Conceptual Framework LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Miller 2011 also conducted a research on the implementation of graphic organizers as writing tool. She found that graphic organizers became metacognitive tools that enabled students to think more about their writing. In addition, students showed better improvement in the organization of their writing.

B. Conceptual Framework

This study begins from the researcher and the English teacher finding on the low writing ability of students at SMP N 5 Wates. Based on the observation in the field, the researcher finds some writing problems that occur in the students’ writing process and product. Students had difficulty in determining the topic and generating ideas related to the topic. They also have problem dealing with arranging their ideas into a logical order. The last problem is most of the students feel that it is difficult to create a text with the correct English sentences. Looking at the problems related to the students’ writing ability, the researcher is interested in using graphic organizers to improve the students’ writing skills. She expects that graphic organizers will help them to choose the topic and generate the ideas easily. Moreover, she expects the students will create their writing in the more organize way. 28

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD

A. Research Design

The design of this research study is action research, also known as problem-based research. Burns 2010 defines action research is an action which the teacher take a self-reflective, critical, and systematic approach to exploring their own teaching process. In action research study, teacher plays a role as an investigator or an explorer in his or her classroom while at the same time being one of the participants in it. The main aim of this study is to investigate the problems or issues occurring in the teaching and learning process systematically in order to bring changes and even better improvements in the teaching and learning process. The improvements that happen in action research are ones based on data that the researcher collects systematically. In addition, Carr and Kemmis in Burns 2010 describe action research as a self-reflective enquiry done by the participants in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own educational practices, their understanding of these practices and the situations where these practices are carried out. In other word, action research is the process to reflect about the teacher’s teaching and understanding of the process. The research study was focused on writing, therefore the action were carried out by the teacher by identifying some problems related to writing in