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CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD
A. Research Design
Related to the goal of this research, namely to improve the students‟ writing skill by using process approach, this study is categorized as classroom
action research. It aims at describing the process of the improvements of students‟ writing skill. According to Burns 2010:1, action research is part of a broad
movement that has been going on in education. It is related to the ideas of reflective practice and the teacher as a researcher. Action research also involves
taking a self-reflective, critical, and systematic approach to explore teaching context. This research is an action research since it essentially gives an emphasis
on solving problems that obtained in the teaching and learning process. This is in line with Burns 2010:13 who says that action research is a reflective practice
which is done by the teachers to bring about better results of their classes. It is also in line with Kemmis and McTaggart in McNiff 1991:24 who states that
action research is: “A form of collective self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participant in social
situation in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices, as well as their understanding of these practices and the
stituation in which these practices are carried out.” Furthermore, Kemmis and McTaggart 1988 in Burns 2010 elaborate
that action research occurs through a dynamic and complementary process, which consists of four steps: planning, action, observation and reflection. The researcher
collaborated with the English teacher found the problems, formulated the possible
solution, implemented the action, and reflected on the outcome of the action. The process in action research can be showed in the illustration below:
Figure 1. Cyclical Action Research Model by Kemmis and McTaggart 1988
B. Research Procedures
This research procedure involves five phases including reconnaissance, planning in action and observation, reflection and developing a new plan and
cycle Angwin, et.al., 1997. The explanation of each phase is as follows:
1. Reconnaissance
The reconnaissance step was conducted in the classroom in order to get information and descriptions of students‟ writing skill in the English learning
process. In reference to the data of observations and interviews, the researcher and
the English teacher identified the existing problems related to students‟ writing
skill and select the feasible problems that were possible to be solved.
2. Planning for the action
Before conducting the research, the researcher carried out observations in the classroom and interviews in order to obtain information and description of the
teaching and learning process of writing. Then, the researcher and the English teacher identified the existing problems related to the teaching and learning
process of writing and selected the most feasible problems which were possible to be solved.
After the researcher and the English teacher identified the problem, they prepared some possible plans
covering other research members‟ opinion, suggestion, expectation, and test results
to solve the problems. The teacher‟s opinion and suggestion were obtained through interviews
, whereas the students‟ expectation and test results were obtained through interviews and documents. The
plans are aimed to improve the students‟ writing skill through the Brainstorming technique.
3. Actions and Observation
After planning the actions, the English teacher and the researcher carried out the actions in the classroom. During the implementation of the action research,
the English teacher became the collaborator and observer who observed and helped the researcher in the teaching and learning process. Besides, the researcher
became the teacher who conducted the processes of English teaching and learning in order to know the success of the actions to improve students‟ writing skill and
also the problems occured during the implementation process. The actions were implemented in two cycles. Cycle I was conducted in three meetings while Cycle
II was also carried out in two meetings.
4. Reflecting
With regard to the implementation processes, the team members evaluated the result of the implementation. This was also useful to show the improvement of
the actions conducted in the learning processes. In this step the reflection was done to measure whether the actions were successful or not. If the actions were
considered successful, they would be continued to the next action. However, if the actions were unsuccessful, the next cycle would be implemented considering the
previous reflection.
5. Developing new plan and cycle
After conducting the first cycle and evaluating the result, the researcher and the English teacher prepared some ideas as what to do next began to be clear.
Then, researcher and the English teacher developed new plan and actions to be implemented in the next cycle, so that the changes can be noted systematically
over periods.