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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses background of the study, research questions, research purposes, significance of the research, operational of definition, and organization of
the writing.
1.1. Background of the Study
Writing is one of language skills beside listening, speaking, and reading. Writing is an expression of ideas through written language Tarigan, 1986:15. It is
taught from basic grade of school to the college level. Moreover, general people also do writing activity.
Writing becomes an important language skill because it is one of people ways to convey their intention to other people. People can share their arguments,
experience, etc. through writing. However, some writers, especially novice writer, tend to write a sto
ry based on their way of thinking instead based on readers‟ comprehension Steinberg, 1980:83. It can make readers fail to get the writers‟
point.. That phenomenon also happens to students in young class. Many students
write their texts based on their way of thinking. They just write everything in their
19 mind without considering the results of their writing. Their texts often contain
jumbled information which makes it is hard to be well understood. Therefore, teachers need to improve students‟ writing skill. To improve
students‟ writing skill, teachers have to know their students ability first. It will be easier to improve their writing skill by knowing the common progress of students‟
writing skill. Generally, students in higher level of school have better writing skill than students in lower level of school. Thus, by knowing the common progress of
students‟ writing skill, teacher can optimize their teaching in developing part. One of the writing aspects that can be used to identify the quality of students‟
texts is the organization of information within a text. To know the information more specifically or clearly, readers have to pay more attention to each clause or sentence
within a text. It is because each clause within a text brings its own information. It is also known that clause is a structure which has message Halliday and Matthiessen,
2004:64. Clause as a message can be identified from its theme and rheme. Theme is the
information that a writer talks about while rheme is the information that a writer says about Gerrot and Wignel, 1995:103. By knowing the structure of theme and rheme,
readers could identify the focus of information from each clause. Besides, writers who know theme and rheme position could also put their main information
appropriately.
20 The theme and rheme in a text influence the thematic progression TP of a
text. TP is theme development in a text Taboada, 2004:85. It shows how the information is presented and also contributes to the information flow of a text
Paltridge, 2008:148. By knowing the information flow that is identified from thematic progression, writers could develop their texts better and also readers could
comprehend a text better Based on the description above, this thesis considers finding types of theme
and TP i n the students‟ texts of each level. The findings of theme and TP types will
show the students‟ development in using certain theme and TP. Thus, teachers can accelerate students‟ writing skill by considering the development of the use of theme
and TP from the students‟ texts of those two levels.
1.2. Research Questions
