A STUDY ON SPELLING ERRORS IN STUDENTS’ WRITING OF DESCRIPTIVE TEXT AT SMP N 1 KATEMAN
BY
MALLIA FILLORI SIN. 11513200003
FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF SULTAN SYARIF KASIM RIAU PEKANBARU
1444 H/2022 M
A STUDY ON SPELLING ERRORS IN STUDENTS’ WRITING OF DESCRIPTIVE TEXT AT SMP N 1 KATEMAN
By
MALLIA FILLORI SIN. 11513200003
Thesis
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Undergraduate Degree in English Education
(S.Pd.)
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION
FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF SULTAN SYARIF KASIM RIAU PEKANBARU
1444 H/2022 M
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
In the name of Allah, the Lord of the world. The Beneficient and the most Merciful, Praises belong to Allah Almighty. By His guidance and blessing, the researcher has accomplished the final research paper asan academic requirement to finish her bachelor degree (S. Pd) at Department of English Education, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau. Then, may shalawat and salam always be presented to the last messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad SAW who has inspired and lightened many people up all around the world.
Appreciation and sincere thanks to my beloved parents, Suryadi and Misdawati who has devoted all love and affection as well as moral and material attention. May Allah SWT always bestow grace, health, and blessings in the world and in the hereafter for the kindness that has given to the researcher. Thank you so much Dad and Mom. Please keep becoming my inspiration (optional).
The researcher would like to show her gratitude to all beloved people that have encouraged, motivated even helped the researcher in finishing the paper.
They are:
1. Prof. Dr. Hairunas, M, Ag., the Rector of State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau, Prof. Dr. Hj. Helmiati, M. Ag., as Vice Rector I, Dr. H.
Mas’ud Zein, M.Pd., as Vice Rector II, Prof. Edi Erwan, S. Pt., M. Sc., Ph. D as Vice Rector III, and all staffs, thank you for kindness and encouragement.
2. Dr. H. Kadar M.Ag., the Dean of Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau, Dr. H. Zarkasih, M.Ag., as Vice Dean I, Dr. Zubaidah Amir, MZ, M. Pd., dean Vice Dean II, Dr. Amirah Daniaty, M. Pd. Kons., as Vice Dean and all staffs, thank you for kindness and encouragements
iv guidance in completing the thesis.
4. Dr. Nur Aisyah Zulkifli, M. Pd., the Secretary of Department of English Education, for guidance to the students.
5. Abdul Hadi, MA, Ph. D., the Academic Supervisor for his guidance to researcher.
6. Harum Natasha, M.Pd., my beloved supervisor who has given me correction, suggestions, support, advice, and guidance in accomplishing this thesis.
7. All lectures of English Education Department who has given suggestions and motivations. They have taught and transferred their knowledge during the courses.
8. My beloved Husband, Weldy Marlius and my brother Muhammad Faroq Faraqih who has support and always remembered me to finish my thesis.
9. The Headmaster of SMP N 1 Kateman, Hj. Halijah, S.Pd, M.Si and the English teacher, Surti Silalahi, S.Pd., and all staffs who have helped me in accomplishing this research.
10. And thanks to all of my beloved friends that I cannot mention one by one.
Finally, the researcher really realizes that are many weakness in the thesis.
Therefore, constructive, critique, and suggestion are needed in order to improve this thesis.
Pekanbaru, March 20th 2022 The Researcher
Mallia Fillori SIN.11513200003
vi ABSTRAK
Mallia Fillori (2022): Sebuah Studi Tentang Kesalahan Ejaan pada Siswa yang Menulis Teks Deskriptif di SMP N 1 Kateman
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh proposi (frekuensi dan persentase) kesalahan yang dilakukan siswa dalam menulis teks deskriptif.
Peneliti memformulasikan masalah kedalam dua pertanyaan penelitian yaitu apa type kesalahan ejaan di penulisan teks deskriptif dan apa kesalahan yang paling mendominasi terjadi dalam menulis teks deskriptif di Sekolah Menengah Pertama Negeri 1 Kateman. Adapun, tujuan dalam penelitian ini adalah untuk menjelaskan masalah kesalahan ejaan siswa dalam menulis teks deskriptif di Sekolah Menengah Pertaman Negeri 1 Kateman. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif. Subyek penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas VIII Sekolah Menengah Pertaman Negeri 1 Kateman. Penelitian ini menggunakan random sampling untuk mengambil data. Ada 20 siswa sebagai sample dari 143 siswa. Untuk mengambil data peneliti menggunakan test siswa tentang teks deskriptif. Jumlah kesalahan siswa dalam menulis teks laporan adalah 130 kesalahan. Persentasi dari kesalahan siswa dalam menulis teks deskriptif adalah Omission adalah 33.9% atau 44 kesalahan, addition adalah 24,6 % atau 32 kesalahan, Single Letter adalah 9,2% atau 12 kesalahan, double letter adalah 5,4% atau 7 kesalahan, substitution adalah 21,5 % atau 28 kesalahan, Interchange adalah 3.9 % atau 5 kesalahan, Involving on apostrophe adalah 0 % atau 0 kesalahan, errouneours splitting adalah 1.5 % atau 2 kesalahan, dan two or more error adalah 0 % atau 0 kesalahan. Dan kesalahan yang paling dominan adalah Omission dengan 33.9 % atau 44 kesalahan. Kesimpulannya, terdapat 7 dari 9 type kesalahan dalam penulisan yaitu Omission, addition, single letter, double letter, substitution, interchange dan erroneous splitting. Dan peneliti juga menemukan omission sebagai kesalahan penulisan yang paling dominan yang dilakukan oleh siswa.
vii
Descriptive Text at SMP N 1 Kateman
This study aims to obtain the proportion (frequency and percentage) of spelling errors made by students in writing descriptive texts. The researcher formulated the problem into two research questions namely what type of spelling errors in writing descriptive text and what the dominant spelling errors made by students’ writing of descriptive text at SMP N 1 Kateman. Meanwhile, the purpose of this study was to explain the problem of students' spelling errors in writing descriptive texts at at SMP N 1 Kateman. This research is a quantitative descriptive study. The subjects of this study were students of class VIII at SMP N 1 Kateman. This study used random sampling to retrieve data. There are 20 students as a sample of 143 students. To retrieve data, the researcher used student tests about descriptive texts. The number of errors students made in writing descriptive text is 130 errors. The percentage of students' errors in writing descriptive text is Omission is 33.9% or 44 errors, addition is 24.6% or 32 errors, single letter is 9.2% or 12 errors, double letter is 5.4% or 7 errors, substitution is 21.5% or 28 errors, Interchange is 3.9% or 5 errors, involving on apostrophe is 0% or 0 errors, erroneous splitting is 1.5% or 2 errors, and two or more errors are 0% or 0 errors. And the dominant errors are Omission with 33.9% or 44 errors. In conclusion, there are 7 from 9 types of spelling errors that made by students: omission, addition, single letter, double letter, substitution, interchange and erroneous splitting. And researcher also found omission was a dominant spelling error made by students.
viii صخلم
يروليف ايلام
، ( 2222 يف ةيفصولا صوصنلا نوبتكي نيذلا ذيملاتلا دنع ةيئلاملإا ءاطخلأا لوح ةسارد :) ةسردملا
ةيموكحلا ةطسوتملا 1
نامتاك
ي ةباتك في ذيملاتلا اهبكتري تيلا ءاطخلأل )ةيوئلدا ةبسنلاو راركتلا( ةبسنلا ىلع لوصلحا لىإ ثحبلا اذى فده
ماق .ةيفصولا صوصنلا ت
ثحابلا ة صوصنلا ةباتك في ةيئلاملإا ءاطخلأا عاونأ يى ام اهمو ،ينيثبح ينلاؤس لىإ ةلكشلدا ةغايصب
في ةيفصولا صوصنلا ةباتك في ثدتح تيلا اًعويش رثكلأا ءاطخلأا يى امو ةيفصولا ةيموكلحا ةطسوتلدا ةسردلدا
1 ناتماك فيو .
ءاطخلأا ةلكشم حرش ثحبلا اذى نم ضرغلا ،وسفن تقولا في ةيفصولا صوصنلا نوبتكي نيذلا ذيملاتلا دنع ةيئلاملإا
ةسردلدا
ةيموكلحا ةطسوتلدا 1
ناتماك .يمك يفصو ثبح ثحبلا اذى . فصلا ذيملات هدارفأ
في نماثلا ةيموكلحا ةطسوتلدا ةسردلدا 1
ناتماك . ي ثحبلا اذى مدختس لا
نيع ة لا .تانايبلا عملج ةيئاوشع و
كانى 02 اذيملت نم ةنيعك 113
اذيملت ،تانايبلا عملج .
مدختسا ت ثحابلا ة رابتخا ذيملاتلا ريراقتلا صوصن ةباتك في ذيملاتلا ءاطخأ ددع .يفصولا صنلا ىلع 132
.أطخ و ةبسنلا
وهسلا يى ةيفصولا صوصنلا ةباتك في ذيملاتلا ءاطخلأ ةيوئلدا 33.3
وأ ٪ 11 ،أطخ و ةفاضلإا 01.2 وأ ٪ 30 ،أطخ و فرلحا
يدرفلا 3.0 وأ ٪ 10 ،أطخ و جودزلدا فرلحا 4.1
وأ ٪ 7 ،ءاطخأ و لادبتسلاا 01.4 وأ ٪ 02 وى لدابتلا ،أطخ 3.3
وأ ٪
4 ،ءاطخأ و وى ايلعلا ةلصافلا في ينمضتلا 2
وأ ٪ لا طخ أ ، و وى أطلخا ميسقت 1.4
طخ وأ ٪ ناأ اهم رثكأ وأ ناأطخو ، 2
وأ ٪
لا طخ ةبسنب وهسلا وى اًعويش رثكلأا أطلخاو .أ 33.3
وأ ٪ 11 كانى ،ماتلخا في .أطخ 7
لصأ نم 3 في ءاطخلأا نم عاونأ
،فذلحا يىو ،ةباتكلا و
،ةفاضلإا و ،يدرفلا فرلحا و
،جودزلدا فرلحا و
،لادبتسلاا و
لدابتلا و دجوو .ئطالخا ميسقتلا ت
ثحابلا ة
نأ اًضيأ وهسلا .ذيملاتلا وبكتري يذلا اًعويش رثكلأا بياتكلا أطلخا وى
ix
SUPERVISOR APPROVAL ... i
EXAMINER APPROVAL ... ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT... iii
ABSTRACT ... vi
ABSTRAK ... vii
صّخلم
... viiiLIST OF CONTENTS ... ix
LIST OF TABLES ... xi
LIST OF CHARTS ... xii
LIST OF APPENDICES... xiii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Problem ... 1
B. Problem ... 4
1. Identification of the problem ... 4
2. Limitation of the problem ... 4
3. Formulation of the Problem ... 5
C. The Objective and Significance of the Research ... 5
1. Objective of the research ... 5
2. Significance of the research ... 5
D. Definition of the Key Term ... 6
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Framework ... 7
1. Spelling Error ... 7
a. Definition pf Spelling Error ... 7
b. Spelling Error and Spelling Mistakes ... 9
c. Spelling Error on Students’ Writing of Descriptive Text ... 10
d. Types of Spelling Errors ... 11
x
2. Frequency of Spelling Error ... 14
a. Frequency Distribution ... 14
b. Ungroup Data Frequency Distribution Table 15 c. Relative Frequency Distribution Table... 15
3. Descriptive Text ... 16
a. Definition of Descriptive Text ... 16
b. Generic Structure of Descriptive Text ... 18
c. Language Features of Descriptive Text ... 18
d. Types of Descriptive Text ... 19
B. Relevant Research ... 19
C. Operational Concept ... 22
CHAPTER III: METHOD OF THE RESEARCH A. Research Design ... 24
B. Time and location of the research ... 25
1. Time of the research ... 25
2. Location of the research ... 25
C. Subject and object of the research ... 25
1. Subject of the research ... 25
2. Object of the research ... 25
D. Population and sample of the research ... 25
1. Population of the research ... 25
2. Sample of the research ... 26
E. Data collection Technique ... 26
F. Data Analysis Technique ... 27
CHAPTER IV: DATA PRESENTATION AND DATA ANALYSIS A. Data Presentation ... 29
B. Data Analysis ... 38
xi
D. Suggestion ... 47 REFERENCES
APPENDICES
CURRICULUM VITAE
xi
LIST OF TABLES
Table II.1 Type of spelling error ... 13
Table II.2 Ungrouped Data Frequency distribution table ... 15
Table II.3 Relative Frequency Distribution Table ... 16
Table III.1 The Total Population of Eighth Grade of SMP N 1 Kateman ... 26
Table III.2 The Sample of Research ... 26
Table III.3 The Titles of Text ... 27
Table III.4 Ungrouped Data Frequency Distribution Table ... 28
Table III.5 Relative Frequency Distribution Table ... 28
Table IV.1 Students’ Spelling Errors on Writing Descriptive Text ... 30
Table IV.2 Recapitulation of students’ Spelling Errors in Writing Descriptive Text ... 44
xii
Chart IV.1 Recapitulation students’ spelling errors ... 44 Chart IV.2 Recapitulation students’ spelling errors ... 45
xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix 1: The research instrument Appendix 2: The students answer sheet Appendix 3: Recapitulation Students’ Errors Appendix 4: Syllabus
Appendix 5: Decision Letter of Supervisor Appendix 6: Thesis Guidance Activity Appendix 7: Research Letters
Appendix 8: Documentations
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Problem
Writing is one of four skills thatr must be mastered in learning English language. In writing, the people can express their opinion, feeling, emotion, ideas, and estimate well. Through writing, the people can share their messages without meet with the people. According to Nunan (2003), writing is a process of selecting, combining, arranging, and developing ideas in effective sentences, paragraphs and often longer unit of discourse. Through writing, the learners can express their opinion, ideas, feeling in written form communicate and explain their ideas or information.
In addition, writing is one of the subjects provided in curriculum of education. Furthermore, the students are expected to develop and produce written simple functional text in the report text, descriptive text, narrative text, analytical exposition, and hortatory exposition. To get a good writing, the students should know the rule of writing. The students should master the components of writing to make their writing can be accepted by the reader.
Writing is a complex process which requires several components in order to create an effective writing. Furthermore, David (1969) asserted there are general components of a good writing. They are content, form, grammar, style and mechanic. Moreover, Harris (2007) defines there are several components of writing that are important in a good writing, as followings: (a) Content, the substance of writing or the ideas expressed, (b) Form, the
2
organization of the content, (c) Grammar, the placement of grammatical and syntactic pattern, (d) Style, the choice of structural and lexical item to give particular tone of writing, and (e) Mechanics, the use of graphic conversion of the language.
In particular, one of the main elements of learning writing is spelling. To make the readers understand well about the sentence that had written by the writer, the writer should use the correct form. The uses of correct spellings bring good communication between the writers and the readers. If the writer uses wrong spellings it brings misunderstanding between the writers and the readers. Spelling becomes an important thing in writing because it can influence the meaning of the word itself. It can influence the meaning of a message because the message in writing is delivered in a composition of words that form a sentence, and words are formed from spelling letter.
According to Cook (1992), spelling is the way writers can express clearly their ideas. It is one of the students‟ problems in writing some English text. When the teachers evaluate the results of students‟ writing many kinds of error that are found by the teacher.
In addition, to make the result of writing can be accepted for the reader, the writers should be focus in writing components especially in using spelling in each words. If the writer did not focus on their spelling and have spelling error in writing text, the reader cannot comprehend the result of writing and it cannot be share and express the meaning.
Besides that Kukich (1990) in Liu (2015), spelling errors can be divided into two parts: typographic errors and cognitive errors. The former includes errors such as letter insertions, letter omissions, letter substitutions and transpositions, whereas the latter stems from phonetic similarities such as writing academy.
Based on the preliminary study, the researcher found some students‟
problem especially in writing ability. First, some of students have limited knowledge of vocabulary. It makes the students feel confused when they write a paragraph like (check) choice of words. For example if the students have many ideas when start to write a text, but they do not know the words in English language and they cannot choose the appropriate words based on the topic of the text. So it makes their writing so simples and poor without any ideas.
Second, some of the students were difficult to develop their main idea in writing descriptive text. When the students write the text, they can develop their idea with Indonesian language. But in English, they find it difficult to develop their ideas. It is caused by the limited of knowledge of vocabulary that the students have.
Third, some of the students have some errors in word spelling in descriptive text. In writing text, the students have some errors in writing sentence by sentence. Actually, the students know the word, but it is difficult for them to write it in the paper. The students only write based on their knowledge without making a good in writing a text. Meanwhile, the purpose
4
of this research was to explain the problem of students' spelling errors in writing descriptive texts at at SMP N 1 Kateman
Based on the explanation above, the researcher is interested in doing the research on analysing the students‟ spelling error in writing descriptive text.
The researcher will analyse the kinds of error that dominated used by the students in writing text and what factors that influence it. Thus, the title of this research is “A STUDY ON SPELLING ERROS IN STUDENTS’
WRITING OF DESCRPTIVE TEXT AT SMPN 1 KATEMAN”.
B. Problem
1. Identification of the Problem
Based on the symptoms describe above, the problem can be identified as follows:
a. Why some of students‟ had spelling errors on writing descriptive at SMPN 1 Kateman?
b. Why some of students‟ cannot spelling on writing descriptive text correctly?
2. Limitation of the Problem
After identifying the problems of the research, thus the research is necessary to be limited and focus on to identify the spelling errors and find out the factors that influence the spelling errors on students‟ writing descriptive text of eight grade students‟ at SMP N 1 KATEMAN.
3. Formulation of the Problems
The problems of this research can be formulated in the following questions. Referring to the problem stated in background, the following research question will be formulated to guide the implementation of this research:
a. What are types of spelling errors made by the students‟ on writing descriptive text?
b. What are the dominant spelling errors made by students‟ writing descriptive text?
C. Objective and Significant of the Problem 1. Objective of the Problem
a. To find out the types of spelling error made by the students of Eight Grade Students‟ at SMP N 1 KATEMAN.
b. To describe the dominant spelling error in students‟ writing of descriptive text of Eight Grade Students‟ of SMP N 1 KATEMAN.
2. Significance of the Problem
a. This research will be able to benefit the researcher as a novice researcher, especially in learning how to conduct a research.
b. These research findings are also expected to be positive and valuable information.
6
D. Definition of the Problem
In order to avoid misunderstanding of the terms used in this paper, it is better for the writer to define the following terms:
1. Spelling error
Al-Jarf (2017) asserted that spelling error is any faulty words and faulty graphemes (single vowel, single consonant, vowel digraphs, consonant digraph, phonogram, suffix or prefix) within a word are counted as an error. In this research, spelling is a part of mechanical component of writing that have role in writing. We need to be aware of our spelling in writing activity so that the information that we write will be conveyed well.
2. Descriptive Text
Wardani et.al (2014) stated that descriptive text is a kind of text with a purpose to give information. The context of this kind of text is the description of particular thing, animal, person, or others. In this study, the researcher used descriptive text as a material to know the spelling errors made by the students.
7 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Theoretical Framework 1. Spelling Error
a. Definition of Spelling Error
Spelling is the learner‟s ability to write a word correctly.
According to Long (2008) cited by Wahyuni et all (2013) errors is difficult to be vanished or remedied that cause any efforts to be useless. In line with the statement above, it can be concluded that spelling error is the persons‟
problem in write a word.
Furthermore, according to Brown (2007), if incorrect spelling occurs frequently, all too often bad spelling is perceived as a lack of education and care. Besides, according to Croft (1983) the only possible justification for learning to spell is accurate spelling is necessary for effective writing. On the other word, there is no need to communicate by writing and there is no need to learn to spell. It can be described that spelling is a skill of writing we learn to spell in order to communicate through. Moreover, Croft (1983) stated that spelling is an aspect of written language so the teaching learning of spelling must take place as far as possible within the context of writing. In short, spelling is a part of mechanical component of writing that have role in writing. We need to be aware of our spelling in writing activity so that the information that we write will be conveyed well.
8
It can be seen in the students‟ problem in spelling. Almost of the students said that it is very difficult. Actually, the students can say the word and now the meaning of the word. But, they cannot to spell it. As a matter of fact, of English learners as foreign language of the writing often make an error in writing. Spelling error still in large number in writing producing by learner; even drilling and training technique was done in every school or university. Meanwhile, Benyo (2014) mentioned that spelling errors are due to the sound problems.
Errors that are made by students in learning language should be analyzed by the language teacher. Likewise Brown (2000), points out that while errors indeed reveal a system at work, the classroom language teacher will be preoccupied in noticing errors that the correct utterances in the second language go unnoticed. Brown also states that reducing the errors happened in language learning can increase language proficiency, as the main goal of learning second language. Thus, error analysis can be defined the process of identifying the errors made by students in learning language to improve the student‟s ability or proficiency of second language learners. Spelling becomes an important thing in writing because it can influence the meaning of word itself. It can influence the meaning of a message because the message in writing is delivered in some words that form a sentence, and they are form from spelling letter.
b. Spelling Error and Spelling Mistake
As Brown (2007), point out the students who want to master writing should be able to spell well. In fact, not all students always use correct English in their writing. In analyzing learners‟ language in appropriate way, the researcher should look forward the difference between spelling mistake and spelling errors which theoretically have different meaning. Spelling mistake refers to a performance error, it happens when the learner knows the rule but still doing the errors. This statement also supported by Ellis (1997) who stated that spelling mistakes reflect student‟s forgetfulness in a performance. On the other words it ones of the writing aspect that should be able by the writer. To have good writing, the writer should be master in writing aspect, such as the spelling.
In order is to know the meaningful of the texts.
Likewise, Brown (2007), purposed that spelling error is a noticeable deviation from the adult grammar of a native speaker reflects the competence of the learner, such as it is spelling error, most likely not a spelling mistake, and spelling error that reveals a portion of the learner‟s competence in the target language. It means that, the spelling error is not same by the spelling mistake. It is related to students‟ competence in language use. Meanwhile Ellis (1997) mentioned that spelling errors reflect gaps in learner‟s knowledge. It occurs because the learner does not know what the correct is. In short, spelling errors occurs when the students has not understood what correct and wrong is. In other words, spelling
10
errors require further relevant learning to take place before they can be self-corrected. Those are the difference between spelling mistake and spelling error.
c. Spelling Error on Students’ Writing of Descriptive Text
Writing is the people activity to share some ideas or information. it becomes the important skill in each level education. Writing plays an important role for students who are required to be able to write different types of text according to curriculum, such as descriptive, narrative, and recount texts. Furthermore, Celce-Murcia, (2001), suggested that writing is the ability to express ones idea in writing in a second or foreign language and to do so with reasonable coherence and accuracy is a major achievement. It means that in writing, one expresses ideas, opinion, feeling or experience that somebody read or heard into the written form to develop his writing skill. The writer should arrange his idea in the form of words, phrases, clauses and paragraphs so that his writing can be understood and read clearly.
Clearly, writing a text in English as foreign language is not easy.
Students have difficulties to write in English well because English is considered as foreign language in Indonesia. This tendency is likely cause by its different syntax, organization, vocabulary, and spelling from the native language. Therefore, the students sometimes made some errors especially spelling errors in their writing. Spelling is a part of mechanical component of writing. In addition Harmer (2002) proposed that „there are
some aspects that must be concerned in the writing process, such as language use (grammar, vocabulary, and linkers), punctuation and layout, spelling, checking writing for unnecessary repetition words and/or information, deciding on the information on each paragraph, and the order the paragraph should go in, noting down various ideas, selecting the best idea for inclusion, writing a clean copy of the corrected version, and writing a rough version‟. It shows that writing is a complex process combining a number of diverse elements, especially for the students and needs much time to brainstorm ideas until finish written works.
Apparently, spelling error in students writing descriptive text usually occurs because the students cannot distinguish between letter and sound of the word when they write. Besides, Corder (1981) stated that the error is a failure which always happened in the same situation because the students have a lack of knowledge, performance, or competence about the rule or system of language and also less of practice to write. It means that, the students need the guidance to correct the error that have they made.
d. Types of Spelling Errors
Al Jayousi (2011) points out that the errors that occur on students are divided into several categories. Another difference is that different studies came up with different number of categories for example Book and Harter identified 18 types of spelling errors, while Bahloul identified 12 and Al-Bakri identified 8.
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Whereas the term spelling errors refers to the errors that occur due to the ignorance of the author or typist regardless of the fact that the actual spelling of the intended word is known or not. Usually the terms spelling errors and typing errors are considered to be same and referred to simply as a spelling errors, this sometimes also creates confusion among the users. It has been observed that there are three general possibilities of spelling errors: first, Phonetic errors are errors due to the similar pronounced characters in a language where the incorrect or misspelled word is phonetically similar to the intended word. Second, the other reason for the spelling mistake is that the incorrect or misspelled word is semantically similar to the actual intended word. The last reason behind the spelling errors is that the writer or the typist is ignorant or unaware of the basic grammatical rules of a language while
According to Benyo (2014), many spelling errors are due to omission, addition, substitution, and transposition of the sounds. The other opinion is mentioned by to Bestgen and Granger (2011) there are 9 categories of spelling errors. They are letter, word, boundary, apostrophe, single letter addition, omission, substitution, transposition, and multiple errors letters as seen in the following table.
Table II.1
Types of Spelling Errors
No Categories of spelling error Example
1. Omission of a letter are common when a words is supposed to contain double letter
Completly – completely Distinc – distinct Eople – people
Mecanisms – mechanisms Throghout – throughout 2. Addition of a letter occurs when students adds
an unnecessary double letter in a word. The example “Eighteen” become “Eightheen”
because the students do not familiar how to pronounce that includes “th” or not because is almost the same pronunciation.
Develope – develop Youngs – young Alledged – alleged Eightheen – eighteen
3. Single letter instead of double letter It happens when students only write single letter in a word that contains double letter.
Especialy – especially Adicts – addicts Carots – carrots Ocurred – occurred 4. Double letter instead of single letter
The students confused to make decision when they doubling the letter or not because they are difficult to remember the spelling. It make them wrote double letter instead of single letter.
Appatments-apartments Allmighty – almighty Detailled – detailed Proffessors – professors
5. Substitution of one letter
The students substituted letter incorrectly, especially for words that have same sound.
Lifes – lives
Consecuently-consequently Confortable – comfortable Engeneering–engineering Uncredible – incredible 6. Interchange of two adjacent letter
The students committed the errors because they were still confused how to English word correctly. For example “Uniform”
become “Unifrom”. The students are doubt to write it because they thought it is similar with the word “from”.
Concieved – conceived Birht – birth
Peopels – peoples Entreprises – enterprises
7. Involving an apostrophe
The students committed this because they wrote apostrophe position incorrectly and they were still confused to use it in possessive form.
Its – it‟s
Womans – woman‟s Childrens‟ – children‟s
8. Erroneous splitting or joining of words (word segmentation error)
It happens when the students do not pay attention to the word whether they use space or not.
Business_man – businessman
Every_one – everyone Every_day – everyday 9. Two or more error of the same type or of
different types
This type occurs when one word contains more than one error. The sample means the students made error by deleting letter “s”
and splitting the word.
Classroom-classroom Weter – whether Dustbinman – dustman Theirselves – themselves Beggining – beginning Configurating – configuring Hitted – hit
Adapted from Bestgen & Granger (2011)
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From those theories above, the researcher used Bestgen and Granger (2011), theory included 9 categories of spelling error because the researcher wanted to found the spelling errors in Descriptive text in which those categories more compatible with the characteristic of students in writing Descriptive text.
2. Frequency of Spelling error
El-khateeb (2016) stated that the frequency of error is the percentage or number calculated of the error appearance. It means that the frequency of error is the number of error appearance on the analysis. In this study, the frequencies of spelling errors are the number of students‟ errors in their spelling error in writing recount text.
a. Frequency Distribution
According to Sudijono (2014) frequency distribution gives number symbolize to the frequency of variable occurs. Then, MacDonald (1986) stated that frequency distribution is a visual display of numerical values ranging from the lowest to the highest number of times each value occurs.
On the other word, frequency distribution showed the highest to the lowest number based on the frequency occurs.
Frequency distribution can be showed in a table named ungrouped data frequency distribution table.
b. Ungrouped Data Frequency Distribution Table
Likewise Sudijono (2014) ungrouped data frequency distribution table is one of the statistics‟ tables which showed the number of frequency occurs. In this table, the data is not being grouped. The following table showed the example of ungrouped data frequency distribution table:
Table II.2
Ungrouped Data Frequency Distribution Table
Types of Spelling Errors Number of Spelling Errors occurs Omission of a letter Errors
Addition of a letter Errors
Single letter instead of double letter Double letter instead of single letter Substitution of one letter
Interchange of two adjacent letter Involving an apostrophe
Erroneous splitting or joining of words (word segmentation error)
Two or more error of the same type or of different types
Total Number of the Whole Spelling Errors evaluation
The table above is the example of the ungrouped data frequency distribution table. Using the table above, the researcher would be easily understood the highest spelling errors occurrence. The researcher fills the table based on the errors that the students‟ have in each indicators. After that, the researcher counts the total of errors that are made by the students.
c. Relative Frequency Distribution Table
Sudijono (p.43. 2014) mentioned that relative frequency distribution table is called percentage table. Relative frequency provided the percentage of the data finding. It is used to help the reader easily understand the research finding. The researcher fills the table below. In the
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first column the researcher fills the error of the students in each type. After that, in the second column, the researcher writes the total errors of all types. Then, in the last column, the researcher divides the number of spelling errors with the total of spelling error and finds the percentage in each types. The formula can be seen in the explanation after the table below;
Table II.3
Relative Frequency Distribution Table
No Types of Spelling Errors Number of Spelling Errors
Number of Total Spelling Errors
Evaluation 1. Omission of a letter Errors
2. Addition of a letter Errors
3. Single letter instead of double letter 4. Double letter instead of single letter 5. Substitution of
one letter
6. Interchange of two adjacent letter 7. Involving an apostrophe
8. Erroneous splitting or joining of words 9. Two or more error of the same type or
of different types
3. Descriptive Text
a. Definition of Descriptive Text
Dirgeyasa (2014), mentioned that Description or descriptive etymologically is derived from the word describe. Describe means to draw, to illustrate or to picture object, place, person in order to have visual appearance of the object described. Descriptive text is a text which says what a person or thing is like.
According to Mukarto in Kusdianto Kusuma Rahman (2015) stated that descriptive text is a kind of text to describe something, someone or
place. Descriptive text has two main parts, they are identification and description. The structure of a text is called the generic structure.
Descriptive text is likes describe white house, animals, fruits, etc. From Mukarto‟s statement, we can conclude that descriptive text is a text to describe something, someone or place and descriptive text have two main parts such as identification and description that‟s call generic structure. It is the text that helps the reader to know the object in detail.
For instance by Buscemi (1990), description is kind of writing used for presenting a verbal portrait of a person, or thing. This writing is used when the writers want to give details information and to make vivid writing. In other words, it used to develop a picture of “what is look like”
it seems that the interpretation of the writer will colour the result of the writing. It is because the writer does not only give the information itself, but also creates the certain image of the object.
Meanwhile, Kane (2000) asserted that description is about sensory experience-how something looks, sounds, tastes. Mostly, it is about visual experience, but description also deals with other kinds of perception.
Through read the description text or paragraph, the reader can know the object in detail. The reader can imagine the object before see the object directly.
Furthermore, descriptive text has a function to describe something in detail in order to enable the readers to see, hear, feel and touch it directly involve themselves in the event. The context of this kind of text is
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the description of particular thing, animal, person, or others, for instance:
our pets or person we know well. A good descriptive text includes many vivid sensory details that paint a picture and appeals to all of the reader‟s senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste when appropriate.
b. Generic structure of descriptive text
Bima (2009) suggested that descriptive text has the structure as follows:
1. Identification; identifying the phenomenon to be described.
In identification, the writer writes the general phenomena without explain the phenomena in detail.
2. Description; describing the phenomenon in parts, qualities, or/and characteristics.
In description parts, the writer start to explain the object in detail and make specific information related to the topic.
c. Language Feature of Descriptive Text
Significant Grammatical feature of descriptive text are:
1. Focus on specific participant (my English Teacher, Andini‟s cat, my favourite place)
2. Use the simple present tense. Use of past tense if extinct
3. Verb of being and having “Relational Process” (my mom is really cool, she has long black hair)
4. Use descriptive adjective (strong legs, white fangs)
5. Use of detailed noun phrase to give information about the subject (a very beautiful scenery; a sweet young lady, very thick fur) 6. Use of action verb „material process‟ (it eats grass, it runs fast) 7. Use of adverbial to give additional information about behaviour
(fast, at tree house)
8. Use of figurative language (jhon is as whit as chalk) d. Types of descriptive text
Carrel (2001), mentioned that most writing contains description.
Following are a few types of writing that depend heavily on descriptive language:
1. Descriptions of a person, place or thing contain sensory details that bring to life actual people, places, and things.
2. Observations describe an event the writer has witnessed.
Often, the event takes places over an extended period of time.
3. Travel Brochures contain factual information as well as persuasive language to encourage tourism.
4. Character sketches describe fictional characters-their appearances, personalities, hopes and dreams.
B. Relevant Research
To support this research, there were some previous studies which have been read by the researcher related to spelling error in writing but the researcher did not find a spelling error in writing descriptive text. The writer
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provided previous studies that have been completed by the previous researchers.
First, the research entitled “An Analysis of Students‟ Spelling Errors in Writing Recount Text Perform by Students‟ MTS Darul Ulum Waru Sidoarjo”. This research investigated the students‟ junior high school writing performance and spelling errors at Darul Ulum Waru in Sidoarjo. The objective of this research was to investigate the causes of spelling errors and to examine the categories of spelling errors that are commit by students‟. This research used qualitative research. Based on the research finding, the eighth- grade students of intensive class had some types of spelling errors in writing of recount text. The finding also found the frequencies of errors occurred based on the types of spelling errors. The last, it was found factors that causes of spelling errors.
Second, it was conducted by Subhi. The title of the research is Investigating Study of an English Spelling Errors: A Sample of Iraqi students in Malaysia. The finding of the research conclude that Iraqi students spelling errors in their writing composition are very high (31%) which is considered a critical issue that needs to revise the reality of teaching English as a foreign language in Iraqi schools and universities. One key factor that needs to be addressed urgently is the type of English curricula and teachers in Iraqi educational institutions as the portion of writing skills activities to other skills such as reading and speaking is insufficient and unfair. Iraqi English curricula must be enriched with writing and speaking activities such as dictation, guided
and free writing and audiovisual writing to overcome such problem. Iraqi English teachers must be more equipped and trained to develop students English language skills equally in order to bridge the poor writing skill among Iraqi students that leads to many spelling errors in their writings. More attention in writing drills and activities must be paid to vowels using, multi- syllabic words and errors that occur in the middle of the words.
Third, the research entitled “The Academic Writing Perfoemance and Spelling Errors of English as Foreign Language Students”. It was done by Albalawi Malek Jabr M. this research investigated the academic writing performance and spelling errors of the introductory year students at the English language center at Tabuk University in Saudi Arabia. The objective in this research was to investigate the cause of spelling errors and to examine the categories of spelling errors that are committed by students. The subject of this research includes 45 male students at the Introductory year the language center of Tabuk Universityfor academic year 2015/2016. This research used mix methods, qualitative-quantitative study. The result of this research indicated that the participants committed a number of spelling errors that affect the coherence of their academic written text. These errors involved three main categories; omission, addition and substation. Also, the findings showed that these spelling errors may be attributed to mother tongue interferences in which they related to the differences between the systems of both native language and foreign language.
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Therefore, the research concluded that the previous studies above had both similarities and differences. Those previous studies became the resource and foundation to continue the current research about A Study of Spelling Errors in Students‟ Writing of Descriptive Text. In this research, the researcher focused on the students‟ spelling error when they write descriptive text.
C. Operational Concept
Operational concept is the concept used to give explanation about theoretical framework and to avoid misunderstanding toward the research. In this research, the researcher concluded several indicators to be operated which describe the operational concepts. Based on the explanation above, there are indicators of students‟ Types of Spelling Errors in Writing Descriptive Text are:
1. The students do omission of one or more letters.
2. The students do addition of one or more letters.
3. The students do single of one or more letters.
4. The students write double letter instead of single one.
5. The students do substitution of one or more letters.
6. The students do Interchange of two adjacent letter 7. The students use apostrophe in appropriately.
8. The students do Erroneous Splitting or Joining of Words (Word Segmentation Error)
9. The students do two or More Error of the Same Type or of Different Types.
In this research, the researcher found the errors that are made by the students. The researcher identified the kinds of errors that the students made.
After that the students analysed the indicator that are made by the students.
24 CHAPTER III
METHOD OF THE RESEARCH
A. Research Design
The researcher employed a descriptive quantitative research methodology to explore the writing process that faced by English lecture at Islamic university of Riau. The researcher viewed trust as the central phenomenon requiring exploration and understanding (Creswell, 2002).
Descriptive quantitative research is defined as the systematic investigation of phenomena by gathering quantifiable data and performing statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. Descriptive quantitative research gathers information from existing and potential customers using sampling methods and sending out online surveys, online polls, questionnaires etc., the results of which can be depicted in the form of numerical. After careful understanding of these numbers to predict the future of a product or service and make changes accordingly.
This research would be conducted by using descriptive quantitative approach to find out students‟ spelling errors on writing descriptive text at the eighth-grade class of SMP N 1 KATEMAN and to identify the types of spelling errors, the dominant spelling errors made by the students and causes of spelling errors. The students would write the descriptive research report. It is what has happened or what is happening. The purposes of descriptive research are used to describe the incidents exists at present. In short,
descriptive research used to explain something occurs to be analyzed. This research was conducted by descriptive quantitative design. It focused on finding the information about the types of spelling errors, the dominant spelling errors made by students and causes of spelling errors.
B. Time and Location of the Research 1. Time of the research
This research was conducted in October 2019.
2. Location of the research
The location of the research was conducted at SMP N 1 KATEMAN at Jl Pendidikan, Sungai Guntung, Kecamatan Kateman, Kabupaten Indragiri HIlir, Riau.
C. Subject and Object of the Research 1. Subject of the research
The subject of this research was the eighth grade of SMP N 1 KATEMAN.
2. Object of the research
The object of this research was A Study of Spelling Errors in Students‟
Writing of Descriptive Text at Eighth Grade at SMP N 1 KATEMAN.
D. Population and Sample of The Research 1. Population of the research
In this research the population was the eighth grade of SMP N 1 KATEMAN. They were 143 Students‟ that were divided into 5 classes.
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Table III.1
The Total Population of Eighth Grade of SMP N 1 KATEMAN
CLASS TOTAL OF STUDENTS
VIII 1 28
VIII 2 29
VIII 3 28
VIII 4 29
VIII 5 29
TOTAL 143
2. Sample of the research
Sample of this research was collected by simple random sampling technique. According to Arikunto (2006), if the Population is homogenous enough, for the population which is less than 100, the sample is taken 50%, but if the population more than 100, the sample is taken at least 15%-25% of it. In this research, the researcher took 15% of population as the sample.
Table 111.2 The Sample of Research
NO CLASS SAMPLE 15%
1 VIII 1 4
2 VIII 2 4
3 VIII 3 4
4 VIII 4 4
5 VIII 5 4
TOTAL 20
E. Data Collection Technique
In this research, the data was conducted through a test. In the first meeting, the students were asked to write the kinds of the text. The kind of text in this research is descriptive text. Before the students do the test, the researcher gave explanation about the structure of the text, language features, and the example
of the descriptive text. After that, the researcher gave some topics of descriptive text in order to the students choose the topics.
Furthermore, the researcher gave the explanation about the types of errors to make sure the students are not confuse and make spelling errors in writing descriptive text. The students were given about 30-45 minutes to write a text.
Next, the test was held for two days, where in first day students were asked to write one text and one topic, and the second day students wrote one or more text with different topic from the previous day.
Table III.3 The Titles of Texts
NO TITLE
1 My Cat
2 My Classmates
3 My Favorite Doll
4 The Interesting Place
5 My Favorite Teacher
F. Data Analysis Technique
The researcher used ungroup data frequency distribution table to list the frequencies of errors. Then, the researcher also used relative frequency distribution table, using Sudijono (formula as stated on the chapter two to show the frequencies of errors‟ percentage). It was aimed to answer the second research question.
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Table III.4
Ungrouped Data Frequency Distribution Table
No Types of Spelling Errors Number of Spelling Errors occurs
1 Omission of a letter Errors 2 Addition of a letter Errors
3 Single letter instead of double letter 4 Double letter instead of single letter 5 Substitution of one letter
6 Interchange of two adjacent letter 7 Involving an apostrophe
8 Erroneous splitting or joining of words (word segmentation error)
9 Two or more error of the same type or of different types
10 Total Number of the Whole Spelling Errors evaluation
The table above was ungrouped data frequency distribution table which used to list the number of errors. Then, the following table was relative frequency distribution table with its formula to measure the frequencies of errors percentage.
Table III.5
Relative Frequency Distribution Table
No Types of Spelling Errors Number of Spelling Errors
Number of Total Spelling Errors
Evaluation
Relative Frequency (Percentage) 1. Omission of a letter Errors
2. Addition of a letter Errors 3. Single letter instead of double
letter
4. Double letter instead of single letter
5. Substitution of one letter 6. Interchange of two adjacent
letter
7. Involving an apostrophe 8. Erroneous splitting or joining
of words
(word segmentation error) 9. Two or more error of the same
type or of different types Total Number of the Whole Spelling Errors evaluation
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
This research was conducted to discover information about types of spelling error in writing descriptive text and to find out the dominant errors of students in writing descriptive text at SMP N 1 Kateman.
1. Based on the data in previous chapters, it was found that the students made errors in all types of errors with the total errors were 130 errors.
It could be conclude that the total of errors in students‟ spelling error were 130 errors. Omission of letter become the 1th highest with the total was 44 errors or 33.9%, the 2nd is addition with the total errors was 32 errors or 24.6 %, the 3rd is substitution of one letter with the total error was 28 errors or 21.5 %, the 4th is single letter instead of double letter with the total error was 12 errors or 9.2%, the 5th is double letter instead of single letter with the total error was 7 or 5.4 %, the 6th is Interchange of two letter with the total error was 5 or 3.9 %, the 7th is erroneous splitting with the total error was 2 or 1.5 %, and 8th and 9th are involving apostrophe and two or more error of the same type with the total error was 0 or 0 %.
2. It was clear enough that omission letters become the dominant error made by the students of the eighth grade at SMP N 1 Kateman with total frequency 33.9%.
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B. Suggestion
After the researcher carried out the research, she would like to give some suggestion related to this results finding. Hopefully, it can be applied easily in teaching learning activity to decrease the errors.
1. For teacher
a. The English teacher should explain descriptive text briefly and clearly to make students understand it.
b. The English teacher should be able to motivate and get students‟
attention toward English writing activity
c. Students‟ grammar should be taught and noticed by the English teacher implicity because there were many grammatical errors that found in students descriptive text writing, especially in tenses.
2. For students
a. Students should practice in writing to help them decrease the errors. It can start from simple thing such as: writing about something, writing about unforgettable experience , writing about how to make or do something
b. Students should learn more about sentence pattern,tenses, spelling, pronound, and preposition to decrease error in English
3. For future researcher
The researcher suggest for the researcher to conduct a research in researching what the causes of students‟ errors in writing descriptive text.
Why could omission become the most students‟ spelling errors in this research?. In addition , future researcher can add interview as an instrument in collecting the data to support it.
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