C. Related Previous Study
The following are the previous studies related to the variables of the writer’s
study comprising vocabulary mastery and writing achievement. First, a study entitled ‘The Relationship between Grammar and Vocabulary Knowledge and
Iranian EFL Learners’ Writing Performance’ was conducted by Saadian and
Bahgeri. The study was conducted to find out grammar and vocabulary knowledge and its relationship with
learners’ writing performance. This study used correlational design. The instruments used were tests. The total participants
of this study were 42 students. The data analysis of the study used Pearson product Moment correlation. Based on the findings of the study it was found that
there was a significant correlation between grammar and vocabulary knowledge and their writing quality.
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In addition, Staehr investigated Vocabulary Size and the Skills of Listening, Reading, and Writing. The aim of this study was to find out the relationship
between vocabulary size and the skills of listening, reading, and writing in English as a Foreign Language EFL. There are 88 EFL learners as participants of this
study. Tests were distributed as the instruments in collecting the data. Two tests in a form of multiple choices were used to measure reading and listening
comprehension. Next, in measuring the writing skills, a 450-word composition was used. And, to measure the vocabulary size, VLT in improved version by
Schmitt, Schmitt, and Clapham was used. The result of analyzing data of this study revealed that reading skill was found to be the most dependent on
vocabulary size, followed by writing skill which was found to correlate significantly and fairly highly with vocabulary size. Then, in contrast, listening
showed the weakest association with vocabulary size.
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Another study conducted by Novikasari with the titl e ‘The Correlation
between Students’ Vocabulary Mastery and Their Translation Ability of the
19
Hamideh Saadian and Mohammad Sadegh Bahgeri, The Relationship between Grammar and Vocabulary Knowledge and Iranian EFL Learners’ Writing Performance TOEFL PBT Essay,
International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, Vol. 7 1, 2014, p. 12.
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Lars Stenius Staehr, Vocabulary Size and the Skills of Listening, Reading, and Writing, Language Learning Journal, Vol. 362, 2008, pp. 139-152.
Second Year Students of Senior High School’ has found that the correlation coefficient between two variables vocabulary and translation ability is higher
0.749 than the table value 0.361 which means that there is a significant positive correlation between the two variables. Same as the previous one, this
study has more differences that similarities compared with the writer’s. The similarities are only in the method and design, and sampling technique. The
differences are in the time, place, population and sample. The instrument used is different as well as Novikasari used only test while the writer will use both test
and documentation.
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Furthermore, a study under the title The Effect of Blogging on EFL Writing Achievement was conducted by Emrah Ozdemir and Selami Aydin. It was
conducted in ELT Department of Balikesir University in Turkey. The total participants were 40 EFL students. They were divided into two groups; control
and experimental group. The instruments used were questionnaire and writing achievement pre-test and post-tests. The experimental group was given a
treatment involving some process-based writing instruction; meanwhile participants from the control group completed task in traditional pen-paper writing
process. The findings of this study mentioned that the participants who received process-based writing instruction attained greater improvement in their writing
achievement. It was shown from the experimental group who outperformed the control group in terms of writing achievement.
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In comparison with the previous studies discussed and reviewed above, this study has similarities and differences from those relevant previous studies. First,
although Saadian and Bahgeri carried out study with similar design to this study correlational design, the inspection of their study is not specifically limited to
vocabulary but they also investigated grammar knowledge. On the other hand, this study is conducted to find out vocabulary knowledge in relation to writing
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Yuanita Novikasari, The Correlation between Students’ Vocabulary Mastery and Their
Translation Ability of the Second Year Students of Senior High School, Skripsi, Faculty of Language and Arts, Semarang State University, 2011.
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Emrah Ozdemir and Selami Aydin, The Effect of Blogging on EFL Writing Achievement, Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2015, pp. 372-380.
performance. Next, in comparison with study conducted by Staehr, this study also carried out similar design to this study, but the inspection is broader than this
study. Staehr investigated vocabulary in relation to some skills which are listening, reading, and writing. However, it had same type of instruments used as
this study, i.e tests. Then in comparison to another study conducted by Novikasari, although the
design applied was the same as this study, the variables studied were not all the same i.e. vocabulary and translation ability. Next, in the comparison to a study
conducted by Ozdemir and Aydin, although the study investigated the same dependent variable, i.e. writing achievement, they applied different design from
this study. T he study’s design was categorized as an experimental design since the
study was intended to find out the effect of blogging towards the writing achievement. By any considerations of the reviews of related previous studies
above, it can be considered that this study is not a replica of the previous studies, instead it is an expansion as well as a more specific research focusing on
vocabulary mastery and writing achievement as the variables of this study.
D.
Thinking Framework
Based on theories above, writing is one of language skills which is important to be learned. In language learning, students can express their ideas and message
through written language by writing. Writing is defined as an activity of turning ideas into written form. Writing is not only jotting down some words, more than
that, it also a complex process which needs a combination of many kinds of knowledge. Moreover, when students compose writing, they need many words to
be able to express their ideas or messages effectively. Having the knowledge of vocabulary is also important for students in
language learning, especially in writing. If students do not have wide knowledge of vocabulary, they will find difficulties in composing a written language since
they do not have words to write to express their messages or ideas. Students’
difficulties in composing written language lead them to have low writing achievement. Therefore, the more students master vocabulary, the more they get
better in writing. It happens because when students write, they think about what word will be used in the writing. Students may be able to write effectively as they
know adequate English words. In other words, if students have mastered English vocabulary, their language learning, especially in writing, will be well facilitated.
Therefore, the writer assumes that student s’ vocabulary mastery has a relationship
with students’ writing achievement.
E. Theoretical Hypotheses
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