3.4 Instrument of the Study
Harmer 2001: 346-347 states that “The methods which can be used to gather
evidence in action research are as follows: tape recording data, experiments, journal, questionnaires, interviews, observation, and test”. For this classroom
action research, I used two instruments.
3.4.1 Observation Sheet
B urns 1999: 80 states “Observation enables researchers to document and reflect
systematically upon classroom interactions and events, as they actually occur rather than as we think they occur.” According to Burns‟ statement, I inferred that
observation sheet was used to monitor t he students‟ activities during the action
steps of each cycle in a classroom action research. To make the observation easier, I decided to use an observation as follows.
Table 3.1 Observation Sheet of the Students’ Behavioural Changes
No. Code
Indicators and Scores Indicator
A Indicator
B Indicator
C Indicator
D Indicator
E
1. S1
2. S2
3. S3
4. S4
5. S5
Notes: Indicator A
: S tudents‟ activeness involved in the brainstorming session.
Indicator B : S
tudents‟ seriousness in learning process. Indicator C
: S tudents‟ interest in using clustering technique.
Indicator D : S
tudents‟ enthusiastic about their ideas. Indicator E
: S tudents‟ activities in writing a descriptive text.
To make the observation easier, I decided to use the scoring criterion as follows:
Table 3.2 Scoring Criterion of the Students’ Behavioural Changes
Scoring Criterion
1 2
3 4
5 Very low
Low Medium
High Very high
3.4.2 Test
Test item which was used in this research was writing test. Brown 2004: 3 states “A test is a method of measuring a person‟s ability, knowledge, or performance in
a given domain”. As stated above, this research concerned with exploring the students‟ ideas in writing a descriptive text by implementing clustering technique
as a medium. Therefore in the study, tests were used to measure the students‟
ability in writing a descriptive text. However, the test items were very helpful in knowing the students‟ mastery in writing a descriptive text. The tests were given
in three sessions:
1 Pre-cycle test
The pre- cycle test was used to know the students‟ ability in writing a
descriptive text before they were given the treatment. 2
Post-cycle test 1 The post-
cycle test was used to measure the students‟ ability in writing a descriptive text after they got the treatment. The post-cycle test 1 was the
same as the pre-cycle test. 3
Post-cycle test 2 The post-
cycle test was used to measure the students‟ ability in writing a descriptive text after they got the treatment. The post-cycle test 2 was the
same as the pre-cycle test and post-cycle 1.
3.5 Method of Data Analysis
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