37 The researcher adopted the Kemmis and McTaggart‟s research model of
Classroom Action Research 1988. In this model, the researcher implemented four steps for each cycle. There are planning, action, observation, and reflecting.
The researcher conducted two cycles in this research. In this classroom action research, the researcher collected data form the
students. The researcher needed research instruments in collecting the data. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative instruments in collecting the
data. The researcher used data triangulation technique to analyze the data gathered.
B. Research Setting
This research was conducted in SMP Negeri 10 Surakarta in the even semester of the academic year of 2013 2014 from April to June 2014. There
were two cycles which were applied in this research. Cycle one was conducted in two meetings. Cycle two was conducted in one meeting. The researcher
conducted the research with the procedure which agreed between both sides: the researcher and the school.
C. Research Participants
The participants, who were involved in this research as the population, were the teacher and the students of SMP Negeri 10 Surakarta. They are all the
members of SMP Negeri 10 Surakarta who deal with English.
1. The teachers
There were three English teachers in SMP Negeri 10 Surakarta. The researcher took one teacher who was also the English class teacher of VIII F. The
38 English teacher as the participant of this research gave the opinions and
suggestions about the technique of picture series in writing activity. The researcher asked her comments on the observation sheets of each cycle.
2. The students
The researcher was conducted in SMP Negeri 10 Surakarta in VIII F class in the academic year 20132014. The VIII F class consisted of 26 students. There
were 12 girls and 14 boys in VIII F class. They constituted the participants of this research. Based on the preliminary research, the researcher found that the
students got difficulties in writing skill. It became the basic aim of this research to overcome the problems by finding the solutions to be applied in the classroom.
D. Instruments and Data Gathering Technique
This section elaborates the instruments which were employed in the classroom action research in order to collect the data. The instruments were
observation sheet, field notes, questionnaire, interview, and also students‟ draft in writing. These five kinds of instruments were chosen because of their
effectiveness and efficiency. The following is the table of the used instruments in this research.
Table 3.1 Table of Instruments and Data Collected Instruments
Data Collected Time
Preliminary Study
Cycle 1 Cycle 2
Observation checklist
Self Reflection Teacher
‟s activities
and students‟ activities
April 15
th
, 2014
Meeting one: April
24
th
, 2014
Meeting two: April
29
th
, 2014
May 13
th
, 2014
Field Notes Teacher‟s
activities April 15
th
, Meeting one: May 13
th
,
39
and students‟ activities 2014 April
24
th
, 2014
Meeting two: April
29
th
, 2014
2014
Questionnaire Students‟ perception
of the materials April
15
th
, 2014
April 29
th
, 2014
May 13
th
, 2014
Interview The detail data of
students‟ perception -
- May 14
th
, 2014
Students‟ Drafts Students‟ Revised
Written Students‟ score in
their drafts
of narrative texts.
Students‟ score in their final narrative
texts. April 15
th
, 2014
- Meeting one:
April 24
th
, 2014
Meeting two: April
29
th
, 2014
May 13
th
, 2014 May 13
th
, 2014
May 19
th
, 2014
1. Observation checklist
Observation is used to know the situation happened in the classroom during the implementation. Observation is very important in conducting this research to
gather information of what happens during the teaching- learning process. According to Morison, the researcher is able to gather data on:
a. The physical setting e.g. the physical environment and its
organization b.
The human e.g. the organization of people, the characteristic and makeup of the group or individual being
who is are observed c.
The interactional setting e.g. the interaction that are taking place, formal, informal, verbal, non-verbal
d. The program setting e.g. the resources and their
organization, pedagogic style, and curricula as cited in Cohen, Manion, and Morisson, 2000, p. 305
The importance of the observation is also stated by Koshy 2005 that through an observation sheet we can record behavior patterns and the number of actions and
40 interactions. Observation checklist is also used to gain any feedback and comment
from the observers toward the teaching and learning process. In addition, the following are the advantages of employing observation for the research study
according to Creswell 2009, p. 179 1.
Researcher has a first-hand experience with the participant. 2.
Researcher can record information as occurs. 3.
Unusual aspects can be noticed during observation. 4.
Useful in exploring topics that may be uncomfortable for participants to discuss.
Thus, by using the observation sheets, the researcher expects that she can collect as many data as possible. The form of observation sheet which is used by
the researcher is checklist form. According to Sloan and Sloan 2013, “Checklists
should be not too board. It is better to have a narrow focus at any one time and observe more frequently than to try to cover too many areas of observation”
p.23. The observation checklists will be in the form for observing teacher‟s activities and students‟ activities. The teacher‟s activities observation checklist
will be used for the researcher‟s self-reflection toward the activities given to the
students. Meanwhile, the students‟ activities observation checklist will be used to obtain the information from the students when the researcher implements the
action. Moreover, the researcher asked for help from two
“peer- observers” Zepeda, 2014, p. 51. The term “peer- observer” was used to represent the other
observers who invited during the teaching and learning process in order to collect the data. According to Zepeda 2014, “The peer observer helps the teacher look
