3
critical thinking act, researchers have shown that ―the critical thinker uses his or her metacognitive knowledge and applies metacognitive strategies in a planned,
purposeful way throughout the critical thinking process‖ French and Rhoder, 1992:191.
Based on the problems above, I will focus on finding out English Department students‘ level of critical reading profile assessed by using expository
texts as their reading materials. By designing this study, I hope that this research could give information to the readers and motivate teachers to improve their
teaching of critical reading skills to college students so they could make the most of their critical reading skills for their academic life both inside and outside the
classroom.
1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic
Some reasons why I chose the topic ―English Department Students‘
Critical Reading Profile Assessed by Using Expository Texts‖ are:
Critical reading is one of the most important skills that learners especially college students should have. They will need those skills for better achievement as
academic students inside and outside the classroom. Critical reading is an affective mean to activate prior knowledge in reading to comprehend a written
text.
4
I consider that the students‘ reading comprehension is very important, therefore I want to know the Engl
ish Department students‘ critical reading level assessed by using expository texts.
1.3 Research Problems
The problems that become the concern of the discussion are: 1.
How good is English Department Students‘ critical reading profile? 2.
What are the possible contributing factors to the profile?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study can be stated as follows: 1.
To find out how good the English Department Students‘ critical reading profile is.
2. To find out the possible contributing factors to the profile.
1.5 Significance of the Study
Basically, there are three kinds of research significance: the theoretical significance, the practical significance, and the further research and development.
The significances are described as follows: 1
Theoretical significance The research finding will provide information to the readers about
critical reading profile of English Department students of UNNES.
5
2 Practical significance.
The research finding will help the teachers to organize their learning purposes or objectives that train their students to be critical thinkers and
help them to gain their motivation in reading for better achievement. 3
Further research and development. The research finding would also give knowledge that can be
implemented in the classroom for the benefit of the students‘
development of critical reading in learning process.
1.6 Definition of the Key Words
