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AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ WRITING ABILITY OF COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF STKIP PGRI SUMATERA BARAT 2014/2015 ACADEMIC YEAR
Rici Fuji Agustin
English Department, SKIPT PGRI SUMBAR, [email protected] Hervina Asty, M.Pd 1)
Armilia Riza, M.Pd 2) ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana kemampuan siswa dalam menulis paragraf comparison dan contrast. Jenis penelitian ini adalah deskriptif kuantitatif. Populasi penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa semester II Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat. Sampel diambil dengan teknik acak, 10% dari setiap kelas sehingga sampel berjumlah 20 orang mahasiswa. Data diperoleh melalui tes menulis paragraf comparison dan contrast. Komponen yang dianalisa adalah kemampuan menggunakan signal words untuk Comparison dan Contrast, dan mekanik menulis (spelling dan grammar). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan kemampuan menulis mahasiswa secara umum berada pada kategori sangat rendah, hal ini ditunjukkan oleh rata-rata nilai mahasiswa 54,7. Kemampuan mahasiswa dalam menggunakan signal words berada pada kategori rendah. Hal ini ditunjukkan oleh rata-rata nilai mahasiswa 56,35. Sementara itu, kemampuan mahasiswa dalam menggunakan mekanik dalam menulis berada pada kategori sangat rendah, hal ini ditunjukkan oleh rata-rata nilai yaitu 44,5.
Key words: Comparison and Contrast Paragraph , Students’ Writing Ability
INTRODUCTION
Writing is one of the requirement subjects in English department of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat. It means that the students should pass writing I in second semester. Then, they can continue to writing II and writing III in the next semester. This condition shows that writing is important skill should be mastered well by the students. Furthermore, theoretically in writing the writer should well the components of writing such as vocabulary, grammar, coherence, cohesion, and the mechanics of writing. Vocabulary is words choice to deliver the idea. Grammar is the language structure in order to make a good meaning of writing. Coherence and cohesion mean the relationship and the connection of sentences and paragraphs. While, mechanics of writing includes using grammar and spelling, and so forth. In writing, the students demand to have an ability to write some kinds of text. There are comparison and contrast, cause-effect, argumentative, and persuasive. The students should know how to write, the purpose, and the differences of each text. Comparison and contrast is kind of writing to show the similarities and the differences something. Cause-effect is kind of writing to deliver the cause of something and its effect.
While, argumentative is kind of writing that is used to deliver writer’s arguments about some issues discussed in the text. Persuasive writing has the purpose to influence someone through the text.
In fact, based on the interview with some students’ at second semester 2014/ 2015 academic year of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat, it was found that students still have difficulties in writing generally. In this case, the students were hard to find the idea to develop into a topic and main idea therefore the students need a long time to finish their writing or couldn’t continue their writing.
However, the students acknowledge that they were difficult to differentiate the genres of writing. It means that the students didn’t know the pattern organization of writing. Sometimes, the students used the same signal words to each kind of writing, for example the signal words for writing comparison and contrast and cause-effect.
The phenomenon showed that the students didn’t know the concept of the lesson, especially in writing includes comparison and contrast writing. The students didn’t know how to write by using the components of writing. The limited vocabulary is one of the problems faced by the students. The students argue that vocabulary is the important thing in writing, without vocabulary the students cannot deliver the idea into written form. Next, grammar is the other problems faced by the students in writing.
The students were still hard to use a correct grammar while writing paragraph. Then, the students argued that they were hard to use the correct transition words
2 for each type of the text, even they did not use the transition words in
writing a comparison and contrast.
Based on the limitation of the problem, the researcher formulated the problem as follow: “How is students’
writing ability on comparison and contrast at second semester students of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat 2014/2015 academic year?”
The purposes of this research are:
1. To describe students’ ability at second semester of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat 2014/2015 in using signal words in writing comparison and contrast paragraph.
2. To describe students’ ability at second semester of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat 2014/2015 in using mechanism of writing (spelling and grammar ) in writing comparison and contrast paragraph.
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
Comparison and contrast is one of writing that is taught at second semester of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera 2014/205 academic year. Boardman and Jia (2005: 145) explain the purpose of comparison and contrast is to show the similarities and the differences of how the people, things, or ideas. In short, comparison and contrast is contrasting and comparing the two objects. Furthermore, Boardman and Jia (2005: 149) add the style of writing comparison and contrast into basic block style.
Actually basic block organization is not differ from the block organization model. In conclusion, there are three models of writing comparison and contrast;
basic block model, block organization model, and point by point model. Basic block model is introduces the similarities between two objects and then the differences vice versa. Block organization model is describe one item completely in first body paragraph and in the second describe the second item. Point by point model have several body paragraph.
According to Oshima and Hogue (2006: 111),
“comparison and contrast explain the similarities and differences between two items.” In other words, the writer may compare and contrast both of the items, for example objects, politics, and methods. Writing of comparison and contrast can be delivered by organizing the paragraph well. Oshima and Hogue (2006: 113) suggest some organizations pattern; there are point by point organization model and block organization model. Point by point organization starts by explaining two objects that will be discussed then explain the differences and similarities of each
object. While block organization is arranged all the similarities together then block all the differences of each object.
In conclusion, writing comparison and contrast the writer can deliver point-by point organization and block organization. The purpose of organizing the paragraph is to help between the writer to deliver and interpret the message in the text.
CHARACTERISTIC OF COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
The characteristics comparison and contrast can be identified based on the language features and the signal words use. The language features used in comparison and contrast writing mostly simple present tense. It is line with Boarman and Jia (2005:
146), states that writing a comparison and contrast writing uses simple present tense. Simple tense is used because comparison and contrast do not tell the event in the past. This writing explores the similarities and the differences of the two items therefore it is suitable to use simple present tense in delivering the idea in comparison and contrast writing.
The other characteristics of comparison and contrast writing are the different signal words used. Oshima and Hogue (2006:113) differentiate into comparison signal words and contrast signal words. Comparison signal words such as also, too, as, just as, similarly, likewise, and, not only….., but also…, and so forth, while contrast signal words such as however, but, yet, still, although, even though, though, despite, in contrast, on other hand,while,whereas. The use of signal words will indicate the sentence which is compare or contrast. It is line with Milligan (2011: 3) argue that the comparison and contrast have the different kind of transition words. For comparing the ideas, the writer can be used transition as well as, like, both….and for contrasting the ideas the writer can be used transition unlike, on the other hand, instead, in spite of, the same and so forth.
In conclusion, comparison and contrast writing is compare and contrast the two items. In writing a comparison and contrast the students can use simple present tense and use the signal words to differentiate the comparison and contrast sentences.
RESEARCH METHOD
This research was classified into descriptive quantitative research. According to Subana and Sudrajat (2005: 26) descriptive quantitative research concludes fact, situation, variable, and phenomenon
3 that happen at the time and present it with reality.
Descriptive research was aimed to gain information of the phenomenon in order to describe the existing condition. Gay (2000: 275) states “a descriptive study determines and describes the way things are”. In this case, this study wants to analyze students’ ability in writing a comparison and contrast paragraph used the signal words and mechanics in writing.
POPULATION
Population related to data that was concerned by the researcher in the research. According to Sudjana (2005: 6) population is total number of group of interest to the researcher to which she or he likes the result of the study. Thus the population of this research was the second semester of English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera. There were five classes with the total number 199 students.
The students’ distribution could be seen in the table 3.1 below:
Table 3.1:
Population of English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera
No Class Number of
students
1 Sesi A 39
2 Sesi B 40
3 Sesi C 40
4 Sesi D 42
r5 Sesi E 40
Total 199
Source: English lecturers of second semester of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera
SAMPLE
Sample was as example that was taken by using specific way. It is supported by Sudjana (2005: 6) who states that sampling is part of the population. In addition,he states that sample should represent the population. Consequently, the degree to select sample which representing population was the degree to which the result are generalized.
In this research, the researcher used random sampling for selected the sample. Arikunto (2006: 131) states if the population is less than 100, it was better to take all to be sample. Instead, if the total of population was more than 100, it could be taken between 10%- 15%, or 20%-25%. In this research, the researcher would taken 10% for the sample. The number of the sample of the research could be seen in the table 3.2 below:
Table 3.2:
Number of Sample of English Department of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera No Class Number of
Population
Number of sample
10%
(Rounded)
1 Sesi A 39 4
2 Sesi B 40 4
3 Sesi C 40 4
4 Sesi D 42 4
5 Sesi E 40 4
Total 199 20
INSTRUMENTATION
Writing test was administrated based on the indicators of writing ability of comparison and contrast paragraph. According to Arikunto (2006:
150), test can be used to measure skill based on series of questions. The test can be used for measuring the knowledge and skill of individual or group. In other words, the test was a tool for collecting data to recognize individuals’ ability toward learning result.
In order to know students’ ability in writing, it was based on the components of writing and the characteristics of comparison and contrast.
Furthermore, the researcher found the suitable components of writing with the characteristics of comparison and contrast. Comparison and contrast rubric could be seen in the following table 3.3 :
Writing Comparison and contrast Rubric
4 Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ru bric+of+comparison+and+contrast
Table 3.3 above shows the criterions that would be assessed from students’ writing comparison and contrast was the used of signal or transition words and mechanics accuracy(grammar & spelling). Each indicator had the different score. The score was 1 to 4. It was based on students’ ability in writing. In order to give the score to students’ writing, it could be seen from the description of the score.
In this research, the researcher gave the topic of writing for the students. The topic were comparing and contrasting the movie, people, technology, and holiday.
TECHNIQUE OF DATA ANALYSIS
In order to know students ability in writing, the data would be analyzed by using percentage formula (Sudijono, 2013):
Where:
X = Real score of each student R = Students’ score
S = Maximum score
To find out students’ ability in writing test, it was used five points scale, the classification could be seen in the following table:
Table 3.4:
Score of students’ ability Scores Categories Levels 80 – 100 Excellent High ability
70 – 79 Good
60 – 69 Fair Moderate
ability
55 – 59 Poor Low ability
0 – 54 Very poor
(Source: Sudijono, 2013)
RESULTS
In this research, the researcher analyzed Students’
Writing Ability of Comparison and Contrast at Second Semester of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat 2014/2015 Academic Year.
Generally, students’ ability in writing comparison and contrast can be described in the following table below:
Table 4.1 :
Students’ score in writing comparison and contrast
N Xma
x
Xmi n
∑X Mea n
SD V a r 20 68.8 37.5 1094.
2
54.7 9.5 8
9 1.
9 2
Based on table 4.1 above, it can be seen that the highest score of students in writing comparison and contrast was 68.8, while the lowest score was 37.5.
Students’ total score was 1094.2 and mean score was 54.7 with standard deviation were 9.58 and variance was 91.92 (Appendix 8) Clearly, it can be seen figure 2 below:
Figure 2 : Students’ score in writing comparison and contrast paragraph
1. Students’ ability in using signal word in writing comparison and contrast
Signal word is the important thing to know by the students in writing a text. Comparison and contrast has kinds of signal words; comparison signal words and contrast signal words, for example comparison signal words (similarly, also,too, as, and, not only...
but also and so forth. While, contrast signal words such as ( however, still, although, even though, but, yet, while, whereas, in contrast and so forth. In this research, the researcher found out students’ ability in using signal words in writing comparison and contrast. The data can be seen in the following table :
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
n Xmax Xmin ∑X Mean SD Var
20 68.8 37.5 1094.2
54.7
9.58 91.92
5 Table 4.2 :
Students’ score in using signal words in writing
comparison and contrast Score Comparison Contrast
F Mean F Mean
100 -
62.5
-
50.2
75 8 7
62,5 4 -
50 8 7
25 - 5
3,8 - 1
Total 1250 1003.8
Mean (56.35)
Figure 3 : students’ score in using signal words of comparison and contrast
2. Students ability in using mechanics (grammar and spelling) in writing comparison and contrast
Mechanics are the other indicators that were assessed from the students. In this research, mechanics of writing were divided into three parts; grammar and spelling. Based on data calculation, students’ score in using mechanics in writing can be described in the following table below :
Table 4.3 :
Students’ score in using mechanics in writing comparison and contrast
Score Spelling Grammar F Mean F Mean
100 -
63.1 -
25.9
75 10 1
62.5 3 1
50 6 4
25 1 6
3,8 8
Total 1262.5 517.5
Mean 44.5
Figure 4 : students’ score in using mechanism of writing
0 20 40 60 80
100 75 62.5 50 25 3.8 8 4 8
62.5
7 7 5
1 50.2 56.35
Comparison F Comparison Mean Contrast F Contrast Mean
Comparison and Contrast Mean
100 75 62.5 50 25 3,8 10 3 6 1 63.1
1 1 4 6 8
25.9 44.5
Students' score in using mechanism of writing
Spelling F Spelling Mean Grammar F Grammar Mean
Spelling and Grammar Mean
6 Figure 5 : Students’ writing ability mean of comparison and contrast
paragraph
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS Conclusions
The researcher did a research to knew students’
writing ability of comparison and contrast paragrah at second semester of STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat 2014/2015 Academic Year. In this research, the researcher used descriptive quantitative. In getting the data, the researcher gave writing test with the topics: movie, holiday, people and technology for students’ writing ability and the researcher used writing test.
Based on data calculation, it can be concluded that students’ ability in writing comparison and contrast can be categorized into poor category. Students’ mean score (54.7) indicates that the students were low ability in writing comparison and contrast.
Furthermore, students’ ability in using signal words in writing comparison and contrast were low. The students’ mean score (56.35) shows that the students were poor category in using signal words in writing comparison and contrast. Only few students used signal words correctly in writing comparison and contrast.
Students’ ability in using mechanics of writing were moderate ability. The students got (44.5) mean score in using mechanics in writing comparison and contrast. It can be said that the students have ability in using mechanics of writing comparison and contrast.
Generally students’ in using writing comparison and contrast can be categorized into fair category.
Students’ ability in using signal words in writing comparison and contrast were poor category and students’ ability in using mechanics of writing were moderate ability.
Suggestion
Data analysis shows that the students were poor in using signal words in writing comparison and
contrast. Students’ rarely used the signal words in writing kind of the texts. Furthermore, the students thought that signal words are not the crucial thing in writing comparison and contrast. It can be suggested to the students to understand the signal words and its function in writing, because signal words are part of writing.
Moreover, it is suggested to the students to improve their grammar and spelling in writing. It can be done by practicing writing a text. The students can use correct grammar and also correct spelling if they practice writing as much as possible.
REFERENCES
Arikunto, Suharsumi. 2006. Dasar-dasar Evaluasi Pendidikan. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.
Boarman, A and Jia Frydenberg. 2005. Writing to Communicate: Paragraphs and essays. San Fransisco: Longman.
---. 2009. Language Assessmet:
Principles and Classroom Practices. San Fransisco: Pearson Longman.
Gay, LR. 2000. Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application. New York.
Prentice Hall.
Milligan, Teresa. 2011. “The Writing Centre”.
Elfmann Students Success
Centre.Minneapolis: Dunwoody Collage of Technology.
Oshima, Alice and Ann Hogue. 2006. Writing Academic English (4ed). New York:
Pearson Education.
Subana, M dan Sudrajat. 2005. Dasar- dasar Penelitian Ilmiah. Bandung: CV. Pustaka Setia.
Sudijono, Anas. 2013. Pengantar Evaluasi Pendidikan. Jakarta: PT. Raja Gravindo.
(2004). Read Write Think.
October 19th 2015 from
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