103 materials. Yet, in one of supporting evidence in the essay, the student wrote a very
different idea with the topic sentence stating that there are some ways to recycle scraps into something that is valuable
ESY
15
- ERT
2.6
. Eventually, the discussion on the idea relationships could help the research
state that each element in an essay significantly has a role to form a clear idea relationship as it was illustrated by Arnaudet and Barret 1984 in their
explanations and examples of eight idea relationships. Therefore, in writing an analytical exposition essay, students should pay attention to the thesis statement,
the argument, covering its topic sentence, and supporting evidence, and the thesis restatement in an essay. Besides, they should ensure whether those elements have
been arranged logically and relevant to each other, so they could form a clear idea relationship in their essay. It is clear that this idea relationship would become one
way to achieve coherence in a written work Oshima Hogue, 2006. In the subsequent parts, other coherence problems that are also closely related to the
discussion in this part and that could affect the idea relationships problems encountered by the students would be discussed.
2. Irrelevant Topic Sentences
The second coherence problem revealed by this research was irrelevant topic sentences. More specifically, the student wrote irrelevant topic sentences in
order to support the thesis statement written in their essays. Before coming to further discussions on this issue, this research would review briefly the ideas of
topic sentences. That would help readers follow the discussions in this part easily. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
104 A topic sentence in a paragraph has an essential role both in a general
essay and in an analytical exposition essay. Generally, every supporting paragraph in the body of essays should start with a topic sentence Langan, 2011. This topic
sentence introduces a supporting idea in each body paragraph Meyers, 2005 and clarifies the point that needs to be elaborated in the paragraph as well as provides
a focus toward a supporting paragraph Langan, 2011. In a context of analytical exposition essays, a topic sentence would significantly provide a focus as well as
become the point in every given argument written in a paragraph. Accordingly, this research would consider every topic sentence written by the students in their
analytical exposition essay and see wh ether it supports the students’ thesis
statement written in their essay. In other words, this research should ensure the emergence of connected
ideas among the thesis statement and the presented topic sentence in each paragraph. Otherwise, the coherence problems would possibly occur within the
essay. It was because coherence in this research was concerned with arranging ideas in a logical way in which every stated idea in our written work is connected
one another. This aims to help our readers understand the ideas stated in our written work easily, so we could convince them that the stated position in the
essay is correct. Overall, the irrelevant topic sentences in this case were that an idea written in topic sentences was not relevant to that written in a thesis
statement. Therefore, the written topic sentences did not support the thesis statement in the
students’ essays. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
105 After considering the roles of a topic sentence elaborated in the previous
paragraphs and the operational definition of coherence stated in this research, this research more specifically would discuss three related problems dealing with the
irrelevant topic sentences written in the essays. The first problem was that the topic sentences written by the student were opposed to a thesis statement in an
essay. The second problem was that the topic sentences discussed a very different idea with that stated in the thesis statement. Meanwhile, the third problem was
related to the issue of descriptive topic sentences. The discussions on these irrelevant topic sentences would start from the
first related problem stating that the topic sentences written by the student were opposed to a thesis statement in the essay. This problem was found in the third
essay entitled “English Monologue for Reading Comprehension” TTL
3
. Clearly, in the thesis statement of the third essay, the student aimed to convince readers
that English monologue text is very effective to improve learners’ reading comprehension TWP
3
. Nevertheless, the student, in some topic sentences, wrote the negative points and sides of an English monologue text in reading, which
clearly did not support the student’s position:
One of the negative effects of using an English monologue text for reading is the reader might confront with textual difficulties, such as unknown
words ESY
3
-PNT
3
. The length of an English monologue text cannot go hand in hand with the
students’ concentration ESY
3
-PNT
4
. Reading an English monologue is dealing with complex interpretations
ESY
3
-PNT
6
. Reading the topic sentences above ESY
3
-PNT
3-6
, readers could possibly say that why they should belie
ve that the student’s position TWP
3
, is right if they were PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
106 informed that there were negative points of the English monologue text, such as
the textual difficulties ESY
3
-PNT
3
, problems with the students’ concentration
ESY
3
-PNT
4
, and complex interpretation ESY
3
-PNT
6
. The second related problem dealing with the irrelevant topic sentences was
that topic sentences were not related at all with a thesis statement written in the essay. In other words, topic sentences discussed a very different point with that
stated in a thesis statement. Clearly, the data displayed in Table 4.2 indicated that the students frequently wrote topic sentences that discussed a very different point
from that stated in a thesis statement. The subsequent paragraphs would show some topic sentences taken from some essays in order to provide illustrations to
this problem. The first essay was used as the first example. In writing the first essay
entitled “Using Drama Activities in Introducing Indonesian Culture for Foreigners
” TTL
1
, the student aimed to convince the readers that drama works effectively in introducing Indonesian culture and language learning for foreigners
TWP
1
. Unrelated to drama, the student, in some of her topic sentences, clarified further ideas about puppet and story-telling:
One of the techniques, Puppet is very oft en a foreigners’ entertainment
ESY
1
-PNT
4
. The last technique is storytelling ESY
1
-PNT
6
. In the first essay, the student should have written, for instance, why and
how the drama works effectively in introducing Indonesian culture and language learning. It was because puppet and storytelling were different from drama, which
became the focus of the essay. When reading such topic sentences stated in the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
107 first essay, readers might possibly expect to read further elaborations on puppet
and storytelling which did not support the thesis statement written by the student. In addition, writing unrelated topic sentences, which were about puppet and
storytelling as different points from a drama, would not help to convince the readers that drama works effectively in introducing Indonesian culture and
language learning for foreigners TWP
1
. The similar problem was also found
in the fifth essay entitled “Applying Neuro-Linguistic Programming to Public Speaking Class in University Level
” TTL
5
. In a thesis statement, the student wrote about Neuro-Linguistic Programming, henceforth called NLP that could help students become better
public speakers: In this paper, I would like to talk about applying NLP to public speaking
class which helps the students become much better public speakers TWP
5
. In order to convince readers to believe the thesis statement stated by the
student, they could possibly expect the student to clarify reasons or ways NLP program helped the students become better public speakers, regarded as the thesis
statement of the essay. It was because the thesis statement contains an expression of an attitude, opinion, idea as well as expresses the controlling idea for the entire
essay Smalley Ruetten, 1986. In addition, the thesis is a sentence that states the main point, idea of the whole essay McMurrey Campman, 1983.
Nevertheless, in some of her topic sentences, the student stated the purposes of public speaking class and even the purposes of giving and receiving feedback:
Public speaking is a course which teaches the students to become good public speakers
ESY
5
- PNT
2
. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
108 In public speaking class, students are taught some important things when
speaking in front of people ESY
5
- PNT
3
. Giving and receiving feedback is also essential when improving public
speaking skill ESY
5
- PNT
6
. Clearly, the thesis statement in the fifth essay focused on NLP to help
students become better public speakers TWP
5
. Regarding the theories on a thesis statement Smalley Ruetten, 1986; McMurrey Campman, 1983, we, as
readers, could expect that the student, in her topic sentences, clarified further about NLP. Therefore, it would not be relevant to talk about what public speaking
is ESY
5
-PNT
2
, what students do in a public speaking class ESY
5
-PNT
3
and giving and receiving feedback ESY
5
-PNT
6
. In that case, the student could clarify further about the public speaking class in an introductory part of the essay, which
aimed to attract readers’ interest Langan, 2011 and to introduce the topic to be discussed Smalley Ruetten, 1986, in this case, applying Neuro-Linguistic
Programming in a public speaking class. Moreover, writing an irrelevant topic sentence would possibly lead the
student to write an incoherent paragraph. It was because a topic sentence clarifies the point that needs to be elaborated in the paragraph as well as provides a focus
toward a supporting paragraph Langan, 2011. Therefore, if the student writes that students in public speaking class are taught some important things when
speaking in front of people ESY
5
-PNT
3
as a topic sentence, clearly the paragraph will clarify those important things. By doing so, the student would not
be able to write a paragraph that was relevant to and supported the thesis statement of her essay stating that NLP could help students improve their skills as
a public speaker TWP
5
. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
109 The sixth essay entitled “Improving Reading Skill by Paraphrasing
TTL
6
” would become another example for the second problem. In the essay, the student tried to convince readers that paraphrasing is effective to improve
students’ reading skill TWP
6
. The student wrote: This essay is going to discuss about the effectiveness of improving reading
skill to students by paraphrasing with their own ideas TWP
6
. Regarding the theories on thesis statement Smalley Ruetten, 1986;
McMurrey Campman, 1983, readers could expect that the student, in her topic sentences, discuss further about paraphrasing. For instance, the student could
clarify further about how paraphrasing can help students improve their reading skill. Nevertheless, the student in a topic sentence wrote an idea about reading:
Reading is a good habit that should be taught to children from an early age due to the reading, a lot of benefits can be gained
ESY
6
-PNT
1
. Obviously, it was difficult to see how clarifying about reading as a good habit
ESY
6
-PNT
1
, considered as a different point from paraphrase, helped to convince that
paraphrasing is effective to improve students’ reading skill TWP
6
. The third problem on the irrelevant topic sentences was related to what
was regarded as descriptive topic sentences. In this case, a topic sentence did not support a thesis statement because the topic sentence provided definitions,
characteristics, and forms of particular terms. In the subsequent paragraphs, some topic sentences were shown as examples to this problem.
The discussions would start from the second essay entitled “The Role of
Student’s Communication to Develop Writing Skill TTL
2
”. In the essay, the student believed that student’s communication becomes one way to develop
110 student
s’ writing skill TWP
2
. In order to support her belief, the student wrote some topic sentences, which one of them was the description of communication:
According to Patil 2011, communication is about how we communicate with each other human being is using means of verbal and non-verbal for
centuries ESY
2
-PNT
1
. Considering that a topic sentence tells readers
“what they are going to read about” Hogue, 2008: 38, readers ESY
2
-PNT
1
, would be able to see further clarification about how people communicate with each other. Nevertheless,
clarifying how people communicate with each other would not be related at all with student’s communication as one way to develop students’ writing skill
TWP
2
. Therefore, the topic sentence showed the disconnection of ideas between a topic sentence and a thesis statement in an essay, which clearly indicated a
coherence problem in the essay. Another descriptive topic sentence was also found in the twentieth essay
entitled “Using Color in Learning English for Hyperactive Students TTL
20
”. In order to support the thesis statement in the essay stating that using color in
learning English is really helpful for hyperactive students who cannot concetrate in one thing TWP
20
, the student wrote some topic sentences. One of the topic sentences dealt with special characteristics of hyperactive children:
Hyperactive students have some bad characteristics, but they still have some good characteristics
ESY
20
- PNT
5
. Reading such topic sentence ESY
20
-PNT
5
, readers might possibly expect that the students discussed further about those good and bad characteristics. It was
because a topic sentence introduces a supporting idea in each body paragraph Meyers, 2005, clarifies the point that needs to be elaborated in the paragraph as
111 well as provides a focus toward a supporting paragraph Langan, 2011.
Nevertheless, stating that hypercative children have both bad and good characteristics would not be related to the use of color in learning English and
thus, would not help to convince the readers to believe that using color in learning English is really helpful for hyperactive students who cannot concetrate in one
thing TWP
20
. This would certainly indicate a coherence problem in the essay. The
fourth essay entitled “Teaching English for Autistic Children in Indonesia with Role Play
TTL
4
” could become another example. In the fourth essay, the student aimed to convince readers that role-play is a suitable method
that can be used to help autistic children in Indonesia learn English more effectively TWP
4
. Similarly, the student, in some of topic sentences, wrote the definition and characteristics of autism, which did not provide further clarification
on the use of role-play as a method: According to Byrness 2011, autism is a developmental disability that
typically involves delays and impairment in social skills, language, and behavior
ESY
4
-PNT
2
. Rosenberg 2004 states that there are several universal and specific
characteristics of autism ESY
4
-PNT
3
. A topic sentence in the sixth essay could become another example of the
description topic sentence. In the essay, the student tried to convince readers that paraphrasing is effective to improve students’ reading skill TWP
6
. In order to convince them about the effectiveness of paraphrasing to improve the skill, the
student wrote a topic sentence that clarified four levels in reading: According to Doren and Adler, 2007, there are four levels in reading;
basic reading, inspectional reading, analytical reading, and sintopical reading
ESY
6
-PNT
3
. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
112 Reading an argumentative essay, readers should be convinced that paraphrasing is
effective to improve students’ reading skill TWP
6
. Clearly, clarifying four levels in reading ESY
6
-PNT
3
was not related to the focus of the essay, which was to convince the readers about the effectiveness of paraphrasing.
Overall, providing the definition as well as characteristics of a particular term as a topic sentence would lead the
students’ essays to become a description text, which is to “include characteristic features of the subject, such as physical
appearance, qualities, habitual behaviour, and significant attributes” Board of Studies New South Wales, 1998: 163. In that case, the students could put such
topic sentences, covering the definition, characteristics, and forms of a particular term in the introductory part, which aims to introduce the topic to be discussed
Smalley Ruetten, 1986. The discussion on this problem also significantly informed that writing definitions, characteristics, and forms of a particular term as
a topic sentence to support a thesis statement in an argumentative essay should be minimized and even not be done.
Then, the findings of the current research, specifically in relation to the irrelevant topic sentences, supported the claim made by the previous related study
conducted by Ahmed in 2010. In his study on one hundred and sixty five student teachers of English,
Ahmed 2010 similarly aimed to investigate students’ coherence problems in EFL essay writing. Implementing an interpretive
qualitative research, which involved the use of a questionnaire and a semi- structured interview, he revealed that Egyptian student teachers of English
encountered some coherence problems in their English writing. The coherence PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
113 problems were similarly because of the difficulties that the students had in writing
a topic sentence. Unlike the current research, he did not mention about the opposing and
unrelated topic sentences to the thesis statement as well as the descriptive topic sentences as the further clarification on the topic sentence regarded as the
coherence problems in his study. Therefore, the findings of the current research on the topic sentence could significantly provide the improvement in the case of topic
sentences as the coherence problem found by Ahmed ’s previous study in 2010.
Importantly, the discussions on the irrelevant topic sentences would be able to show a clear relation between a topic sentence and its supporting evidence.
In that case, when the students wrote an irrelevant topic sentence to the thesis statement of their essays, their supporting evidence could be automatically
regarded as irrelevant supporting evidence. It was because they would mainly discuss about the irrelevant idea stated in the topic sentence, which clarifies the
point that needs to be elaborated in the paragraph.
3. Irrelevant Supporting Evidence
