32 stated that a convenience sampling is efficient since the researcher can select the
participants quickly p. 66. After all sampling procedure had been carried out, the researcher delivered
an oral consent form when conducting the research. A consent form is the brief description of the research given to research participants so that they are aware of
the nature, purposes, risks, and benefits of the research Johnson Christensen, 2012: 107. The use of consent form ensures that the participants willingly and
knowingly participated in the research.
D. Instruments and Data Gathering Technique
A combination of instruments was used by the researcher, consisting of achievement test as the core instrument and questionnaire as the secondary
instrument. To answer the first research question, a questionnaire was used because it dealt with students’ beliefs and experience. Before distributing the questionnaire,
the researcher did the piloting to ensure that the items were clear. All students in the sample were given a questionnaire as well as an oral consent to assure that their
identities were kept confidential. There were ten items in the questionnaire; eight of which asked about students’ self-evaluation regarding the English word stress,
while two others asked students to revisit their previous knowledge of phonology and morphology. Thus, the questionnaire was of great efficiency to determine their
experience and belief about English word stress and English suffixed words. The blueprint of the questionnaire is laid out in the next page.
33
Table 3.1 The Questionnaire Blueprint
No. Features
Item number
Statement Notes
1 Belief about
stress in English
suffixed words.
1 Word stress is a vital part in
English pronunciation.
Four-ranged rating scale items
2 All English suffixes have their
own principles regarding the stress placement of a word.
3 English suffixes such as -
eous, -ic, -ity and -ion do not shift the stress from the root.
4 My awareness of English
word stress is much improved now.
10 Is there anything else you
would like to add regarding English suffixed words?
An open-ended question
2 Experience in
pronouncing English
suffixed words and learning
word stress 5
It is difficult to pronounce English words ending with -
eous, -ic, -ity and -ion suffixes.
Four-ranged rating scale items
6 I am doubtful about
pronouncing English words with -eous, -ic, -ity and -ion
suffixes.
34
No. Features
Item number
Statement Notes
2 Experience in
pronouncing English suffixed
words and learning word
stress 7
I think my pronunciation of English words with -eous, -
ic, -ity and -ion suffixes is better now.
Four-ranged rating scale items
8 Which of the following
subjects have you ever retaken?
Check any
responses. A checklist item
4 Demography
9 Your student number is 111
214 ______
A “fill in the blank” item
T he purpose of an achievement test is to give adjudication on test takers’
competence of certain knowledge Ary et al., 2010: 201. The researcher used a performance test, i.e. an oral test, as a part of achievement test, because the
researcher wanted to as sess students’ capability in stressing English suffixed words
orally. A performance test is a commensurate way to indicate generally whether the examinees can actually produce something Kubiszyn Borich, 2003, pp. 154
– 155. The oral test was composed of eighty English suffixed words ending with -ic,
-ity, -ion, and -eous suffixes. These words were grouped by the suffixes, with each suffix having twenty suffixed words.
In order to avoid a ceiling and floor effect, the test items were first pilot- tested. After the researcher conducted the piloting, the researcher revised it prior to
using it to answer the second research question. The researcher administered the
35 oral test in Multimedia Laboratory because there were computers capable of
recording students’ performance simultaneously.
E. Data Analysis Technique
