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3.4 Instruments and Data Gathering Techniques
The instruments employed in this research were observation checklist, questionnaire, and interview guide. The data gathering techniques employed were
observation techniques, distributing and collecting questionnaire and interview technique. The roles of the instruments are explained in the following.
3.4.1 Observation Checklist
The observation checklists made was for 3 kinds of observations; the first was for the critical reading section, the second was for the critical writing section,
and the last was for presentation session. The data gathering technique by using observation checklist was conducted to get the whole picture of critical reading
and writing happened in class from what the researcher observed during the teaching and learning process. There were three different observations conducted
in a single class because the integrated-skills course implemented is in two different sections; the critical reading section and critical writing section.
Therefore, in order to gain the precise and complete data for each section, the researcher conducted three observations. For CRW 1 Class A, the critical reading
section was on Monday at 2 p.m. and critical writing section was on Wednesday at 12 o’clock.
Based on the topic raised, the observation was trying to figure out the implementation of critical review in Critical reading and Writing 1 class. The
researcher was meant to discover and figure out the implementation of critical review in the class. The ability to provide a critical point of view was observed on
53 three different sections; the critical reading section, the critical writing section and
the critical thinking section in the form of presentation session. Critical review as stated by Arnaudet and Barrett 1984 focused on the ability of the students to
provide a critical point of view on what they have read. The critical reading section was observed on the format of critical reading
adapted from Critical Reading and Summary proposed by Wheeler 2012. The format was divided into 10 points. The points presented were the representative of
the stages or set of activities that should be presented on critical reading. In critical reading, there are at least four stages needed to be completed; pre-reading,
interpretive reading, critical reading and post-reading. From the stages, the format of the critical reading section observation was developed into several detailed
points based on some basic theories. The points are presented in the following.
Table 3.1 Observation Blueprint on Critical Reading Session
No Points to be observed
Stages of reading The underlying
disciplines
1 Examine the length and title
of the text
Pre-reading Previewing, Pardede
2006 2
Classify the general subject, skim the essay and describe
what kind of essay it is Skimming, Raygor
Raygor 1985
3 See how the elements of
text relate to the whole of the text, define basic
problem in the text and make few questions before
reading it Prediction, Smith
1994, in Pardede 2006
4 Look for important words
while reading Interpretive reading
Pre-critical reading, Kurland 2010
5 Paraphrasing while reading
the text and summarizing the text after reading it
6 Identify the parts you do not
understand
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No Points to be observed
Stages of reading The underlying
disciplines
7 Ask questions and make the
mark Critical reading
Critical reading as way of thinking,
Knott n.d.
8 Look again to the notes and
check whether the initial questions are answered
Post reading Evaluation, Knott
n.d. and summary, writing centre
university of Western Cape n.d.
9 Restate main argument and
conclusion and summarize the essay
10 Explain why it is
convincing or not with your own words
The critical writing section was conducted in the second observation. The format for the observation was adapted from writing the critical response
proposed by Donna Gorrell who adapted the original aspects from Simon Schuster Handbook for writers, 4
th
edition, writing; invention forma and style by podis podis. The format consisted of 13 points. The points were the ideas
developed from the theories underlying the principles of critical writing. There were three stages in critical writing; post reading, critical thinking and critical
writing. From the three stages, the format of the critical writing section observation was divided into several small points which represented the stages or
a set of activities developed in class. The points are presented in the following.
Table 3.2 Observation Blueprint on Critical Writing Session
No Points to be observed
Stages The underlying principles
1 What are the main points, ideas
or arguments of the text? Post reading
Summary and analysis, Clanchy Ballard 1991
2 How is the text organized?
3 What evidence support does
the author give? 4
What is the primary purpose of the text?
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No Points to be observed
Stages The underlying principles
5 Does the work achieve its
purpose?
Critical thinking
Analysis and evaluation, Fisher 2001
6 Is the evidence
weakinsufficient? 7
Can I supply further explanation to clarify or
support any main points or ideas?
8 Are there parts I do not
understand? 9
Was there part in which the author offer too much little
information?
10 Were there parts which could
persuade you? Why? 11
Introduction Critical
writing Review, Wallace Wray
2006 12
Body: summary, analysis and response.
13 Conclusion
The critical thinking section in the presentation session was the last observation that the researcher conducted to figure out the critical thinking
achieved by the students. The format of observation was adapted from CTAC Critical Thinking across Curriculum Faculty Community 2011 for George
Mason University, which originally taken from the AACU Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric. The aspects are issue elaboration, evidence, context and
assumptions, students’ position, conclusion and related outcomes, innovative thinking, and connecting, synthesizing and transforming. The categories employed
for each aspect are novice, milestone: emerging, milestone: showing strength, and advanced. The aspects are presented as in the next page.
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Table 3.3 Observation Blueprint on Oral Presentation Session
Those are the observation formats that were used for this research. The detail explanation and relation to the underlying principles are explained in Chapter II
and IV.
3.4.2 Questionnaire