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would thus discuss each category to reveal the errors thoroughly. The following were some of the students’ diction containing errors requiring analysis.
1. Formality Errors
Table 4.6 shows that 86 errors covered four features, namely abbreviation, pronoun, expression, and subjective words.
Table 4.6 The Percentage of Formality Errors No.
Error Type Total
1. Abbreviation
20 7.49
2. Pronoun
37 13.86
3. Expression
18 6.74
4. Subjective words
11 4.12
TOTAL 86
32.21
The writer thus sequentially elaborated some examples of formality errors in the following sections:
a. Abbreviation
There were 20 errors 7.49 of abbreviation in students’ composition. These errors covered wrong use of initialism and contraction. Examples of
initialism error were:
1 Even though in the GBPP states that elementary school students …
2 People still consider that human intelligence can be measured only by IQ test.
The above sentences included incorrect initialisms as the students placed the initialism without elucidating the meaning. It was probably inappropriate as
some of the readers might be unaware what those initialisms stood for. Plausible rectifications of these sentences were:
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1 Even though in the GBPP Garis-garis Besar Pedoman Pengajaran states
that elementary school students … 2 People still consider that human intelligence can be measured only by IQ
Intelligence Quotient test. Meanwhile, examples of contraction found in the students’ composition
were: 1 If it doesn’t work, give him a punishment.
2 In sum, experiential learning method in writing process helps the students to reach high level thinking.
The italic words were the contractions. Contractions are avoided since they are informal English Harder et al, 1965: 17; Wresch et al, 1988: 186. These
sentences were informal sentences since they expressed the spoken form rather than the written form. ‘Doesn’t’ and ‘in sum’ were appropriate in speaking but
inappropriate in writing. In this case the students should write the whole words. Plausible rectifications of the sentences were:
1 If it does not work, give him a punishment.
2 In summary, experiential learning method in writing process helps the
students to reach high level thinking.
b. Pronoun
Writers must avoid a masculine bias in pronouns or other words that indicate gender as sexist pronouns are not allowed in academic writing
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Memering, 1989: 249. From 37 errors, most of the errors appeared in employing sexist pronoun. For example:
1 … integrated into the individual’s system of constructs which he imposes on the world.
2 the learner can utilize his experiences and learning strengths in the process of constructing knowledge.
The use of he and his above implies a totally masculine group. In other words, the students overlook the feminine group. As this is unacceptable in
academic writing, the students should use a pronoun that explicitly indicates both men and women. Plausible rectifications of the sentences were:
1 … integrated into the individual’s system of constructs which he or she imposes on the world.
2 … the learner can utilize his or her experiences and learning strengths in the process of constructing knowledge.
Addressing you was mostly considered as informal in academic writing as well. The detailed data enclosed in Appendix 5 specifically showed that 16 errors
found in this sub-category. For example: 1 Studying public speaking is important to you not only personally but also
professionally.
2 You can not edit and revise what you wish to say.
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c. Expression
