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In this research, the researcher uses descriptive survey whereby the researcher collects the information from the samples to describe their
characteristics of error making rather than to present the detailed number of errors. Further, according to Johnson 1992, the results of the survey of the sample are
considered the general representation of the population. The survey method can be used by second language, bilingual education, andor the foreign language
researchers to study a wide variety of issues in language learning.
B. Theoretical Framework
In this part the researcher would like to synthesize the relevant theories in order to make them as the bases to analyze the data. The problems formulated in
this research were about the errors and the sources of errors made by students of PMat 2010. In analyzing the interrogative word question constructions,
particularly to answer the first research question, the researcher agrees with the theory stated by Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik about the rules of
interrogative word question construction. In the theory, Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik 1973 state that the interrogative
word
wh
-word is placed in the initial position of an interrogative word question. The interrogative
word can be immediately followed by VP if the subject is the element which is
questioned. Meanwhile if it is not, the interrogative word must be followed by the
operator auxiliary which in turn is followed by the subject and predication. Referring to the rules of interrogative word question construction, Close
1977 as cited in Febrianti 2004 states that there are three patterns used to construct correct and formal interrogative word questions. They are interrogative
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word plus predicate, interrogative word plus operator plus the rest of VP, and interrogative phrase plus operator plus subject plus the rest of VP.
In defining the errors the researcher agrees with the theory proposed by Dulay, Burt, and Krashen 1982 which states that errors are the condition where
flawed side of learners appears whether in their speech or writing. In addition, Corder 1967 as cited in Dulay, Burt, and Krashen 1982 claimas that errors
refer to any deviation no matter what characteristics or causes are determined. In order to focus on discovering the answer to the first research question,
the researcher only used one type of error classification. The researcher refers to the error classification based on Surface Strategy Taxonomy proposed by Dulay,
Burt, and Krashen 1982. Surface Strategy Taxonomy determines four types of errors, namely omission, addition, misformation, and misordering errors.
When making the errors, language learners may be affected by some factors, which are known as the sources of errors, as it was proposed in the second
research question. According to James 1998 as cited in Heydari and Bagheri 2012, there are four sources of errors which commonly affect the language use
particularly in the use of foreign languages. They are interference of mother tongue, lack understanding of target language, communication strategy, and
misleading sources of language learning. In addition, Touchie 1986 claims errors can also be caused by several developmental factors, such as avoidance.
Avoidance refers to the condition in which the language learners either prefer to use simpler structures or creatively create several new structures to avoid
producing difficult syntactic structures.
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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
In this chapter the researcher presents the research methodology which covers Research Method, Research Setting, Research Sample and Population,
Research Instrument, Data Gathering Technique, Data Analysis Technique, and Research Procedure.
A. Research Method
In order to answer two questions formulated in this research, which are to discover the characteristics and categories of errors in interrogative word question
constructions made by the samples and to investigate the sources of errors, the researcher employed survey research. According to Fraenkel and Wallen 2008,
survey research is a type of research in which the researcher is seeking the opinion, ability, or certain characteristics of a large group of people or a
population about particular topic or issue. Survey is mostly conducted through testing andor interviewing some samples which are the representative of a
population to collect the required information. To be specific, the researcher used descriptive survey research to conduct
the research on interrogative word question constructions. According to Cohen, Manion, and Morrison 2000, descriptive research is set out to describe what
exists. This methodology is used to look at individuals, groups, or institutions in order to describe, compare, classify, or analyze the entities of various fields. In
