parallel to the curriculum objectives and whether the test and curricular emphases are in proper balance. Education in practice is a rigid hierarchy of authority in
which objectives determine curriculum and curriculum determines test content Bachelard, 1984: 30. The content validity in this research is based on current
curriculum of senior high school KTSP. To guide the analysis of the products or processes of students efforts the
researcher used a scoring rubric. Here are three ways in creating a rubric: 1.
Adapt an already-existing rubric 2.
Analytic Method 3.
Expert-Systems Method In this study the researcher adapted an already-existing rubric. The rubric also has
been used widely by the English teacher when grading international students writing output.
This single argumentative essay rubric consists of several degrees in order to get a good quality of writing. They are focus of statement, supporting
sentences to strengthen the writer’s position, transitions that play role in making the paragraph well organized, paragraph closing that restate the writer’s position
and the last is correct grammar and spelling.
2. Construct Validity
The Construct validity measured whether the construction had already referred to the theory, meaning that the test construction had already in line with the
objective of the learning Hatch and Farhady, 1982: 251. There were two parts to the evaluation of the construct validity of a test. First and most important, the
theory underlying the construct to be measured must be considered. Second, the
adequacy of the test in measuring the construct is evaluated Mason Bramble, 1989.
The persuasive essay rubric presented as mentioned before consisted of several degrees in order to get a good quality of writing. They were focus of statement,
supporting sentences to str engthen the writer’s position, transitions that play role
in making the paragraph well organized, paragraph closing that restate the writer’s
position and the last is correct grammar and spelling. Those elements were taken as reflections of good persuasive essay scoring rubrics. Here is the explanation:
1. Focus of the statements
Writer makes sure that the entire paragraph focus on one single idea. Focus of the statement helps the writer avoid sentence which are
extraneous stray from the paragraphs main idea and can destroy its unity Butler 1978: 37 states that topic sentence should provide the reader with
the complete idea of what a paragraph will say.
2. Support for position
According to Lorch 1984:22, supporting sentences provide explanation and evidence for the topic sentences. Supporting sentences give more
information about the main idea so that the message and the content of a paragraph can be comprehended by the readers. In analytical exposition
text, the supporting sentences are the arguments that strengthen the writer’s position. Argumentative persuasive essay can be reached through
logical reasoning.
