43 particular issue or teaching behavior over a period of time and reflect on general
impression of the classroom. By having field notes in this research, the researcher could examine what had gone well and what things needed to be improved in
details. Field notes were written down by the observer who was present in the classroom in which the implementation of cue cards was conducted.
c. Questionnaires
Elliot 1991 says that questionnaires are “ways of eliciting other people’s observation and interpretations of situations and events, as well as their attitudes
towards them” pp. 81-82. According to Hopkins 1993, p. 134, the advantages of questionnaires are the ways of obtaining information are simple and quick.
Hopkins p. 134 also mentions that questionnaires dig up more information from the students. In this research, the questionnaires were distributed to the students to
find out how the students responded to the implementation of cue cards. Questionnaires were distributed in the end of every cycle. The researcher needed
to know how the students perceived the implementation of cue cards as well as whether or not they felt that they benefited from the carried out research.
Questionnaires used in this research helped the researcher find out the problem which was faced by the students individually. The questionnaires
consisted of two parts. The first part consisted of ten closed-ended questions while the second part consisted of five open-ended questions. In the first part of the
questionnaires, question one up to six dug up the students’ personal reflection
toward their improvement in speaking skill. Question seven up to ten dug up the students’ perception about the use of cue cards during the teaching and learning
44
activities. The options of the answer for the closed questions were strongly agree, agree
, disagree, and strongly disagree.
The researcher chose to use closed-ended questions because the researcher did not want to make the students confuse when they were answering the
questions in the questionnaires. On the other hand, the researcher also used open- ended questions because the researcher wanted to dig up deeper information from
the students. According to Wallace 2010, p. 135, the advantage of closed questions in the questionnaires is to make the questionnaires easier to fill in. On
the same page, Wallace also mentions the advantage of open-ended questions is to yield more data.
d. Semi-structured Focus Group Interviews
Frankel and Wallen 1993 explain interview is “an important way for the
researcher to check the accuracy of the impressions he or she has gained through observation” p. 384. The researcher used the interview to find out what the
students thought and how the students felt about the use of cue cards in improving their speaking skill. On the other hand, the researcher conducted interviews to
clarify the student s’ answers in the questionnaire which was given to them.
The type of interview which was used by the researcher was semi-structured focus group interview. According to Lichtman 2013, p. 189, focus group
interviews involve group of people at one time and give opportunities to interact each other. In addition, Lichtman 2013 adds semi-structured focus group
interview is “focus group interview in which the researcher has developed a list of questions and has a preconceived plan for proceedings
” p. 208.
