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texts may be coherently composed. 4 Descriptive textsuse descriptive adjectives.
The examples of descriptive adjectives are white fur, strong legs, and black hair. Descriptive adjectives or attributive adjectives enable the writer to
clearly describe the condition of item described. 5 Descriptive textsuse detailed noun phrase.
The examples of detailed noun phrase arevery outstanding performance, sweet young lady, and etc. The purpose of using detailed noun
phrase is to give information about the subject.
6Descriptive textsuse action verbs. The purpose of using action verbs
is to explain material processes such asIt eats flesh, It runs slow.6Descriptive textsuse adverbials.
The purpose of using adverbials isto give additional
information about the behavior of the object of description such fast, at tree house 7 Descriptive textsuse figurative language.
Figurative language is used to clearly describe the object of description. The kinds of figurative language are
simile, metaphor, personification and etc. Another use of figurative language is to compare the object of description with something else. One example of figurative
language is John is white as chalk.
B. Theoretical Framework
This research wasan error analysis on SMP PangudiLuhur Yogyakarta seventh grade
students‟ descriptive texts. The researcher proposed to conduct an error analysis to investigate
students‟ errors and find the possible causesof the students‟ errors. The researcher chose error analysis as a way to investigate errors
in descriptive text. The researcher also employed some theories which are stated
31 in Chapter 2 to conduct this research. Those theories were used as guidance in
examining students‟ errors. The researcher implemented the steps of error analysis by Corder 1974
as cited Ellis 1994. Those steps were carried out one step at a time. In collecting samples, the researcher took massive samples because the samples which were
taken covered three regular classes. Then, in identification of errors, the researcher searched all the errors and decided whether they are errors or mistakes.
The researcher also decided to choose overt or covert errors to be investigated. After identifying the errors, the researcher described the occurred errors in
description of errors. In description of errors, the researcher explained the errors with assistance from Linguistic Category Taxonomy by Politzer and Ramirez as
cited by Dulay et al 1982. The researcher also used types of errors by Dulay et al 1982 such as omission, addition and etc to clearly explain the errors. In this step,
the researcher also quantified errors that occurred as suggested by Ellis 1994 and also Gass and Selinker 2001. That process was carried out to reveal the most
errors which the students produced. Then, in explanation of errors, the researcher revealed the sources of students‟ errors. The last step is evaluation of errors.
However, the researcher did not carry out error evaluation because error evaluation is the teacher‟s duty. The researcher only provided feedbackin what
extent the students committed errors and understood the descriptive texts. The researcher continued to seek out the causes of SMP PangudiLuhur
Yogyakarta seventh grade students‟ errors in descriptive texts. The theories were completely provided and the researcher used them to find out the real causes of
32 SMP PangudiLuhur Yogyakarta seventh grade students‟ errors in descriptive
texts. The data gathering was conducted through students‟worksheets. The
students‟ worksheets were collected from material enrichment materipengayaan. The students‟ worksheets were taken by the teacher giving as an assignment. The
students‟ worksheets were then examined with some error analysis aspects such as steps of error analysis, source of errors, causes of errors, and types of errors and
also with Linguistic Category Taxonomy.
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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the researcher will present the research method, research setting, research participants, instrument and data gathering technique, data
analysis technique, and research procedure.
A. Research Method
The research focused on errors which occurred in SMP Pangudi Luhur Yogyakarta seventh grade
students’ descriptive texts. The purpose of this research was to investigate errors in descriptive texts committed by SMP Pangudi Luhur
Yogyakarta seventh grade students and provide feedback for the teacher as Corder 1973 as cited by Hendrickson 1981 stated. This research was to showcase
kinds of students’ errors in descriptive texts and provide valuable information and
feedback for the teacher. In this research, the researcher followed the steps of error analysis by Corder 1974 as cited by Ellis 1994. The steps are: 1
collection of a sample learner language, 2 identification of errors, 3 description of errors, 4 explanation of errors, and 5 evaluation of errors. The researcher
followed all of those steps in sequences in order to analyze students’ errors in descriptive texts.
The researcher classified the errors into three main categories. They are morphological, syntactical and other findings. This research also aimed to seek the
SMP Pangudi Luhur Yogyakarta seventh grade students’ area of difficulties. As