Imas Cintamulya
University of PGRI Ronggolawe, East Java
Abstract: Through case studies about the environment, students will be actively involved in finding the concepts and principles of environmental issues, which are useful in enhancing students' understanding of concepts of environmental issues. The ability of students to reveal their findings about environmental issues should be developed through scientific literature, one of which is the scientific article. Each student has a different thinking style or cognitive style, so the possibilities in terms of scientific writing can be different. A cognitive style is shown in individuals receiving, processing and organizing information, and presenting the information based on the experiences they have had. This study aimed to describe the ability of the students who have a reflective or impulsive cognitive style to write a scientific article as the result of case studies on environmental issues. To achieve these objectives, the research involved the students of biology education UNIROW Tuban class of 2011. The ability to write scientific articles was analyzed descriptively and included: title, credit lines, abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion, conclusions and bibliography. To measure the reflective vs impulsive cognitive styles, the study used a MFFT (Matching Familiar Figure Test) instrument which was designed and developed by Warli (2010).
The results showed that the ability of students who have a reflective cognitive style to write scientific articles tended to follow the rules, except when they were writing a bibliography. Therefore, there was a difference between students who write with a reflective cognitive style and students who write with an impulsive cognitive style in terms of their ability to write a scientific article as the result of case studies about environmental issues.
Keywords: Cognitive style, Case study, Environmental issues, Impulsive, Reflective.
INTRODUCTION
Writing a scientific paper is the usual activities of the students in the learning process in college. The activity is useful to train students in thinking skills to develop science. The scientific paper written by the students is usually done for fulfilling the task of course.The type of scientific paper related with the task of course is usually in the form of papers. But along with the development of science, students are also required to have skills of writing scientific paper in the form of scientific article. The scientific article is a written work which is designed to be loaded in a journal or a book, which is a collection of articles writtenby the scientific procedures and follow scientific guidelines that have been established (Siahaan, 2012). The demands of the development of science to day, it is necessary to empower the ability to write the scientific article for students generally and especially students of biology education University PGRI Ronggolawe Tuban class of 2011.
Empowering students in writing scientific articles is done through learning on course of conservation and environmental knowledge. This course discusses the various environmental problems that occur at this time. So the topic for writing scientific articles can be selected based on the environmental issues. For that then designed a lesson on the course of conservation and environmental knowledge by applying the case study method.The case study method is a method that compares the lecture material to analyze the problems that are happening (Anggraeni, 2012).
Application of the case study method in the course of conservation and environmental knowledge, namely aimed to: 1) train students in analyzing environmental problems; 2) train students to write a report of a case study in the form of scientific article.
Another thing to consider in the learning conservation and knowledge of environment that is about the cognitive styles. According to Liuand Ginther (1999), cognitive style is a characteristic that is fixed in the individual in terms of feel, remember, organize, process, think, and solve problems. According to Froehlich (2003), cognitive style is a characteristic that tends to remain in a person's personality. Kaganand Kogan (1970) explains that the cognitive style is individual variation in how to feel, remember, think, or as a way to distinguish, understand, store, embody, and use information. If the student styles in learning are accommodated, it can improve the learning outcomes, thinking skills, academic achievement, and creativity (Acharya, 2002).
Cognitive styles according to Jerome Kagan (1965) covers impulsive and reflective cognitive styles. Someone who have a impulsive cognitive style, if some one have a characteristic of quick in answering the problem, but lacking / not careful so that the answers tend to be wrong. Whereas someone who have a characteristic slow in responding to the problem, but carefully and thoroughly so that the answers tend to be true, that some one can be said that the person's reflective cognitive style (Warli, 2010).
Referred to some opinions above, it can be said that the way students understand, utilize the information, organize, process, and think in the learning process are different. Therefore, the question arises, is there difference in the ability to write a scientific article about the results of case studies about environmental issues between students who have reflective cognitive style with impulsive cognitive style?
The results of this study have the following benefits, namely: 1) to contribute knowledge in education, especially about the ability to write a scientific article viewed from reflective and impulsive cognitive styles; 2) as consideration for designing learning model that can empower the ability to write a scientific article with regard reflective and impulsive cognitive styles.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Type of research used include:1) pre-experimental research with design One-Shot Case Study (Sugiono, 2008) that aimed to empower the ability to write scientific articles; 2) explorative research that aimed to reveal reflective and impulsive cognitive styles of the student; 3) comparative research that aimed to see the difference in a student's ability to write scientific articles between reflective and impulsive cognitive styles. Research subject are students of Biology Education class of 2011 that reflective and impulsive cognitive styles.
The instrument used to collect data about students' ability to write a scientific article is the observation sheet. While the instrument to measure the reflective and impulsive cognitive styles, the study used a MFFT (Maching Familiar Figures Test) instrument which was designed and developed by Warli (2010). MFFT instruments include 1 standard image and 8 variation images. Through this instrument, the students are asked to choose one of eight images of variation which is the same as the standard image. The variables measured were the time required by students to answer the first time and the frequency of the student replied to produce the correct answer.
This research was conducted at 33 students of Turban class of 2011 in learning conservation and environmental knowledge. The research was conducted in two phases, namely the first phase of a study to measure cognitive style and second phase of a study to determine the ability to write a scientific article. Data for the first phase of the research was taken in 2014 (Cintamulya, 2014). Research to see a student's ability to write scientific articles, namely through the implementation of cooperative learning with the case study method. Meanwhile, to assess the ability of writing scientific articles conducted at the end of the lecture conservation and environmental knowledge.
Research to measure cognitive styles include:1) called the students one by one to complete a test of cognitive style through the MFFT instrument, by finding a picture of variation in accordance with the standard image; 2) recorded the time spent on the students to answer the first problem; 3) recorded the frequency replied to obtainthe correct answer; 4) calculated the amountof time and frequency error then divided by the number of items to obtainthe average; 5) determined the median of time (t) and the frequency of (f) and then drawn a line parallel to the t and f axis, so that will form four groups of students. According Warli (2010) fourth of student groups include:1) a group of students that have the characteristics of quick in answering problem and carefully/thoroughly so the answerare always right; 2) a groupof students who have the characteristics low in responding to problem and carefully/thoroughly so that the answers are always right (reflective students); 3) a group of students who have the characteristics prompt in
replying but less accurate/less thorough so thatthe answers are often wrong (impulsive student); 4)a group of students who havethe characteristics low in responding to problem and less accurate/less thorough so that the answers are often wrong. This study is limited only the student who have a reflective and impulsive cognitive styles.
The steps of a study to determine the ability to write a scientific article are as follows: 1) divided the group into ten groups, each group of 3-4 students; 2) choosed about topics of environmental problems that occur in Tuban; 3) gave assignments to each group to collect data spaciousness, according to their selected topic for this activity were given about three weeks; 4) evaluated the results of the case study students through presentations in class as a group; 5) explained the writing scientific articles; 6) gave assignments to the students to write scientific articles individually, according to the topics presented; 7) evaluated the scientific articles at the end of the lecture, used the instruments that have been developed.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
To Measure of cognitive styles, the study used MFFT (Matching Familiar Figures Test) instrument with the observed variables consists of the time required by students to answer the first time and the frequency of students replied to produce the correct answer, a summary of the results are presented in Table 1.While the results ofthe analysis ofdata onstudents' ability towrite ascientific article can be seen in Table 2.
Table 1. Summary of Results of Measurement of Cognitive Style Class
of The
Numbe r Of student
Time Frequency The
Number Of student reflectiv e
The Number Of student impulsive Max Min Med Max Min Med
2011
A 33 73,18 5,68 14,7 4,23 1,62 2.69 11 11
Tabel 2. Results of Measurement Students’ Ability to Write Scientific Articles Enviromental-Related Problem between Reflective and Imfulsive Cognitive Syles.
COMPONENT STUDENTS’
REFLECTIVE COGNITIVE STYLE
STUDENTS’
IMPULSIVE COGNITIVE STYLE THE WRITING OF THE TITLE
a. Does the number of words in the title meet the criteria set?
The number of words in the title meets the criteria set.
The number of words in the title does not meet the criteria set.
b. Is the title described briefly to essay core and according its prolems?
The title described briefly to assay core and according its problems.
The title is still too wide and it is not according with the problem core c. Is the title attractive? The title is quite attractive The title is less attractive d. Is the title proper, correct,
logical, thorough, informative/
indicative?
The title is quite informative
The title is less informative
WRITING CREDIT LINE a. Does writing line of credit already
according to the rules? Writing line of credital ready according to the rules
Writing line of credit already according to the rules
ABSTRACTAND
KEYWORDS
a. Does the abstract already contains components IMRAD? (introduction, methods, results and discussion)?
Abstractalready contains introduction, methods,resultsanddiscu ssion.
Abstractonly consists of Introduction and methods.
b. Does the abstract already follow the rules that apply in terms of length or style of writing as well as one unified of ideas?
Abstract is reflects one unifiedof ideas.
Abstract does not reflect one unifiedof ideas.
c. Is abstract informative/
indicative?
Abstract is informative Abstract is uninformative INTRODUCTION
a. Is the introduction contains reasonto do research, hypothesesandresearch purposes?
The introduction is contains reasonto do research and research purposes
The introduction is contain onlyresearch purposes.
Whereas the reason todo research less appropriate with the problems b. Isthe introduction contains
formulation of the problem?
The introductionis ontains formulation of the problem.
The introduction is not contain formulation of the problem.
c. Is the introduction contains
description state of the art research? The introduction is not contain description state of the art research.
The introduction is not contain description state of the art research.
d. Is the introduction contains the
thought of writing on issues? The introduction is not contain the thought of writing on issues.
The introduction is not contain the thought of writing on issues.
MATERIAL AND METHODS a. Are the material and method
used described in detail?
The material and method used are not described in detail
Method is quite clear
b. Does method describe the way and sampling frequency?
The method does not describe the way and the frequency of sampling
The method does not describe the way and the frequency of sampling RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
a Were the results of study presentedin agraphic or image (for a lotof data)?
The results of the study are presented using images.
The results of the study are presented using images
b. Does result of writing conducted systematically, which starts from the main results followed by a supporter?
Writing research results has been systematically.
Writing research results has not been
systematically c. Is the discussion using clear
language and the sentence is not too long?
The language usedis quiteclear.
The language usedis less clear
d. Is the discussion directed to the hypothesis (to refuse or receive hypothesis)?
Discussion is in accordance with the problem.
The discussion was not relevant to the problems CONCLUSION OR
IMPLICATIONS a.
b.
Does conclusion answer the problem?
Is conclusion based on the facts found in the study?
The conclusion answer the problem
The conclusion is based on the facts found in the study
The conclusions does not answer the problem The conclusion is not based on the facts found
inthe study ACKNOWLEDGMENT
a. Does the author write
acknowledgements? The author does not
write acknowledgments The author does not write acknowledgments WRITINGREFERENCES
a.
b.
Do the References contain the author's name, year of publication, title, source, and page?
How is the layout of the article?
The References contain the author's name, year of publication, title, source, and page. Many mistakes in typing
The References contains the author's name,year of publication, title, source, andpage. Many mistakes in typing WRITING TABLE
a. Is the data presented in the
table? Data is not presented in
the table Data is not presented in the table
Based on the summary of the results of measurements of cognitive style in Table1, there are two observed variables, namely time and answer frequency. Time shows the duration the student to answer first and answer frequency indicates the number of students answered, to obtain the correct answer. Based on Table1, the maximum time it takes a student is 73, 18 seconds and the minimum time is 5.68 seconds. While answering frequency maximum is 4.23 and the minimum frequency is 1.62. Median of time and frequency response is used as the limit for classifying students who have the characteristics of a reflective and impulsive cognitive style. Results obtained from grouping students’ reflective cognitive style, a total of 11(33.3%) and students whose cognitive style reflective, total of 11(33.3%).It shows that the proportion of students who are reflective and impulsive cognitive style of larger amount that is 66.6%. While the remaining 33.4% is the number of students who have the characteristics of fast and precise / accurate in answering or slower and less precise / less accurate in answering. So, the sample met the criteria reflective and impulsive cognitive style totaled 22 students, with 11 students who are reflective cognitive style and 11 students who imfulsive cognitive style. From several previous studies the proportion of reflective and imfulsive children is greater than the group of children quickly and carefully and slowly and carefully. Rozencwajg and Corroyer (2005) found the proportion of children reflective and impulsive 76.2%, as well as research that has been done Warli (2009) is the proportion of the characteristics of reflective-impulsive 73.8%.
See differences in the ability to write scientific articles between students who reflective and impulsive cognitive style, is only carried out on three students to each reflective or impulsive cognitive style. This determination is based on the value of the most reflective and impulsive of the individual student. The collection of data for students' ability in writing a scientific article, namely using the observation sheet.
Components to assess the ability to write a scientific article include: 1) the writing of the title; 2) the writing of the credit lines; 3) abstract and keywords; 4) introduction; 5) material and methods; 6) results and discussion; 7) conclusions or implications; 8) acknowledgements; 9) bibliography; 10) the writing of the table. Furthermore, for each of the components described again. In outlining each component are not fully followed the rules for writing scientific articles published in national journals. It is tailored to the level of ability of the students who are still in the stage of recognition or exercise in making scientific articles.
Based on Table 2.Students who reflective cognitive style in the ability to write a scientific article is better than the students who are impulsive cognitive style. It is based on a scientific article which written student reflective cognitive style has met seven of theninecomponents ofthe criteria of scientific article writing.The seventh component includes: 1) the writing of the title; 2) abstract and keywords; 3) introduction; 4) materials and methods5) results and discussion; and 7) bibliography. As for the impulsive cognitive style is met only 5 components and only some aspects of each component are met. The fifth konponen, namely include: 1) abstract and keywords; 2) introduction; 3) materials and methods; 4) results and discussion; and 5) bibliography.
Through analysis of these components, showed that students who reflective cognitive style, they are more thorough and more careful in writing a scientific article of the student impulsive cognitive style. This condition isin line with the psychologists who say that there is a relationship between the style ofthe writer compose the cognitive style with personality. Donald Graversan American education has to distinguish between the author and the author reactive reflective.This
situation as described by Kagan and Kagan (1970) that a person who reflective cognitive style would be very cautious in responding to something, consider it carefully and take advantage of all the alternatives. But the time it takes to respond to a relatively long but the error is relatively small.
Cautious stance and consider carefully and take advantage of all alternates if needed in writing a scientific article, in order to produce a good article. Based on the results of research, it appears that students with reflective cognitive write style better article than impulsive. Besides these differences are supported by Brown’s opinion (1980) which states that a person who has reflective cognitive style has more use of contemplation and consideration while impulsive cognitive styleis is more likely to quickly grind to speculate or gamble. In other words, who has reflective cognitive style tends to be more closely observe the performance of the language rather than impulsive groups that tend to be careless. Selinker and Jeffrey(1976) found that they who have reflective cognitive style, the result is better at doing tasks that require detailed analysis of internal while they who impulsive cognitive style better at tasks that require the attention of the outer contour of the object and global comparisons.
Furthermore, Reynolds & Jansen (2007) explain that a person who has reflective cognitive style usually takes a long time to respond, but consider all the options available and have a high concentration while studying. While the impulsive lack of concentration. So it can be seen that a person who reflective cognitive style, will have more concentration and tend to use a lot of information in solving the problem rather than an impulsive person. In addition, they are also better able, in giving attention. So, basically the difference between reflective and impulsive cognitive style lies in the the tendency to reflect or think about alternative solutions to a problem, or a tendency to take impulsive decisions, in the face of problems that are very uncertain answer.
Differences inthe ability to writescientific articles between students is reflective and impulsive cognitive style also involves aspects ofthinking. Smalley etal. (2006) explains that thewriting skills is an ability to expressan idea or ideas in writing through activities,reading, writing, and thinking. So they assume that reading, writing and thinking is an activity that is interconnected. Furthermore, Munandar (2002) asserts that writing is an opportunity that is used to express thoughts and feelings. Critical thinking is a cognitive empowerment in achieving the objectives (Halpern, 2014). As described by Liu and Ginther (1999) as well as the Kagan and Kogan (1970) thatthe way a personin thinking included in the cognitive style that is a variation of individuals whose characteristics remain.In other words, there are variations in the way people think. It is as indicated by Ningsih (2012) that children are reflective critical thinking skills in solving mathematical problems better than the impulsive child. Later research conducted Sulani (2014) in history also showed differences in the ability of critical thinking in different cognitive styles. Research results by Suhartono (2014) concluded that the ability to think critically positively effect on students' scientific writing skills. In other words, critical thinking abilities significantly affect the quality of students' scientific writing skills.
The higher the critical thinking skills of students, better will be the quality of scientific writing skills.
Based on the indicators of critical thinking Pauland Elder (2007) student scientific articles that reflective cognitive style, has met the clarity indicator for some components. This means that students who possess reflective cognitive style have clarity in thinking by providing information for several components clearly. Clarity in writing scientific articles are important, it is as stated by Tarigan (1986) that the purpose of writing can be achieved if the author can organize his/her thoughts and speak them clearly. Clarity indicator is important, for example in the writing of the title.
Because the title in a scientific work, occupy an important place. As put forward by Rifai (2012) that the title should serve as bait to attract people's attention and can be useful as a source of inspiration for advancing knowledge through further activities. In other words if the title is created with a clear and compelling it will attract people to read it.
In addition to indicators of clarity, scientific articles student stylish cognitive reflective also meets the indicators of critical thinking that others, namely precision (Paul and Elder, 2007). This means that a critical thinker is able to provide information with specific, detailed, and also right. Thought should also be meticulously organised to do a specific thing