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4 Building meanings and interpretations
The researcher and the collaborator tried to carefully develop explanations and interpretations from the data collected based on the comparison that had been
made. 5
Reporting the outcomes In this final step, the researcher reported the results of the research through
writing the thesis. The quantitative data were analyzed by comparing the mean values of the
students‟ scores in the pre-test and the post-test using SPSS Statistics 16.0 as well as using O‟Gara‟s model in Burns 2010: 129. In SPSS Statistics 16.0, the pre-
test and the post-test scores were compared using Paired Sample T-test to see if the Semantic Mapping Strategy influenced the students‟ reading comprehension.
Meanwhile, in O‟Gara‟s model, both of the scores were compared to see whether the students performed better or worse in the post-test. The scores of the
assessments during the cycles were analyzed in the same way to see the students‟
progress during cycle 1 and cycle 2 in which the action had been implemented. Those data then were presented in the form of tables.
G. Research Validity and Reliability
According to Anderson et al. 1994 in Burns 1999, there are five validity criteria that should be fulfilled to get the valid data in action research.
They are democratic validity, outcome validity, process validity, catalytic validity, and dialogic validity.
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1 Democratic validity means that the result of the research is obtained through
collaboration and the inclusion of multiple voices from the students and the teacher both in planning and evaluating the research to know whether the
technique is effective or not and whether it can solve the teaching and learning problems or not.
2 Outcome validity means that the outcome is needed to reflect on the research
context 3
The process validity is related to the criterion to make the action research believable. To gain this validity, the researcher collected the data by
observation and interview. 4
The catalytic validity is allowing the participants to deepen their understanding of the social realities of the context and how they can make
change in it. This research involved the teacher who was related to the English teaching and learning process and the collaborator as a person who monitored
the research process. 5
The dialogic validity is the process of peer reviews of the value and the goodness of the research. This validity was fulfilled by discussing the research
findings with the collaborators, the teacher, and the researcher‟s consultant.
The members of the discussion gave their opinions and their criticisms about the research report.
Meanwhile, to fulfill the validity of the tests, the researcher used content validity and face validity. To fulfill content and face validity, the researcher
constructed the tests based on the Basic Competences and the Standards of
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Competences for Grade VIII of junior high school and the researcher discussed with the teacher the texts used in the test and the test items. To check the validity
of the test, the researcher conducted a trial testing of the pre-test items toward a class whose students have similar ability as Grade VIII C students. The pre-test
was tried out in Grade VIII A and the post-test was tried out in Grade VIII B. The pre-test and the post-test scores then were analyzed based on three indices
proposed by Brown 2004 and Cohen 2000; those are item facility IF, item discrimination ID, and distractor efficiency. Those indices were analyzed using
ITEMAN 4.3. The researcher also used ITEMAN 4.3. to measure the reliability of the test. From the analysis of the test, it was known that the reliability of the pre-
test was 0.391 and the reliability of the post-test was 0.80. To make sure that this research was reliable, the researcher used
triangulations. According to Cohen et al. 2000: 112, triangulation is “the use of
two or more methods of data collection in the study of some aspect of human behavior.” Based on the types of triangulations proposed by Denzin in Cohen et
al. 2000: 113, the researcher used: 1
Time triangulation The researcher conducted the research over a period of time to identify the
factors involved in the change process. 2
Theoretical triangulation The data were analyzed from more than one perspective.
3 Investigator triangulation
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The researcher involved the collaborator in observing the research data in order to avoid bias.
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CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
