48 gained by asking questions to the intended respondents. Therefore, the researcher
believes that the most appropriate research for this research is a survey research. In order to gain the intended data on the respondents’ perception on a certain set
of activities used in teaching, the researcher decided to apply two types of ways of asking questions in a survey research which were questionnaire and interview as
the survey instruments. The researcher also did observation as the complementary data for this survey research.
This research employed a descriptive study. The consideration of choosing this study was because of the nature of the study itself. Descriptive study as
proposed by Ary et al. 1972 attempt to describe a certain phenomenon. This is related to the fact that this research was trying to figure out the implementation of
certain variables; critical review and advanced level of readers. It means the process or the way some variables are conducted in a certain setting with certain
participants are being analyzed to figure out the phenomenon happened. Another consideration of choosing this study was the fact that the variables being
researched were a whole process which related to each other. This means that statistical analysis or study would not be enough for this research. Therefore,
descriptive study was needed.
3.2 Research Setting
This research was conducted in Sanata Dharma University specifically in the English Language Education Study Programme ELESP. The observation,
questionnaire and interview were conducted in CRW 1 class which stands for
49 Critical Reading and Writing 1 class, class A batch 2011. CRW 1 class A was
chosen because the class implemented the core of critical review in the form of written response. Written response implemented in class gave the signal to the
researcher that the class was trying to perform a critique of what they have read and written. The critique performed in form of written response could give a slight
idea that the class was trying to empower critical reading, critical thinking and critical writing abilities through some activities, stages or tasks. Another small
consideration was because the class schedule fitted perfectly to the researcher’s schedule. The observation was conducted in three meetings; critical reading,
critical writing and presentation session. The questionnaire was distributed on one meeting. The interview was divided into three days following the respondents’
availability. The duration of each interview session with a respondent was 8 up to 15 minutes. The interview with the lecturer spent 26 minutes.
3.3 Research Participants
After the topic was accepted and Chapter 1 was submitted to the thesis advisor, the researcher selected the population. The population, which was chosen
in this research referred to the topic raised, was CRW 1 class. The third semester ELESP SDU English Language Education Study Programme, Sanata Dharma
University students batch 2011 were selected to be the population of this research. There were several reasons acted as the base of choosing this population.
First, ELESP SDU students batch 2011 had already taken Basic Reading I and II as the intensive reading course on the lower semester. It was expected that they
50 had already mastered how to read the text intensively which means they
understood the literal and inferential meaning of the text. This emphasized that now; the students are in the intermediate level of readers. Second, the students on
batch 2011 are undertaking CRW 1 class as the intended research setting and respondents for this research. From those two points of considerations, the
researcher concluded that the population chosen was the appropriate one. Another consideration of deciding batch 2011 as the population was considering that batch
2010 was already on their advanced level of reading in which they had taken CRW 1 and CRW 2 on previous semesters. The researcher then was in no doubt
that the most appropriate population was batch 2011. The next point is the issue on sample taken. In this research, the researcher
implemented group administered questionnaire in which the researcher chose one class to be observed, distributed the questionnaire and interviewed. One class was
chosen out of six classes of CRW 1 batch 2011. The consideration of choosing only one class was because the researcher employed purposeful sampling for this
research. Purposeful sampling, according to Patton 2002, is a way of taken sample which derives from the emphasis on in-depth understanding where it leads
on selecting information-rich cases. According to Patton 2002, information-rich cases are those from which one can learn a great deal about an issue of central
importance to the purpose of the research. As the purpose is to have an in-depth understanding of certain variables, so the research is not for generalizing the result
gained to a bigger scope. Therefore, the researcher decided to focus on only one class but with the aim to explore deeper, not to decide many classes but with no
51 precise exploration on it. The researcher also realized that one class might not be
exactly the same as other classes. It convinced the researcher to decide not to generalize the result of this research. The lecturer included in this research is one
lecturer of the decided class. Group administered questionnaire was chosen considering the convenience. Group administered questionnaire, according to
Trochim 2006, was conducted to keep the convenience atmosphere in which while doing the questionnaire, the respondents have the chance to ask questions
regarding the questionnaire distributed. The researcher also could clarify the information on questionnaire directly if necessary. Another reason was that group
administered provided the high rate of response than other types of questionnaire distributions.
Group administered chosen was CRW 1, class A. There are 30 students in that class. On the observation of the critical reading section, there were 29
students who came to the class. On the other hand, there were 30 students on the critical writing section. On the questionnaire distribution, there were 28 students
who came to class. These are the general characteristics of the class. The class was so potential for this research in which the tasks implemented and the students’
characteristics enable the researcher to do cross-checking between the real situation and data gained to the basic theories of critical review, critical reading
and writing, and advanced level of readers. The students were active and creative. Some of them were very critical in giving oral response to what they have read.
They also wanted to discuss and share their opinion with their friends. They did the tasks given by the lecturer. They also listened to the lecturer during the class.
52
3.4 Instruments and Data Gathering Techniques
