Cahyo’s Story Description of the Participants’ Lived Experiences

did not expect for having so many writing assignments and working so hard. On the other hand, he added that it was challenging since he had to adjust his English style from social English to academic English. Not only that, for Jaya, it was 32 years ago that required him to deal with academic writing, such as his undergraduate thesis. Therefore, if he had had known that he got his self into before he entered ELS, then he would not have entered. “it was quite shocking experience because first I joined this semester at ELS, not expecting that I had to work so hard on myself with the assignments and so many writing assignments… Therefore, when I had to write and then there was a gap with the teaching methodology. It was strange to me because, you know, I mostly taught in the non-formal sector of English Teaching. That was challenging. I had to adjust my English style from social English and moved them to academic English.” 9-JA2-11-EXP In the first semester, he had to write the assignments and to use his cognitive ability as well. It means that he should be able to argue and describe really well in order to connect ideas better. “I had to write the assignments, I had to use my cognitive, ability as well. Have to be able to argue, and describe really well and have to think things over and try to connect ideas. Things like that.” 9-JA2-11- EXP. At the beginning, the time was so pressing. Jaya had to decide the topic and make it narrow down. He had to dig up any possible ideas 9-JA2-26-PLN- PCS. Jaya also added that the most challenging was how to understand something and link it with other concepts in order to come up with another idea. According to him, making the draft for his paper was challenging. As the second stage in writing process, he needed to understand the topic and link with another concept 9-JA2-11-DRA-PCS. He tried to do his best and to be closed to the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI expectations. He thought that he tended to be careful, make sure that what he wanted to say was expressed appropriately in order to make the reader understand the message 9-JA2-30-REV-PCS. Unfortunately, there was not enough feedback. He said that not enough attention had been paid to the writing. In that time, Jaya just did the best he could and worked by himself. Not only that, he had his own feedback from himself. “Well I think I just did the best I could and then try to work it by myself. Of course I had my own feedback from myself. But it could be unreliable because you need feedback from others as well. Friends, lecturers. Let me tell you the very very truth. I didn’t have time to re-edit them. Then I just did it because of the deadline. For example, ignoring with the idea that a paragraph should consist of 3 sentences like that” 9-JA2-13-ATT Jaya had a memorable experience when writing his mini research project at the second semester. Jaya coped better with his writing, but still hardly any feedback. Again, he had to do his best and whatever he could. For him, having guidelines is a good way for writing a proper mini research project. “Again, I think I have survived in the 2 nd semester. I did my best and did whatever I could. Still no feedback from anybody about my writing. Probably there’s no such a thing as guidelines. I know it is not easy but surely, there’s should be something as the guidelines. For example for doing mini research.” 9-JA2-15-EXP He tried to find and look at other articles which used similar format. After that, he just tried to write what he had to write in each chapter. Jaya tried to narrow down the topic and then time was so pressing that he had no time to do the proper chapter for the literature review. Jaya just dig up doing “error analysis” because of the time constraints for doing the references so he did duplication or what so called for doing something that have been done before. He used that literature review and could manage it with different data. Jaya added that it was PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI really interesting, because it was quick and he could meet the deadline. Otherwise he would not be able to meet the deadline with the limited time. “It was in 2 nd semester in SLA I’m not mistaken. I expected a data from the office but I was given only a half of it. So I had suddenly changed the topic. I mean narrow down the topic and then time was so pressing that I had no time to do the proper chapter for the literature review. So I just dig up doing error analysis because I did not have time for doing the references so I did duplication or what do we call it for doing something that have been done before. And I used that literature review. So I could manage it with different data. It was really interesting. Because it was quick and I met the deadline. Otherwise I would not be able to meet the deadline with the limited time.” 9-JA2-26-EXP Despite the fact that he was familiar with the subject and got a lot of ideas in using games in teaching vocabulary, he had the time constraints in conducting the mini research. “so I think I had constraints as well because I could use a lot more respondent but I could not because of the time constraints. So, I should be honest to say that the mini research was still very superficial. Could have been much better perhaps had more respondent, more time to look at the issue, and I don’t think I used a lot of references. Didn’t have time to read and so on. So, mostly based on my personal experience which is not very academic. You know I mean. Because you need academic back up on references.” 9-JA2-20-EXP Jaya stated that he did not have enough time to edit what he wrote. “Let me tell you the very very truth. I didn’t have time to re-edit them. Then I just did it because of the deadline.” 9-JA2-13-EDI-PCS. Jaya added “For example, ignoring with the idea that a paragraph should consist of 3 sentences like that, so with this thesis writing hopefully I have more time to pay more attention to accuracy something like that.” 9-JA2-13-EDI-PCS. Based on the experience presented above, he realized the obstacles that he had at that time. Furthermore, Jaya committed to give more serious to his own writing. “Well, I would say again, when you write and you have to take something for a consideration it should be more precise. Especially the logic that you have to come up with, and then how to write simply directly to the point. And to mean what you say and to say exactly as you supposed to say. Not only yourself but also others could understand it. So I give more serious to it.” 9-JA2-29-INT Reflecting on what he was aware of in writing academic papers made him realize some important points. Jaya realized that he did not have enough respondents as well as the references. “Could have been much better perhaps had more respondent, more time to look at the issue, and I don’t think I used a lot of references.” 9-JA2-20-EXP. Not only that, he also realized that mostly were based on his personal experience. In other words, what he did was not very academic considering that it should be supported by references. “Mostly based on my personal experience which is not very academic. You know I mean. Because you need academic back up on references.” 9-JA2-20-EXP. Writing academic papers has brought some benefits to Jaya’s life. He learned how to adjust his English style from social English and moved them to academic English. Then, he became more careful and paid attention in details 9- JA2-30-REV. B. Interpretation of the Participants’ Lived Experiences This section presented the interpretation of graduate students’ lived experiences in writing academic papers. The interpretations, of course, were based on the findings. This section consists of pre-figured themes and emerging themes. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI