STUDENTS’ WRITING APPREHENSION IN THESIS WRITING AT ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF UIN SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA.

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STUDENTS’ WRITING APPREHENSION IN

THESIS

WRITING AT ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF UIN SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA

THESIS

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of SarjanaPendidikan (S.Pd) in teaching English

By:

LailatulMardiyah

NIM D05212017

ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS TRAINING

SUNAN AMPEL STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SURABAYA

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University, Surabaya. Advisor: Sigit Pramono Jati M.Pd

Key Words : Writing, Apprehension, Cause

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ABSTRAK

Mardiyah, Lailatul. 2016. Students’ writing Apprehension in Thesis writing at English Teacher Education Department of UIN Sunan Ampel

Surabaya. A Thesis. English Teacher Education Department, Faculty

of Education and Teacher Training, Sunan Ampel State Islamic University, Surabaya. Advisor: Sigit Pramono Jati M.Pd

Kata kunci: Writing, Apprehension, Cause

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APPROVAL SHEET ... iii

MOTTO ...iv

DEDICATION SHEET ... v

ABSTRACT ...vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... vii

PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN TULISAN ...ix

LIST OF CONTENT ... x

LIST OF CHARTS ... xii

LIST OF TABLES ... xiii

LIST OF ABBREVIATION ...xiv

LIST OF APPENDICES ... xv

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of Study ... 1

B. Research Questions ... 6

C. Objective of Study ... 6

D. Significance of Study ... 6

E. Scope and Limitation ... 7

F. Definition of Key Terms ... 8

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Framework ... 10

1. Thesis ... 10

2. Definition of Writing Apprehension ... 13

3. Levels of Writing Apprehension ... 17

4. Causes of Writing Apprehension... 20

B. Previous Studies ... 23

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B. Research Presence... 29

C. Research Location... 29

D. Data and Source of Data ... 30

E. Research Instrument ... 31

F. Data Collection Technique ... 32

G. Data Analysis Technique ... 33

H. Checking Validity of Findings ... 36

I. Research Stages ... 37

CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION A. Research Findings ... 40

1. Levels of Writing Apprehension ... 40

2. Causes of Writing Apprehension... 44

B. Discussion ... 54

1. Students’ level of writing Apprehension ... 54

2. Causes of Writing Apprehension ... 56

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusion ... 60

B. Suggestion ... 62

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the background of the study, research questions, purposes of the study,

significance of the study, the scope of the study, and definition of key terms.

A. Background of the Study

In higher education, writing a thesis is one of the key requirements for

students to get a degree. A thesis is written by students in university and it is

supported by some theories, data, empirical facts, observation in the

laboratory, and the study of literature to their research. Thesis writing is a

branch of academic writing. Based on the type of writing performance, it is

included in extensive writing. Extensive writing implies successful

management of all the process and strategies of writing for all proposed, up to

the length of an essay and term paper, a major research project report or even

a thesis.1 Therefore, students in writing a thesis should have mastered all

about basic of writing for example grammar, vocabulary, etc.

Additionally, writing a thesis is not easy. As mentioned above, writing

a thesis is included as macro skill. In thesis writing, students have to think,

change and make ideas, how well it relates to the next sentence or not. The

process of writing in English can be divided into three stages: pre-writing,

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free-writing, and re-writing.2 However, Zamel describes the process of

writing as exploratory and generative which the writers discover and generate

ideas as they attempt to approximate meaning. The process of writing involves

sub-processes of planning, collecting the data, drafting, revising, rewriting and

editing. In writing a thesis should consider some components of writing.3

According to Raimes, he categorizes the components of writing as content,

organization, grammar, syntax, mechanics, word choice, the targeted audience

and the writer's process. Then, writing is such a complex skill even for native

speakers.4

Although writing a thesis has complex component, students of English

Education Department of UIN Sunan Ampel who writing a thesis are

generally demanded by their selves to accomplish writing a thesis in certain

time to take examination eventually. Before writing the thesis, they must

propose research title then doing proposal examination. Due to the fact, it will

make students feeling stressed, confused and worried.5 The reason of choosing

the thesis writing in this research is, due to the students usually meet and

consult their thesis to lecturers or advisors. Thus, when the lecturers evaluate

their writing, they may reach for apprehension. In writing, this condition is

normally called writing apprehension.

2

J. B. Hughey,et.al.”Teaching ESL composition: Principles and techniques”(Rowley, Massachusetts: Newbury House,1983),

3

V. Zamel. “The composing processes of advanced ESL students: Six case studies.” TESOL Quarterly. 17(2), 1983,165-187

4

A. Raimes, “Techniques in Teaching Writing”. TESOL Quarterly. 36, 1984, 535-538 5

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The term of apprehension is coined by Daly and Miller which is

referred to writing-specific anxiety. The phenomenon of writing apprehension

is similar to anxiety, blocking, and fear. However, concerning writing, the

common word used is apprehension or anxiety. The researcher gives

definition differently about the word apprehension and anxiety. According to

the literature, the definition given by Daly and Miller regarding writing

apprehension is “A Subject-specific situation and individual difference

associated with a person's tendencies to approach or avoid situation perceived

to potentially require writing accompanied by some amount of perceived

evaluation".6 Then, writing anxiety is more of a fear of the writing process

that outweighs the projected gain from the ability to write.7

The phenomenon of writing apprehension is also related to the

development of writing skills, syntactic level, and the formal level. Students

who have a high level of apprehension tend to have language less vocabulary

compared to the students who have low levels of apprehension.8 For instance,

they use less variation of vocabularies in their writing. They make fewer

statements and use fewer words in general.9

6

J. A., Daly - M. D. Miller, “The empirical development of an instrument of writing apprehension”. Research in the Teaching of English.9, 1975, 242-249

7

A. Takahashi. “Self-perception of English Ability: Is it related to proficiency and/or class performance?”. Niigata Studies in Foreign Languages and Cultures.14, 2009,39-48

8

Virginia. Book, “Some effects of apprehension on writing performance”. ( Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Business Communication Association, San Diego, December 28-30, 1976). (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 132 595)

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Based on the phenomenon of writing apprehension above, the

researcher believes that ESL and EFL students have experienced about writing

apprehension. Similarly, it is also experienced by students in English

Education. Hettich El stated that writing apprehension has been a critical

problem for both native and non-native writer's language learning.10 Thus, the

researcher views that students of English Department of UIN Sunan Ampel

who are doing on thesis writing have experienced writing apprehension based

on the preliminary study before doing the research. Some students who are

doing writing thesis feel apprehensive when they meet to lecturers or consult

their thesis writing based on the interview with twenty students of English

Education Department.11 As we know before, to get a degree, students are

required to conduct research and write a thesis. Hence, the ability to write

English properly is also concerned by students when their thesis will be

evaluated by advisor or examiner in an examination. In this study, the

researcher wants to discuss apprehensive students in doing thesis writing.

Several studies have researched related to writing apprehension, such

as journal article written by Al-Sawalha, Musa Abdulla Salem, and Chow,

Thomas Voon Foo entitled "The Effects of Writing Apprehension in English

on the Writing Process of Jordanian EFL Students at Yarmouk University ".

Focus of that study has a similarity for this study about writing apprehension.

However, the purpose of this journal is to investigate the effects of writing

10

Al-Ahmad S. “The impact of collaborative learning on L1 and L2 college students' apprehension about and attitudes toward writing”. (Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2003),

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with apprehension on the writing process of Jordanian EFL students at

Yarmouk University in Jordan. It shows that it differs with this present study.

This study focused on the causes of writing apprehension.

Then a study conducting by Ariani Rosyadi entitled "Dialogue

Journaling: Enhancing Students' Writing Viewed from Writing

Apprehension". That study is aimed to identify the effect of the teaching

methods and writing apprehension on students' writing skills. Having different

objective with Ariani’s study, this research wants to know the level of

apprehension and the causes of apprehension in writing thesis writing.

In this study, the researcher took English Teacher Education

Department of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya as the location of research

because the use of English for the thesis in that department. The research

conducted in eighth-semester students who are doing thesis writing in

academic year 2015/2016. From this investigation, the researcher expects that

this gives a description about the level of writing apprehension for students.

The lecturers and advisors can get information so that they can give some

suggestion or feedback on students’ writing and this research can contribute to

lecturer in creating method to reduce writing apprehension also for teaching to

students who have low, unusual or average and high writing apprehension.

After knowing this phenomenon, the researcher wants to know about

the level of writing apprehension that experienced by students who are doing

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only to know the level but also to describe the causes of writing apprehension

writing based on the students' perspective.

B. Research Questions

Based on the background above, there are two kinds of statement

problems which the researcher wants to answer. They are:

1. What are the levels of writing apprehension among students in doing their

thesis writing?

2. What are the causes of writing apprehension among students in doing their

thesis writing?

C. Objectives of the study

1. To investigate the levels of writing apprehension among students in doing

their thesis writing.

2. To describe the causes of writing apprehension among students in doing

their thesis writing.

D. Significance of the study

The significance of this study for:

1. The Department

It is expected that the result of this research provides benefits for

English Teacher Education Department to add literature especially about

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2. English lecturer

It is expected that the result of this research provides information for

lecturers about the level of writing apprehension experienced by students

and some causes of writing apprehension. Then lecturers can give feedback

on writing the thesis and can provide some strategies to handle or reduce

writing apprehension not only in thesis writing but also other assignments

such as essay, writing, or argumentative writing.

3. For further researcher

It is expected that the result of this research can be used as literature in

doing similar research in the same field in the future.

E. Scope and Limitation

The scope and limit of this study are:

1. The scope of this study about writing apprehension. In this study, the

researcher investigated the level of writing apprehension that experienced

by students. The researcher used writing apprehension test (WAT) based

on Dally and Miller. Then, the research focused on describing what the

causes of writing apprehension that experienced by students.

2. The limitation of the study is writing apprehension in eighth-semester

students who are doing thesis writing at English Teacher Education

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F. Definition of Key Terms

1. Writing: a form of communication to deliver through or to express

feeling through written form.12 Thus, it can be concluded that writing is a

person's ability to communicate information and ideas to someone,

public, government, etc. In this research, the researcher limits to thesis

writing. Thesis means paper, document, or report of research that

submitted by students as a requirement to get a degree. This study

observed eighth-semester students who are doing thesis writing in

academic year 2015/2016.

2. Apprehension: a fear that something bad or unpleasant is going to

happen or a feeling of being worried about the future.13 Fear or anxiety

about writing called writing apprehension. In this study, the research

focuses on to apprehension in writing aspect. Daly and Miller give

definition about writing apprehension. Writing apprehension is

"subject-specific situation and individual difference associated with a person's

tendencies to approach or avoid situation perceived to potentially require

writing accompanied by some amount of perceived evaluation".14 In this

research, writing apprehension defined as a feeling of students to

approach or avoid a situation in requiring English writing and feeling fear

12

J. Harmer. “The Practice of English Language Teaching third edition”(London:Longman,2001), 79

13

Merriam - Webster. “definition of Apprehension” Learner's Dictionary,

(http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/apprehension, accessed on Mei 31, 2016)

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when their product of English writing which their thesis is evaluated by

lecturer or advisor.

3. Cause: Something or someone that produce an effect, result, or condition. In another definition is something or someone that makes

something happened or exist.15 In this study, the researcher gives

definition which a cause means thing that cause writing apprehension

appear among students in doing thesis writing.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter reviews a brief explanation about some theories and previous

studies that will support this study. It deals with explanation about thesis, levels,

and causes of writing apprehension.

A. Theoretical Framework

1. Thesis

Thesis is one of academic writing which is usually written by

bachelor or undergraduate as requirement to get a degree. Thesis writing is

a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or

professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.1

1.1Components of Thesis

a. Cover page

In this section, cover page identifies topic, writer, institution,

degree and date. It also contains title, candidate's name and

qualifications, degree aimed at, faculty, university, month and year

presented.

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a. Declaration

It states that the material presented has not been used for any

other award, and that all sources are acknowledged. It shows gratitude

to anyone whose support has been important for the work.

b. Table of Contents

In this stage, it demonstrates lists all major divisions and

subdivisions marked by numbers and indicates page of tables,

figures, illustrations, appendices. It contains of all lists and the pages

that included in thesis

c. Abstract

It orients the reader and presents the focal points of the thesis,

and then it summarizes the thesis, mentioning aims/purposes, focus

of literature review, methods of research and analysis, the findings,

and implications

d. Introduction

It provides background of research and rationale for the

research, thus the reader is persuaded that it will be useful or

interesting. It usually serves as a frame within which the reader reads

the rest of the thesis. Additionally, it provides background

information related to the need for the research and builds an

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included the aim for research that present personal motivations

behind research.

e. Literature Review

In this stage, it consists of more than one sub chapter. It

shows the reader that it is familiar with issues and debates in the

field. Alternatively a literature review may be the main source of

data, and fulfill the aims of the thesis. The main purpose of the

literature review is to provide current theories and arguments related

to research topic.

f. Methodology

In methodology section, it presents method and approach that

used in the research. It describes what the researcher did for selection

of site, participants, data collection and analysis. It also includes

illustrations for example a timeline demonstrating stages or steps in

the research. Moreover, issues of validity and reliability are

discussed in this section.

g. Results or Finding

It explains the data and findings of research. Some data in

tables should be carefully set out, checked and discussed then it

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h. Discussion

In this part, it discusses findings, drawing out main

achievements and explaining results. The researcher also makes

links between aims and findings.

i. Conclusion

It draws all arguments and findings together. The researcher

usually leaves the reader with a strong sense. Further, it also

summarizes major findings and gives suggestion or directions for

future research

j. Bibliography

It shows the reader about all references that used to support

facts and arguments.

k. Appendices

It includes raw data examples and reorganized data (e.g., a

table of interview quotes, questionnaire, etc).2

2. Definition of Writing Apprehension

The word apprehension is created by Daly and Miller which states

as tendency to avoid of writing when requiring writing task and feel

apprehensive when evaluated by teacher “The general avoidance of writing

2

Monash University. Writing A Thesis In Education (Group of Eight: Academic Language And Literacy Development, 2014)

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situations perceived by individuals to potentially require some amount of

writing accompanied by the potential for evaluation of that writing”.3

This definition draws a correlation and interaction between three

constructs: first is individual attitudes such as positive or negative judgment.

Second are emotions and feelings such as fear or anxiety and third are

avoidance behaviors such as blocking or resistance.4

Donald Mc Andrew in his review of research on writing apprehension

gives definition as an individual difference associated with increase in

anxiety when one is faced with situations requiring writing.5 on the other

hand, Sylvia Holladay states that writing apprehensive as students who is

frightened by demands for writing competency, who fear of evaluation

because he or she expects to fail, who avoid writing, and behaves

destructively when forced to write.6

Grenfell defines writing apprehension as the abnormally high level of

an anxious, nervous, agitated or stressful feeling in a writing-strategy-related

situation, regardless of blocking and evaluation.7 Writing apprehension

relates directly to the anxiety that associated with the writing process,

3

J. A., Daly - M. D. Miller, “The empirical development of an instrument of writing apprehension”. Research in the Teaching of English.9, 1975, 242-249

4

A.M Grenfell. “EFL Writing Apprehension: The Macro or the Micro?”.Journal of Arts and Humanities (JAH), Volume -2, No.-3, April, 2013, p.79-89

5

Donald Mc.Andrew-Mike Rose (Ed)”The essential Delay:when writer’s Blockisn’t it. “when writers can’t write (New York:Guslford, 1985), p.219

6

Silvia Holaday .”writing anxiety: what research tells us”. NCTE convention, Boston, November 1981, ERIC ED 216393

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included the concept as well as physical aspects of writing. Further, writing

apprehension includes the fear of the evaluation of written products.8

The concept of writing apprehension is inclusive of anxiety, and

relates to the idea that some individuals are more comfortable and may enjoy

the writing process while others do not. Larson states that writing

apprehension (WA) may be related to the arousal of certain emotions,

particularly when written products are to be evaluated. Daly and Wilson

report that apprehension as related to academic success, occupational

decisions, self-esteem, and personality behaviors.9

Daly classifies writers’ perceptions and feelings into two main

categories10: first is dispositional feeling and second is situational feeling.

The former of dispositional feeling refers to the consistent feelings such as

attitude related to writing and writing outcome expectancy which perceived

importance and value of writing. Moreover, situational feeling refers to

task-based feelings like writing anxiety which feeling of discomfort while writing.

Daly distinguishes between apprehension and anxiety. He viewed

apprehension like avoidance of writing situations as one of the dispositional

feelings, while anxiety was seen as a situational feeling.

8

J. Daly.“Writing apprehension in the classroom: Teacher role expectancies of the apprehensive writer”.Research in the Teaching of English.13,1979,p.37-44.

9

Carl H. Boening,, Lara A. Anderson, Michael T Miller.“Writing Apprehension and Academic Achievement among Undergraduate Honors Students”. Education Administration program:University of Alabama 206 Wilson hall Tuscaloosa, Al 3547 in ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) ED 414 775

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Based on some definitions before, generally apprehension is part of

anxiety. In journal about anxiety, classroom language learning for EFL

produces some foreign language anxiety in learning process. They are

self-perception, belief, feeling, and behavior. Those situations will deal in foreign

language anxiety. Foreign language anxiety (FLA) related to four skills, they

are speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Three general components of

language anxiety are communication apprehension, anxiety, and fear of

negative evaluation.11

Communication apprehension relates to an individual's fear or

reticence toward oral communication, and writing apprehension has been

viewed as a principle of the broader concept of communication apprehension.

Apprehensive situation in oral communication is called communicative

apprehension. If there is apprehensive in writing, it can be called as writing

apprehension. Written that produced by students identified as high and low

apprehensive differ significantly in structure, language use, and amount of

information conveyed.12

Writing apprehension plays an important role in writing performance.

Students who have high apprehension are less control over usage and written

rules than students who low in apprehension. For example students with high

writing apprehension write shorter, syntactically less complete pieces,

11

Meihua Liu & Huiliuqian Ni.“Chinese University EFL Learners’ Foreign Language Writing Anxiety: Pattern, Effect and Causes”. English Language Teaching; Vol. 8, No. 3; 2015

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especially in personal narratives. In writing apprehension, Faigley, Daly, and

Witte describe low apprehensive students as those writers who tend not to

avoid situation that demanded writing, are confident in their abilities to write,

and frequently enjoy writing. For high apprehension is opposite of low

apprehensive students which tend to avoid situation that demanding writing

and they are not confident with their abilities in writing skill.13

3. Levels of Writing Apprehension

In measuring levels of writing apprehension, this study was used

Writing Apprehension Test (WAT). To know about levels of writing

apprehension, there are three ranges to determine about levels. Writing

Apprehension scores range from 26 to 130. 14

o High level

This level indicates students have a high level of writing apprehension

with range 26-59.

o Unusual or average level

Most students in this level do not experience significantly of writing

apprehension with range 60-96. It means that they are in middle

position or safe zone as writer with score mean is 78.

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Wendy Bishop. “We’re all basic writers: tutor talking about writing apprehension”. The writing center journal.p.33-35

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o Low level

In this level, range is 97-130. A score in this range indicates that

students have a low level of writing apprehension.

Result of Virginia’s research concluded that there are some conditions

that experienced by students both high and low apprehension in their writing

product based on writing performance. Some conditions that experience for

low apprehensive in their writing product such as15:

a. Low apprehensive students use more nouns in direct, brief statements.

When they elaborated reasons in support of the statements, they relied

primarily on concise structural patterns.

b. Low apprehensive students write three times as many words as the high

apprehensive.

c. Low apprehensive students write approximately twice as many

paragraphs which were about 1 1/2 times longer than the high

apprehensive.

d. Low apprehensive used 4 times as many nouns.

e. Low apprehensive 3 1/2 times pronouns than high apprehensive.

Some conditions that experience for high apprehensive in their

writing product such as:

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a. High apprehensive students generate shorter response and fewer words in

writing. It also happens when people express orally. It was anticipated

that high apprehension would generated fewer words in writing just as

they express less orally. A simple word count was made to find the length

of response. A word was considered any symbol, including a number,

bound by white space on either side.

b. High apprehensive students reveal less information or knowledge.

c. High apprehensive students use more adjectives and prepositional phrases

in proportion to nouns and pronouns; it is likely that the message

produced-skill have fewer main ideas and more description and

amplification.

d. High apprehensive students use fewer words to write.

e. High apprehensive students more rambling statements using nouns and

adjectives in prepositional phrases rather than in noun phrases.

On the other hand, some attributes of low apprehensive students such

as students who has low apprehensive are not afraid of majors which require

writing. They have flexible, heuristic procedures to help to avoid writing

block. They have fewer spelling errors, greater syntactic complexity and

greater length than high apprehensive. They give an awareness audience,

propose, and organizational writing strategies. They have planning methods

and also delay writing to procedure better, can compress writing time or

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They appear to be able to ignore negative response, have had encouraging

writing experiences, and know how to ask for teacher guidance.16

Talking about relation among writing apprehension among gender,

writing achievement, and concerning for content-form, there are some

conditions concerning about level of apprehension. For example, high

apprehensive writers have a weaker knowledge of writing skills, vocabulary,

and limited syntactic resources. Both high and low apprehensive writers were

significant. They are more concerned about form than content; however low

apprehensive writers being significantly more concerned with form than the

high apprehensive writers. And for the result of that issue, thus,

content-based process writing classroom strategies may be able to be used to reduce

high apprehension since the writing environment is conducive to exploring

ideas and content.17

4. Causes of writing apprehension

Some studies have done about cases of writing apprehension. Writing

apprehension is sometimes experienced by students when writing English both

ESL and EFL learners. Tighe mentions only two main causes of students’

writing apprehension and these are critical comments and fear of evaluation.18

16

Wendy Bishop p.33-35

17

Diana Masny, Justine Foxall.”Writing Apprehension in L2”.(Ottawa: Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa of ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED 352 844)

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Lin and Ho conducted research about causes of writing apprehension.

They summarized five cases of apprehension. They are issues of time

restriction such as thinking of the limitation of a time during testing, issues of

teacher’s evaluation such as students are looking for teacher’s evaluation and

negative comments in their work issue of peer competition such as peer’s

comment and attitudes of competition, issues of writing subjects or classes

course, issue of required writing format.19

Yasser and Ibrahim found some cases of writing apprehension among

Jordanian Ph.D. students at University Utara Malaysia Four main themes

emerged pertaining to causes of writing apprehension which are Lack of

knowledge in English structure, negative attitude toward writing, negative

writing experience in the past, and Inadequate knowledge in academic writing.

In their study concluded that writing apprehension was a prevalent

phenomenon among the students.20

Moreover, In Latif' research stated that some causes of writing

apprehension were a lack of linguistic knowledge such as grammar and

vocabulary knowledge, Low foreign language competence, Poor history of

writing achievement and perceived writing performance improvement, Low

19

Lin, G. H. C., & Ho, M. M. S. “An exploration into foreign language writing anxiety from Taiwanese university students’ perspectives”. Paper presented at the NCUE Fourth Annual Conference on Language, Teaching, Literature, Linguistics, Translations and Interpretation, Taiwan 2009, April

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English writing self-efficacy, Instructional practice of English writing and fear

of criticism.21 Although some studies have researched related to cases of

writing apprehension and have similarity with this study, the result was

different because of a different subject which this research is students of the

eighth semester in thesis writing.

From some studies above, it could be concluded that some causes of

writing apprehension are:

• History of classroom with instruction particularly in traditional classroom

instruction.k of self-confidence

• Time restriction (limitation of time)

• Teacher evaluation (teacher’s negative comment)

• Peer competition (peer’s comment. Attitude competition)

• Lack of writing skill, vocabulary knowledge, writing experience,

linguistic knowledge (grammar, vocabulary)

• Low foreign language competence

• Poor history of writing achievement and perceived writing performance

improvement

• Low English writing self-efficacy

• Fear of criticism and evaluation

• Language use

• Critical comment

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B. Previous Studies

In this study, the writer found several previous studies which are

related with the writing apprehension. For instance, Ariani Rosyadi's thesis

entitled "Dialogue journals: enhancing students’ writing viewed from writing

apprehension”. The aim of this research is to find out whether: first, dialogue

journals method is more effective than direct instruction method to teach

writing. Second, the students who have low writing apprehension have better

writing skill than those have high writing apprehension. Third, there is an

interaction between teaching methods and students' writing apprehension in

teaching writing. An experimental was used in his research. He took research

in the eighth grade of SMP Ta'mirul Islam Surakarta in the academic year of

2014/2015. Data were collected through writing test and writing apprehension

questionnaire and it was analyzed by a descriptive statistic. The finding of his

research is: first, dialogue journals method is more effective than direct

instruction method to teach writing, the students who have low writing

apprehension have better writing skill than those have high writing

apprehension. Third, there is an interaction between teaching methods and

students' writing apprehension in teaching writing.22

Peter Pappalardo in his dissertation entitled Teacher Behavior and

Attitude and Students Writing Apprehension. It focuses on evaluating how

teacher behaviors and attitudes affect the writing apprehension of students.

The purpose of the study was to examine three questions related to student

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writing apprehension and teacher behavior and attitude in a rural Pennsylvania

high school. The questions were as follows. First, is the Willower Pupil

Control Ideology (PCI) a reproducible instrument that predicts teacher

behaviors in the classroom on a continuum from custodial to humanistic?

Second, is there a relationship between teacher behaviors as measured by the

PCI and student writing apprehension as measured by changes in the

Daly/Miller Writing Apprehension Survey (WAS)? Third, did students report

other factors which had an effect on their willingness to write? The results of

the study support the idea that Willower’s PCI was a generally useful

psychometric which predicts the likelihood of humanistic or custodial and

direct or indirect behaviors by teachers. Student writing apprehension

increased over the sampled population (n=405), with no differential effects

found among the 25 classes studied, a result that is consistent with overall

custodial behavior and direct teacher-student interactions. According to

observed and student-reported data Systematic writing instruction, teacher

modeling of writing and affective supported in the classroom were not

common or significant elements in the curriculum of the high school in this

study.23

Sayyah Al-Ahmad in his dissertation entitled “the impact of

collaborative learning on L1 and L2 college students’ apprehension about and

attitudes towards writing”. It was intended to investigate the impact of

collaborative learning on L1 and L2 college students' apprehension about

23

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attitudes towards writing. The subject of this research was 349 L1 students

and L2 writing teachers, 77 L2 students, and 3 L2 writing teachers. The

instruments that used were the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test twice,

once a pre-test and another as posttest and writing course activity

questionnaire. The purpose of both instruments was to find whether students'

level of writing apprehension decreased from pretest to the posttest and

investigate the relationship between collaborative learning and teacher's

attitudes, a reduction on in students' writing apprehension and change in their

attitudes towards writing. the result found that students' writing apprehension

had decreased significantly from the pretest to the posttest. Additionally, their

attitudes towards writing had positively changed from pre to the posttest.24

Another study from Sawalha, Abdulla Musa Salem, and Chow, and

Thomas Voon Foo entitled "The effect of writing apprehension in English on

the writing process of Jordanian EFL students at Yarmouk University”. This

research aims to investigate the effects of writing apprehension on the writing

process of Jordanian EFL students at Yarmouk University in Jordan. The

sampling of this study was sixty-third year students studying B.A English

Language and Literature at Yarmouk University in Jordan for the academic

year 2010/ 2011. The instruments used in this study were Adapted Daly and

Miller Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) by Gungle and Taylor to measure

writing apprehension and the writing strategy questionnaire which was

24

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26

adapted from the questionnaire used by Petric and Czárl. The results of this

study showed that majority of the Jordanian EFL students at Yarmouk

University in Jordan experienced a high level of writing apprehension.

Furthermore, There were significant differences among high, mid, low in the

frequency use across the three writing stages .These statistics suggested

writing apprehension level of students had affected the frequency of strategy

use and type of strategy use. English Language and Literature students at

Yarmouk University in Jordan of different writing apprehension levels had

preference over different and frequency of strategy use.25

Dilek Yavuz Erkan and Ayten İflazoğlu Saban in their journal entitled

“Writing Performance Relative to Writing Apprehension, Self-Efficacy in

Writing, and Attitudes towards Writing: A Correlation Study in Turkish

Tertiary-Level EFL. The purpose of this study is to identify whether writing

performance in students of English as a foreign language (EFL) is related to

writing apprehension, self-efficacy in writing, and/or attitudes towards

writing. The subjects were tertiary-level EFL188 students at Çukurova

University School for Foreign Languages (YADIM) in Turkey. Three

instruments were used to collect data: a writing apprehension test (WAT), a

self-efficacy in writing scale (SWS), and a questionnaire on attitudes towards

writing (WAQ). The results of the study suggest that, in these tertiary-level

25

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EFL students, writing apprehension and writing performance are negatively

correlated, writing apprehension and writing self-efficacy are negatively

correlated, and writing apprehension and attitude towards writing are

positively correlated.26

From first until five previous studies above, this research has the same

aspect about writing apprehension. An instrument that used is writing

apprehension test to measure the level of writing apprehension. Although it

has the same aspect, this research more focuses on Level and the causes of

writing Apprehension. It does not correlate level with another aspect. It also

has different subject whereas it conducted the research in English Education

Department of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.

26 _{Dilek Yavuz Erkan and Ayten İflazoğlu Saban.”Writing Performance Relative to Writing}

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter deals with the procedures or steps for conducting the study. It

includes research design, location and subject research, data and source of data,

research instrument, data collection, data analysis, checking validity, research

stages.

A. Approach and Research Design

The research design is a procedure for collecting, analyzing,

interpreting and reporting data in research studies. The design of this study is

descriptive qualitative. The descriptive qualitative method is used to describe

and capture the phenomenon of situation and condition.1

According to Creswell, qualitative Research is an inquiry process of

understanding a social or human problem based on building a complex, holistic

picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and

conducted in a natural setting.2 Furthermore, a qualitative method is the way to

get data from a human problem or phenomenon depth and detail.

In this study, the researcher did not use quantitative approach because it

did not contain hypothesis and treatment. It only captures and describes the

phenomenon of writing apprehension among students, thus it tends to be a

1

M.Nazir, Metode penelitian (Jakarta: Ghalia Indonesia.2003), p.55

2

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qualitative research. As Denzin & Lincoln state that qualitative research does

not introduce treatments or manipulate variables, or impose the researcher’s

operational definitions of variables on the participants. Rather, it lets the

meaning emerge from the participants. It is more flexible in that it can adjust to

the setting. Concepts, data collection tools, and data collections methods can be

adjusted as the research progresses.3

In this case, the research wants to investigate the level of writing

apprehension and describes some causes of writing apprehension. By using

WAT (Writing Apprehension Test), the research measured the level of writing

apprehension and questionnaire sheet as an instrument for causes of writing

apprehension.

B. Research Presence

In this study, the researcher was non participation observer. She was

collector of the data and did not observe directly. The participants knew the

researcher when collecting data from them.

C. Research Location

This study was conducted in English Teacher Education Department at

the Faculty of Education and Teacher Training of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.

The researcher chose this location because there is thesis writing class which

must be taken by students in the eighth semester of English Teacher Education

Department as the requirement to get a degree.

3

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30

The subject of the study was eighth-semester students of English

Teacher Education Department in academic year 2015/2016. In this research,

the technique for choosing sample is purposive sampling. The researcher used

purposive sampling because this research obligated several criteria in sampling

technique. Purposive sampling selects a sample based on beliefs and prior

information which provides the data we need.4

This study observed only students who have been accepted their

research title and approved by examiners in thesis proposal examination to

continue their research. It could be said that this study observed students who

are doing thesis writing. The research took 35 students from 82 students in

eight semesters in academic year 2015/2016.

D. Data and source of the data

Data is an adhere attribute in a particular object, in which it serves

information that can be justified and obtained through a method or instrument

of data collection. Generally, the obtained data will be processed and analyzed

by a certain method in order to produce a thing that can describe or indicate

something.5

In this study, the researcher gained the source of the data from students

of English Teacher Education Department who are doing thesis writing in

eighth semester in academic year 2015/2016. The researcher got the data by

4

Jack R. Fraenkel and Norman E. Wallen. How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education 7th Ed (USA: Beth Meji, 2008), p.99

5

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using test and questionnaire. The test was distributed to investigate the

students' experienced writing apprehension level, while questionnaire is used

to describe the causes of writing apprehension.

E. Research Instrument

In this study, the researcher used instruments as follow:

1. Writing Apprehension Test (WAT)

For this study, the researcher used Daly and Miller's (1975a) WAT

(Writing Apprehension Test) to assess students' apprehension about

writing. This instrument is questionnaire form but it is called test as the

instrument to measure writing apprehension. Furthermore, this is a 26-item

questionnaire that provides 13 items with positive polarity and 13 with

negative polarity. Scoring is done on a 5-point Likert scale and it contains

whether they strongly agree, agree, are uncertain, disagree, and strongly

disagree with statements about writing. This result answered the first

question about the level of writing apprehension.

2. Questionnaire sheet

To answer the second question, questionnaire sheet is applied in

this study. The researcher used the instrument from Ibrahim and Yasser in

their research entitled Effect of Writing Apprehension among Jordan and

Ph.D. Students' Perspective. Then, it was adopted and modified to find the

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32

instrument was open-ended questionnaire with 10 questions and

distributed to participants.

This questionnaire sheet was administered to 35 students (students

from each high-apprehension, average-apprehension and Low-

apprehension) and the students were asked to specify the contexts and

situations when they felt apprehensive both writing English thesis writing

and consulting with an advisor who evaluates their English thesis writing.

F. Data collection technique

Data collection is an essential component to conducting research. Data

collection technique is a technique that used by the researcher in conducting

research. In this study, data collection used as follow:

1. Test

In this study, the students filled Writing Apprehension Test (WAT)

developed by Daly and Miller. The researcher used an online test to collect

the data. Students asked to fill Writing Apprehension Test in Google form.

It consists of 26 statements and shaped Likert-type self-report scales with

five possible answers for each item from (1) strongly agree to (5) strongly

disagree. Examples of the items are like: "I am not good at writing", “I

look forward to writing down my ideas”, “Expressing ideas through

writing seems to be a waste of time”, “Discussing my writing with others

is an enjoyable experience”, and “I don’t like my compositions to be

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the first question about the level of writing apprehension when doing

thesis writing. By the existence of the data, it answered the first question

“what are the levels of writing apprehension among students in doing their

thesis writing?”

2. Questionnaire

The questionnaire is a set of questions for gathering information

from individuals.6 In this study, the researcher spread the questionnaire to

35 students. They responded and answered 10 questions as long as it did

not change the theme. Then it was submitted to the researcher after the

filled it. The results of this questionnaire answered the second question of

this study “what are the causes of writing apprehension among students in

doing their thesis writing?”

G. Data Analysis Technique

After collecting data from both instruments, data was analyzed. Data

analysis processes to analyze data using some steps. In this study, the

collected data was analyzed using qualitative methods of data analysis. Data

analysis involves the identification, examination, and interpretation of data.

6

Evaluation Briefs N0.14/November 2008

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34

First, to know result from the level of writing apprehension among

students, some steps did to calculate and read the score from Writing

Apprehension Test (WAT) as follow7:

• Determine each value in each item.

• Add together all point values for positive statements (PSV) only and add

together all point values for negative statements (NSV) only.

- PSV questions = 1; 4; 5; 7; 8; 13; 16; 18; 21; 22; 24; 25; 26

- NSV questions = 2; 3; 6; 9; 10; 11; 12; 14; 15; 17; 19; 20; 23

• Set those scores into the following formula to discover Writing

Apprehension (WA) score: WA = 78 + PSV-NSV

• After all score have been calculated then the researcher categorizes into

three levels. They are low, unusual or average, and high apprehension.

Writing Apprehension scores range from 26 to 130.

After all scores in writing apprehension test (WAT) have been

calculated, then it was continued to next process. The result of Writing

Apprehension Test (WAT) and the questionnaire was analyzed in some steps.

According to Sugiyono, data analysis includes data reduction, displaying data,

and drawing conclusion8. For the explanation as follow:

7

John Daly and Michael Miller, "The Empirical Development of an Instrument to Measure Writing Apprehension". Research in the Teaching of English. 12,1975,p. 242-49.Adapted by Michael W. Smith in Reducing Writing Apprehension (Urbana: NCTE, 1984).

8

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1. Data Reduction

Data reduction is used to identify some important data that used.

This is the process of reducing and transforming the data. In the reducing

data from writing apprehension test (WAT), the researcher checked the

answer and arranged score for calculating then it was classified scores into

categorization based on range (low, average, and high apprehension). In

questionnaire sheet, the answer was checked and identified whether the

participants answer clearly and properly. Then it was taken some

important data to process in the next step.

2. Displaying Data

After reducing data, then the researcher displayed data. It showed

using a table to ease the researcher for analyzing data. The following as

follow:

 Displaying Data from WAT (Writing Apprehension Test)

After calculating scores from WAT using a formula which

provided in WAT, the researcher tabulated result of scores in WAT. It was

categorized based on range from level low-average-high apprehension.

After categorizing into three levels, it was concluded by taking percentage

in each level using formula:

Total of students with same level

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36

 Displaying Data from Questionnaire

Data was analyzed from the answer in the questionnaire. Because

of an open-ended questionnaire, the researcher had to analyze carefully.

Data was tabulated into some parts that showing causes students writing

apprehension. Furthermore, data was concluded into charts and gave

percentage of result using formula:

Students who answer same point

Total participants X 100%

3. Drawing conclusion

After analyzing both of data instrument, then the researcher

summarized the finding into the table to give the description about the

level of writing apprehension. Moreover, the researcher also drew result of

the level of writing apprehension and some causes of writing

apprehension, what make students feel apprehensive when doing thesis

writing.

H. Checking Validity of Findings

The validating finding is determining the accuracy or credibility of the

findings. Triangulation means a technique for validating and verification. In

this study, the research chose triangulation as a research strategy to assure

completeness of finding or to confirm finding into validity. The researcher

used the methodological technique for data collection which combining some

methods for collecting data (e.g., test and questionnaire). In the first

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writing apprehension. Daly and Miller measured Writing Apprehension Test

(WAT) as a reliable and valid instrument.9 The second instrument is

questionnaire sheet which is adopted from Ibrahim and Yasser. It has been

validated by the expert. The researcher also is rechecked the result of analysis

with theory, data, and expert to make sure the analysis is valid.

I. Research Stages

1. Preliminary research

Preliminary research is the beginning step before doing research to

view and look for problems. In doing preliminary research, the researcher

was interested in writing skill. But many types of research about writing

aspect have been observed. Due to that information, the research tried to

look for another aspect beyond writing. Finally, the researcher found some

problems in the eighth semester of English Teacher Education Department

when doing thesis writing. First, the problem about difficulty when getting

accepted the research title. Some students felt apprehensive when writing

the outline of thesis writing and meeting the lecturer. Then the researcher

interviewed some students who have accepted research title. The

researcher asked some question about how their feeling when they wrote a

thesis and consulted with an advisor. Some students said that they felt

apprehensive. Thus, it made the researcher wanted to investigate about

level of writing apprehension and causes of writing apprehension.

9

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38

Additionally, the researcher also did searching in the library included the

point of writing apprehension. Some studies have done about writing

apprehension quantitatively and qualitatively. To limit the topic, then the

researcher wanted to investigate about level and causes of writing

apprehension.

2. Designing investigation

After doing preliminary research, the researcher designed some

steps for doing the investigation about the levels and causes of writing

apprehension in eighth-semester students from determining the method,

participants, instruments, data analysis technique, also the technique of

checking validity. To measure levels of writing apprehension, the

researcher used WAT (Writing Apprehension Test) by Daly and Miller

and questionnaire adopted by Ibrahim and Yasser to answer causes of

writing apprehension. It also needed to be validated by an expert in the

field.

3. Implementing investigating

In doing research, the researcher did all procedures from to answer

finding with distributing WAT and questionnaire to eight students who

doing thesis writing.

4. Analyzing data

In analyzing data, some steps were done to answer the finding from

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apprehension, the research calculated scores using the formula that

provided in Daly and Miller's note. To answer causes of writing

apprehension, the researcher analyzed and interpreted the questionnaire.

5. Concluding data

After analyzing data, then the researcher summarized data. In

concluding data the research used tables and charts to ease in a draw the

finding of the research.

6. Writing report

The last step in research stage is writing a report. In writing the

report, the descriptive qualitative method is used then the form of this

study tends to the narrative. The research wrote and drew report from first

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CHAPTER IV

FINDING AND DISCUSSION

This chapter demonstrates about finding and discussion. In the finding

draws result of the research about levels and causes of writing Apprehension.

While other parts, discussion explains about information that got from finding.

A. RESEARCH FINDING

1. Level of Writing Apprehension

The first question in this study is what the levels of writing

apprehension among students when dong thesis writing. The data were gained

through writing apprehension test (WAT) and spread to 35 students. In this

part, the research demonstrated the result of level writing apprehension from

English Education department students.

In analyzing Writing Apprehension test, data calculated using a

formula that presented by the Writing Apprehension Test (WAT). To discover

writing apprehension score is WA =78+PSV-NSV. After knowing the result

of Writing Apprehension Test then the researcher categorized score based on

the range of Writing Apprehension Test (WAT). As mentioned in chapter 3,

there are three ranges; they are low, unusual/average, and high level. The

researcher tabulated the data based on name and their score of Writing

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42

22. Student ‘22 80 

23. Student ‘23 75 

24. Student ‘24 78 

25. Student ‘25 68 

26. Student ‘26 83 

27. Student ‘27 75 

28. Student ‘28 78 

29. Student ‘29 71 

30. Student ‘30 92 

31. Student ‘31 82 

32. Student ‘32 81 

33. Student ‘33 67 

34. Student ‘34 75 

35. Student ‘35 73 

After calculating the score in writing apprehension test, the researcher

categorized level based on range. In the table above, the result showed that

level of writing apprehension among students in doing thesis writing is

unusual or average and low level. There are 34 students that their final score

including to unusual or average level. And 1 student got a low level of writing

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Chart 4.1 Frequency of Writing Apprehension Level

In the chart 4.1, it mentioned that 34 students tended to an unusual

range, it meant that unusual range is majority level for students when doing

thesis writing in this department. Unusual or average level (range 60-96)

indicated that most students do not experience significantly in writing

apprehension. Likewise, there is 1 student categorized in the low level (range

97-130). Students with number 3 got score 109 in the final score of Writing

Apprehension Test. It meant that she indicates in the low level of writing

apprehension. For the last, no one indicates to the high level of writing

apprehension. It could be concluded that levels of writing apprehension

among students in writing thesis are low and unusual or average level. To ease

the interpretation, this pie chart would summarize the result using percentage.

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

High level Unusual /

average level

Low level

0

34

1

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44

Chart 4.2 levels of Writing Apprehension

In the chart above, the level of students writing apprehension in doing

writing thesis is unusual level and low level. The result of the final score in

writing apprehension test dominated score from 70-85 and it indicated to the

unusual level. Unusual or average level got 97%, the low level is 3% and high

level is 0%.

2. Causes of Writing Apprehension

The second question from this study is “what are the causes of writing

apprehension among students in doing thesis writing?” It used open-ended

questions and 35 students filled the questionnaire. After doing analyzing the

questionnaire from reduction and tabulated data in the instrument, there are

many same responses about causes of writing apprehension. The table below

summarized the result about causes of writing apprehension. 0%

97% 3%

Level of Writing Apprehension

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Table 4.2 Summary of Students’ Questionnaire

NO. Name Response of Questions About Causes of Writing Apprehension

1. Student ‘1  Yes, I feel depressed because they are experts. So, I

was afraid to show my stupidity regarding research.

 (No response)

 Coming under pressure.

2. Student ‘2  Yes, I feel apprehension

 Yes, I am afraid of many unanswered questions asked

by them

 Feeling hopeless

3. Student ‘3  Yes, I feel apprehension

 Yes, when making mistakes

 laziness, less motivation, feeling tired, feeling busy

4. Student ‘4  Yes I’m afraid of making lot of mistake

 Yes, Content and structure

 Feeling tired

5. Student ‘5  No

 (No response).

 Laziness

6. Student ‘6  Yes, I do. Because I’m afraid of getting big mistake

and I cannot answer my advisor question

 Background, RQ, design and analysis technique

 Feeling busy

7. Student ‘7  Exactly, because everything inside of my thesis

should be perfect

 everything inside of my thesis

 Less motivation

8. Student ‘8  Yes of course, I am afraid of many revision

 There are many revisions, checking the grammatical

error.

 laziness, less motivation, feeling tired, feeling busy

9. Student ‘9  yes, I 'm afraid of making fatal mistakes

 I 'm afraid of making fatal mistakes

 Tired

10. Student

‘10

 Yes, because I am afraid if I make many mistakes

 The advisor have good academic knowledge

 Tired and busy