THE EFFECT OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING ON STUDENTS` RECOUNT TEXT WRITING ACHIEVEMENT.

THE EFFECT OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING ON
STUDENTS’ RECOUNT TEXT WRITING ACHIEVEMENT

A THESIS

Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

By:

DYAN YOSEPHIN HUTAGALUNG
Registration Number : 2113321008

ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2015

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Great thank is addressed to the Almighty God, Jesus Christ, for the love
and blessing so the researcher has finally completed this thesis. This thesis is

aimed to fulfill one of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Pendidikan of
English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan.
During the process of writing, the researcher realizes that she cannot
accomplish this thesis without God’s blessing and supporting from many people,
therefore the researcher would like to express her sincere gratitude to:
1. Prof. Dr. Syawal Gultom, M.Pd., the Rector of State University of Medan
for his leadership for Unimed so it is considered as reputable university which
in terms gives positive appreciation to its graduation.
2. Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M. Hum., the Dean of Languages and Arts, State
University of Medan for her leadership and advice during her academic years.
3. Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd., the Head of English and Literature
Department.
4. Dra. Meisuri., M.A., the Secretary of English and Literature Department.
5. Nora Ronita Dewi, S.S., M.Hum., the Head of English Education Program.
6. Prof. Dr. Lince Sihombing, M.Pd.,her Thesis Advisor I for great care,
guidance, and advices during the process of accomplishing this thesis.
7. Drs. Elia Masa Gintings, M.Hum.,herThesis Advisor II for great care,
guidance, and advices during the process of accomplishing this thesis.
8. Dr. Anni Holila Pulungan, M.Hum., her Academic Supervisor and also
Reviewer for great care, guidance and advices during her academic years.

9. Drs. Willem Saragih, Dipl.Appl.,M.Pd, as the Reviewer.
10. Drs. Johan Sinulingga, M.Pd,as the Reviewer.
11. All Lecturers who have taught, guided, supported and advised her during the
academic years.

ii

12. Eis Sri Wahyuningsih, M.Pd., and Pantes as the Administration Staffs of
English and Literature Department who always helped during her academic
year.
13. H. Bambang Sudewo, M.Pd., the Headmaster of SMP Negeri 18 Medan
who has given the permission to conduct the research in the school.
14. Arthalina Romauli Sinaga,S.Pd., the English Teacher who has given the
permission to conduct the research in her classes.
15. Her beloved and super power mother Silvia Gultom, S.Pd, and her father
R.A. Hutagalung who have givenlove, prayer, moral and financial support in
completing her education.
16. Her beloved grand mother Heddy Mitaria Simanjuntak, her beloved aunts
Yun Anneke Gultom, S.Pd, Ellys Gultom, Fitri Gultom, Henny Gultom,
Yenni Gultom, her beloved unclesBenny J. Mea, Gale Ray McKinnie,

Martin P.Gultom, Jeffry Gultom, N. Simanjuntak, her beloved cousin
Christine Ivana S., and other families who the researcher loves so much.
17. All her best friends, Tutwuri Situmeang, Ayu Purnama Sari, Shilvina
Apriani, Suherna, Desy Mitha, Oktaviani, Ivo, Kak Mega, Ayu, Yeni,
Lestari, Kak Rahma, her great class Extention B 2011, and my friends in
English and Literature Department.
18. All her friends in GPIB “Kasih Karunia” Medan and PPLT Awal Karya
Pembangunan Galang 2014, for many experiences and togetherness.
The researcher hopes this thesis will be useful for those who read it,
especially for the students of English Department.

Medan,

September2015

Dyan Yosephin Hutagalung
Reg. No. 2113321008

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages
ABSTRACT ...........................................................................................

i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................

iv

LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................

vi

LIST OF FIRGURES ...........................................................................


vii

LIST OF APPENDICES ......................................................................

viii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of the Study ...............................................

1

B. The Problem of the Study .....................................................

4

C. The Objective of the Study ...................................................

4

D. The Scope of the Study .........................................................


4

E. The Significance of the Study ...............................................

5

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Theoretical Framework .........................................................

6

1. Writing ..........................................................................

6

2. Writing Process .............................................................

7


3. Genre .............................................................................

9

4. Recount Text .................................................................

11

5. Strategy .........................................................................

14

6. Problem Based Learning (PBL) ....................................

14

7. Problem Based Learning Process ..................................

15


8. The Advantages and Disadvantages of
Problem Based Learning ...............................................

18

B. Relevant Studies ...................................................................

19

C. Conceptual Framework ........................................................

21

D. Hyphotesis ............................................................................

22

iv

CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. Research Design ...................................................................

23

B. Population and Sample .........................................................

24

C. The Instrument for Collecting Data .....................................

24

D. Teaching Procedure ..............................................................

24

E. Scoring the Test ....................................................................

28


F. Validity and Reliability ........................................................

30

G. Technique of Data Analysis .................................................

31

CHAPTER IV. THE DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS
A. The Data ...............................................................................

32

B. Data Analysis .......................................................................

33

C. Reliability of the Test ...........................................................

35


D. Testing Hypothesis ...............................................................

36

E. Research Finding ..................................................................

37

F. Discussion ............................................................................

37

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusions ..........................................................................

39

B. Suggestions...........................................................................

40

REFERENCES ......................................................................................

41

APPENDIX ............................................................................................

43

4

LIST OF FIGURES

Pages

Figure 2.1 The Process of Problem Based Learning ........................

17

Figure 2.2 Conceptual Framework ...............................................

22

LIST OF APPENDICES

Pages
APPENDIX A. Pre-Test and Post-Test for Experimental Group ...........

43

APPENDIX B. Pre-Test and Post-Test for Control Group .....................

44

APPENDIX C. The Reliability of the Test .............................................

45

APPENDIX D. Score of Pre-Test and Post-Test of Experimental ........

47

APPENDIX E. Score of Pre-Test and Post-Test of Control ..................

48

APPENDIX F. Mean of Experimental and Control Group.....................

49

APPENDIX G. The Calculation T-Test for Experimental Group ..........

50

APPENDIX H. The Calculation T-Test for Control Group ....................

51

APPENDIX I. T-Test Formula Result ....................................................

52

APPENDIX J. Percentage Points of the T Distribution ..........................

54

APPENDIX K. Lesson Plan of Experimental Group .............................

55

APPENDIX L. Lesson Plan of Control Group ......................................

67

APPENDIX M. Pre-test of one of students in Experimental ..................

77

APPENDIX N. Post-test of one of students in Experimental .................

78

APPENDIX O. Pre-test of one of students in Control ............................

79

APPENDIX P. Post-test of one of students in Control ...........................

80

v

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of the Study
In English teaching and learning process, students are expected to
master four English skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Writing is one of English skill which is very important to be mastered.
Writing is an activity of expressing ideas and feelings by using written
language as its medium of communication (Waris, 2011). It means that
writing is a process to express writer’s mind, feeling, and thinking about
anything in written form to communicate with other people as the readers.
Writing is used as an aide-memoire or practice tools to help students practice
and work with language they have been studying (Harmer, 2007). It means
that writing is a good way to develope and understand English.
Unfortunately, many students always think that English is very
difficult, confusing and complicated especially in writing. As one of the
difficult language skills, some students also do not like writing and the result
in the ability of students in expressing ideas, thoughts and feelings in writing
is very alarming (Nurhidayah, 2008) and the researcher found it when she did
teaching practice (PPL). The students had some problems in vocabulary,
grammar, and exploring the ideas. They just copied what teacher said and
wrote and did not explore their ideas. This may be because they lack
confidence and they did not become active learners. The teacher needs to

1

2

engage them from early levels with activities which are easy and enjoyable to
take part in, so that writing activities not only become a normal part of
classroom life but also present opportunities for students to achieve almost
instant success. It is when students have acquired this writing habit that they
are able to look at written genres and involve themselves in writing process
with enthusiasm (Harmer, 2007).
Recount text is a text to inform about past activities. Recount writing
refers to the process of telling and informing the past activities and shares to
the readers in order to entertain or inform them. Recount text is one of
material conveyed in KTSP curriculum in second grade of Junior High
School. This curriculum is applied based on the situation and condition of the
school itself. It consists of the school education goal and the contents of
school curriculum, the academic calender and the syllabus.
The researcher chooses this recount text because the students still
have problems in creating a good text like recount text. The researcher also
has done an observation and interview at SMP Negeri 18 Medan and she
found that the students’ ability in writing is still low because most of the
students got the score below Minimal Completeness Criteria (KKM) of
English subject for Junior High School. The score of writing test from the
students can be seen in table 1.1.

3

Table 1.1 The Writing Test Score of VIII SMP
Semester
1st semester 2014 / 2015

2nd semester 2014 / 2015

Score
>75

Students
10

Percentage
30,30

58,09

≤75

23

69,70

>75

8

24,24

≤75

Mean

57,75
25

75,76

The Minimal Completeness Criteria (KKM) applied for the second
grade of junior high school in SMP N 18 Medan is 75. From the data
above, it can be fulfilled that the students’ ability in writing was still low.
Some students got the score under the minimal completeness
criteria because they did not organize the writing well such as generic
structure, and some grammar. They also had less vocabulary and did not
explore the ideas as well. This makes students did not have motivation to
write in English and become inactive learners.
Based on the data above, the researcher thought that it was
important to find ways to overcome the problem. The researcher used a
strategy

in order to increase students’ writing ability and develop

students’ achievement by applying Problem Based Learning. Problem
Based Learning (PBL) is one of strategy that we can apply to teach
recount text. According to Hmelo-Silver (2004), Problem Based Learning
is well suited to help students become active learners and makes students
responsible for their learning.

4

B. The Problem of the Study
Based on the background of the research , the problem of this research
was formulated as follows : “ Is there any significant effect of Problem Based
Learning on students’ Recount text writing achievement? “

C. The Objective of the Study
There are many genres of writing in English and some of them are put
on the English subject in every school based on the syllabus. This research
was focused on the Recount text and identifying the effect of problem based
learning on students’ recount text writing achievement.

D. The Scope of the Study
There are several methods, approaches, strategies and techniques that
can be applied to improve students’ writing achievement. This research was
focused on the applying of problem based learning strategy to affect students’
achievement in writing recount text. The object of the research is limited on
students of second grade in Junior High School ( VIII SMP ) .

5

E. The Significances of the Study
Theoretically , the results of this research are expected to be useful to :
1. Enrich the literature of teaching writing through recount text by
applying Problem Based Learning.
2. Give a better understanding and alternative strategy in teaching writing
English by applying problem based learning.
3. Give some valuable contribution to the other researchers.
Practically , the findings are useful and relevant to :
1. Motivate the students that writing recount text is very interesting thing
since they can share their own story and put their ideas into the text.
2. Make students become active learners since they just received all the
information from the teacher and not to learn by theirselves and then
students can explore their ideas and feeling into the text.
3. Provide information for the teachers especially English teachers about
Problem Based Learning, the effectiveness in using it and how to apply
this in the class.

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusions

The research was done in SMP Negeri 18 Medan in Academic
Year 2015 / 2016 and the population of this research was the students of
VIII SMP. The students in experimental group were taught by using
problem based learning and the students in the control group were taught
without using problem based learning.
Based on the research finding, the analyzed data is tested by using
t-test formula and shows that the mean scores of the students in the
experimental group is significantly higher than the mean scores of the
students in the control group at the level of significantα= 0.05 with the
degree of freedom (df) 70 withtobservedvalue7,327 > ttable value 1,994.
Therefore, null hypothesis (Ho) is rejected and alternative hypothesis (Ha)
is accepted. Then, the researcher concludes that there is a significant effect
of

problem based learning strategy on students’ recount text writing

achievement.

39

40

B. Suggestions
Based on the results of the research, there are suggestions which
are expected to :
1. The English teachers to be able to use problem based learning
in teaching writing because it can help students become active
learners and explore their ideas in writing recount text.
2. The students to be more active, confidence and enjoyable to
explore the ideas, give information into a good writing form
after functioning problem based learning on their effort in
writing recount text.
3. The other researchers to read this research results to widen their
horizon about the benefit of doing research whenever they want
to prove their intended purposed in research area.

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