivation of
47
from sample was 51.69. The total of cognitive and metacognitive
mean was 74.27. In addition, the total of cognitive and
metacognitive standard derivation was 71.30.
From the explained of table 4.1, it has been shown that the
cognitive strategies gave high score for the students.
4. The correlation between learning strategies and
proficiency level in essay writing
For finding, the last problems has analyzed by SPSS 16.0. It
has analyzed by statistical analysis using contingency coefficient
correlation. The contingency coefficient correlation to know there
was any correlation or not between two variables. Before analyzed
the data by using contingency coefficient correlation, it classified
based on learning strategies and proficiency level.
To get the correlation between learning strategies and
proficiency level in essay writing, the value of correlation
coefficient from the output of SPSS is 1. If the value of correlation
coefficient was 0, so the null of hypothesis is nil. If the value of
correlation coefficient was 0 until 1, so the null of hypothesis is
positive. If the value of correlation coefficient was 0 until -1, so the
