III. METHOD OF RESEARCH 3. 1
Reseacrh Design
The researcher uses field research in doing this writing. Field research is an activity aimed at collecting primary original or otherwise
unavailable data, using methods such as face to face interviewing, telephone
and postal
survey, and
direct observation
www.businessdictionary.comdefinitionfield-research.html .
The researcher applies quantitative method and qualitative method . Quantitative
method is used to find out the kinds and the most dominant error in using gerund. Arikunto 2005:12 states that quantitative research applies number
from collecting the data, describing the data, until the result of the research. Moreover, the results of the research would be better by applying table,
graph, draft, picture, etc. Qualitative method is used to describe the sources and causes of the
errors made by the students. Moleong 2006: 3 states that qualitative method is a procedure that generates the data in the form of descriptive
words in written or spoken from people and observed behavior. According to Straus and Corbin in Syamsudin 2007: 73, qualitative research is a
research of which the discovery is not obtained through statistic procedure or any other calculation form.
These two research methods can be used simultaneously, but it is not used to compare the advantages and disadvantages of each other. Galser
and Strauss in Moleong, 2006:22 states that in many cases, both forms of methods are needed, not quantitative test qualitative, but both forms are
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used together and, when compared, each of which can be used to formulate the theory.
3. 2 Population and Sample 3.2.1. Population
Population is a very important factor in conducting a research. Agung 2003:1 states that population can be defined in
several ways as follows: a. A set of individuals with the properties specified or selected by the researcher in such a way that every
individual can be expressed exactly what the individual becomes the member of the population or not, b. Associated with the
variable, then the population can be defined as the set of all variables, both univariate and multivariate, which may be reviewed
by a researcher, c. Relates to the data, both quantitative and qualitative data, the population can be defined as the set of all
possible data or chopped observed and recorded by a researcher. In other words, population is the set of all individuals who may or
may be provide data and information for an investigation. The population that the writer used in this research was the
students of English Department, Faculty of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara. English Department consisted of 8
regular classes and 2 extension classes with the number of students 409. But the researcher only take two classes, namely the fourth
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semester students as the object of the research. These two classes consist of 100 students.
3.2.2. Sample
Sample is part of the population. It is a project of selecting a number of individuals to represent the larger group they belong.
Agung 2003:2 states that sample is a subset of a given population. The method of sampling used is purposive sampling. Arikunto
2005:97 states that purposive sampling is sampling technique used by the researcher if the researcher has specific considerations
in sample collection. The sample in this research is the fourth semester students
of English Department, Faculty of Cultural Studies, USU in the academic year of 20122013. The fourth semester students is
divided into two classes and it consists of 100 students, but there were only 54 students following the test because they were absent
on the day when the test was held. The researcher’s considerations choosing them as the respondent due to they have learned gerund
in the third semester and because of they are obliged to use English on almost of all subjects.
3. 3 Research Instrument
All researchers need data collecting instrument in doing a research study. Research instrument is very important for them who will
do a research because it plays an important role in a research project. Arikunto 2005:134 states that research instrument is an invaluable tool
for researchers in collecting data. The good data collecting instrument will
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influence the validity and reliability of the data obtained. To collect data, a researcher needs data collecting method and data collecting instrument.
Data collecting instrument can be divided into two types, a test and a non-test. Arikunto, 1992:122 state that A test is a written set of
questions to which an individual responds in order to determine whether he or she passes. A non-test is a way to evaluate the learning outcomes of
students without
testing the
students http:liyazafira.blogspot.com201203
instrumen-tes-dan- nontes.html
. In collecting the required data for the analysis of this final project, the researcher used a test as an instrument to find out the kinds of
error respondents in using gerund.
3. 4 Data Collecting Method
Data collecting method are ways that can be used by researchers to collect data. In this research, the writer collects the data by giving test to the
fourth semester students of English Department totaled 54 students. The data in this study are the answers of the students that contain errors in
using gerund. The test instrument is completion test 24 questions and writing a short paragraph
entitled “shopping” 250 words. In this test the reseacher only gave 40 minutes for the students to answer the questions.
3. 5 Data Analysis Method
The writer uses descriptive quantitative method and descriptive qualitative method. Quantitative descriptive analysis conducted by
researchers to find the number of frequencies and percentages, whereas
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qualitative descriptive analysis aims to give a title to data examined in accordance with pre-determined benchmarks. Arikunto, 2005:296
The researcher apllies the theory of Dulay, Burt, and Krashen to explain the kinds of error. For the steps of analyzing errors, the researcher
applies the theory of Rod Ellis. He also applies the grammar structure of Thomson and Martinet about the use of gerund.
The steps of doing this reseacrh are 1. The researcher made the questions and distributed them to the students to do it in 40 minutes. 2.
The researcher read and identify the errors made by the students in answering the questions 3. The researcher classified the errors into groups
based on the kinds of error, then tabulated it, 4. the researcher explains the data made by the students but not all data are explained, and 5. The
researcher drew some conclusion. To know the precentage of errors made by the students, the researcher also
uses the formula of Bungin 2005:171-172. The formula is: N= fxn x 100
Notes: n = stands for the percentages of errors
fx= stands of the total frequency of the sub-categories errors N= stands for the total errors of all categories.
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IV. ANALYSIS AND FINDING 4.1. Data Analysis
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