Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text.
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
Abstrak
Strategi merupakan hal yang penting bagi siswa dalam membaca teks. Penelitian ini mengidentifikasi strategi belajar siswa dalam membaca teks akademis. Penelitian ini dilakukan terhadap siswa pascasarjana jurusan ilmu alam dan ilmu sosial. Pertanyaan penelitian ditujukan untuk menjawab apa strategi yang digunakan oleh siswa dalam membaca teks akademik, apa perbedaan dan persamaan dari strategi yang digunakan oleh siswa jurusan ilmu alam dan jurusan ilmu sosial, terakhir apa alasan mereka menggunakan strategi tersebut. Penelitian ini menggunakan disain dari penelitian kualitatif. 25 orang siswa IA (Ilmu Alam) dan 25 orang siswa IS (ilmu Sosial) dilibatkan dalam penelitian ini. Data penelitian dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan wawancara dan angket. Data tersebut dianalisa berdasarkan pengelompokan strategi dalam membaca (Oxford, 1990). Hasil dari penelitian ini membuktikan bahwa kebanyakan siswa IS menggunakan affective strategies dalam membaca, sedangkan siswa IA pada umumnya menggunakan compensation strategies. Hasil tersebut mengindikasikan bahwa siswa IS lebih cendrung memperhatikan emosi dan perasaan dibandingkan mengandalkan kemampuan kognitif. Bahkan, data menunjukkan bahwa ada perbedaan dalam intensitas penggunaan strategi antara siswa IS dan IA. Perbedaan ini berhubungan dengan intensitas siswa dalam membaca teks berbahasa Iggris sebagai materi belajar. Siswa IA menggunakan teks berbahasa Inggris lebih sering daripada siswa IS, sehingga siswa IA lebih cendrung menggunakan compensation strategies untuk mengatasi kesulitan mereka dalam membaca. Sehubungan dengan alasan menggunakan strategi membaca, ada sejumlah alasan yang diajukan oleh siswa: 1) siswa menggunakan memory strategies untuk membantu mereka mengingat informasi baru yang sudah dibaca, 2) siswa menggunakan cognitive strategies untuk menemukan cara efektif dalam membaca, 3) siswa menggunakan compensation strategies untuk membantu mereka menemukan ide pokok dari teks dan menebak makna kata dalam memahami sebuah teks , 4) siswa menggunakan metacognitive strategies untuk membantu mereka dalam persiapan membaca dan memperhatikan kesalahan dalam membaca, 5) siswa menggunakan affective strategies untuk meningkatkan kepercayaan diri dalam membaca teks berbahasa Inggris, 6) siswa menggunakan social strategies untuk mendiskusikan dan mengecek pemahamannya.
(2)
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu ABSTRACT
Learning strategies have become important options for students in reading a text. This
study is concerned ith the in estigation of students’ learning strategies in reading English academic text. This was conducted to social and natural science students in a postgraduate school. The general research questions addressed in this study were: what strategies are used by the students in reading English academic texts, what differences and similarities of strategies used by social and natural science students and what their reasons in employing those strategies. This study utilized a qualitative research design. There were 25 social science students and 25 natural science students involved in this study. The data were collected by using questionnaires and interviews. The data were analyzed based on the categorization of learning strategies in reading (Oxford, 1990). The results of this study revealed that social science students most frequently used affective strategies in reading, whereas, natural science students most frequently used compensation strategies. This result indicates that social science students were more familiar with paying attention to their own feeling rather than manage their cognitive skills. Moreover, the data showed that there was a slight difference between the intensity of the use of strategies for social and natural science students. These differences have some relationship with the intensity of the students in using English texts as academic material. The natural science students used English texts more often than social science students, so that they were more familiar with compensation strategies, in terms of how to solve their limitation in reading. Regarding the reasons of employing learning strategies for reading, there are several reasons addressed by the students: 1) they used memory strategies to help them remember new information they have read, 2) they employed cognitive strategies to find an effective way in reading, 3) they employed compensation strategies in order to help them find main idea, and guess the meaning of words to understand a text , 4) they used metacognitive strategies in order to help them prepare their reading and monitor their mistake in reading, 5) they used affective strategies to increase their confidence in reading English text, 6) they used social strategies in order to discuss and check their comprehension.
(3)
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
(4)
i
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE OF APPROVAL ... Error! Bookmark not defined. DECLARATION ... Error! Bookmark not defined. PREFACE ... ..Error! Bookmark not defined. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... Error! Bookmark not defined. ABSTRACT.. ... Error! Bookmark not defined. TABLE OF CONTENTS ... i LIST OF TABLES ... v LIST OF FIGURES ... 7 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION.. ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.1 Background of the Study ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.2 Research Questions ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.3 Purpose of the Study ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.4 The Scope of the Study ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.5 Significance of the Study ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.6 Definition of Terms ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1.7 Organization of the study ... Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK . Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.1 The Nature of Reading ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2 Learning Strategies... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2.1 Definitions of Learning Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2.2 Features of Learning Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.
(5)
ii
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
2.2.3 Learning Strategies in Reading ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3 Classification of Learning Strategies in ReadingError! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.1 Direct Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.1.1 Memory strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.1.2 Cognitive strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.1.3 Compensation strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.2 Indirect Strategies... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.3.1 Metacognitive strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.3.2 Affective Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.3.3.3Social Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.4 Reading for Social and Natural Postgraduate StudentsError! Bookmark not defined. 2.5 Reading academic texts ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.6 Related Studies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.7 Concluding Remarks ... Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1 Research Design ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.2 Research Site ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.3 Data Collection Technique ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.3.1 Questionnaire ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.3.2 Interview ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.4 Data Analysis
3.4.1 Analysis of Questionnaire ... Error! Bookmark not defined.0 3.4.2 Analysis of Interview………..………….………..42 3.5 Concluding Remarks ... Error! Bookmark not defined.
(6)
iii
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
4.1 Students’ Strategies in Reading ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.1 The Social Science Students Strategies... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.1.1 Affective Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.1.2Cognitive Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.1.3 Compensation Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.1.4Metacognitive Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.1.5 Memory Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.4 4.1.1.6Social Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.1.1.7The Most Frequently Strategies Used by Social Science StudentsError! Bookmark not 4.1.2Natural Science Students’ Reading Strategies . Error! Bookmark not defined.0
4.1.2.1 Compensation Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.2.2 Affective Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.2 4.1.2.3 Cognitive Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.2.4 Metacognitive Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.2.5 Memory Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.1.2.6Social Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.8
4.1.2.7 The Most Frequently Strategies Used by Natural Science StudentsError! Bookmark not 4.2 Differences and Similarities of Strategies Used by Social and Natural
Science Students ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.2.1 The Similarities of Strategies Used by Social and Natural Science
Students ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.2.2 The Differences of Strategies Used by Social and Natural Science
Students ... Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.3 The Students’ Reasons in Using Strategies for ReadingError! Bookmark not defined. 4.3.1 Memory Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.
(7)
iv
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
4.3.2 Cognitive Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.3.3 Compensation Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.3.4 Metacognitive Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.3.5 Affective Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.3.6 Social Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.4 Concluding remarks ... Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSError! Bookmark not defined.2 5.1 Conclusions ... Error! Bookmark not defined.2
5.2 Recommendations ... Error! Bookmark not defined.4 BIBLIOGRAPHY ... Error! Bookmark not defined.6 APPENDICES ... Error! Bookmark not defined.3 Appendix 1Questionnaire in English Version... Error! Bookmark not defined.3 Appendix 2Questionnaire in Indonesian Version.. ... Error! Bookmark not defined.5 Appendix 3 Interview Protocol.. ... Error! Bookmark not defined.8 Appendix 4 Trancription of Interview Data... 101
(8)
v
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Direct Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.6 Table 2.2 Indirect Strategies ... Error! Bookmark not defined.4 Table 3.1 Distribution items in questionnaire ... Error! Bookmark not defined.7 Table 3.2 Overview of Interview ... 40 Table 3.3 Scale point of Likert scale ... Error! Bookmark not defined.1
Table 4.1 Aggregate of Affective Strategies Used by Social Science StudentsError! Bookmark not d Table 4.2 Aggregate of Cognitive Strategies Used by Social Science StudentsError! Bookmark not Table 4.3 Aggregate of Compensation Strategies Used by Social Science StudentsError! Bookmark Table 4.4 Aggregate of Metacognitive Strategies Used by Social Science Students.Error! Bookmark Table 4.5 Aggregate of Memory Strategies Used by Social Science StudentsError! Bookmark not d Table 4.6 Aggregate of Social Strategies Used by Social Science StudentsError! Bookmark not def Table 4.7 The reading strategies mostly frequently used by social science
students.. ... Error! Bookmark not defined.8 Table 4.8 Aggregate of Compensation Strategies Used by Natural Science
Students ... 6Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 4.9 Aggregate of Affective Strategies Used by Natural Science StudentsError! Bookmark not Table 4.10 Aggregate of Cognitive Strategies Used by Natural Science Students..Error! Bookmark Table 4.11 Aggregate of Metacognitive Strategies by Natural Science
Students………. ... Error! Bookmark not defined.8
Table 4.12 Aggregate of Memory Strategies Used by Natural Science Students...Error! Bookmark Table 4.13 Aggregate of Social Strategies Used by Natural Science
(9)
vi
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
Table 4.14 The Reading Strategies Most Frequently Used by Natural Science Students ... 69
Table 4.15 Similarities of strategies used by social and natural scienceError! Bookmark not defin Table 4.16 Differences of strategies used by social and natural science……. . ... 75
(10)
ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
LIST OF FIGURES
Diagram 2.1 Strategy system……….…13 Diagram 4.1 The social science students’ reading strategies……….44 Diagram 4.2 The natural science students’ reading strategies………...61
(11)
34 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses the method of the study which is related to the research design. This study was intended to investigate strategies for reading which were employed by postgraduate students in social and natural sciences, differences and similarities of strategies used by social science and natural science students, and the reasons using those strategies. The discussion in this chapter focuses on research site, participants, data collection, and data analysis.
3.1 Research Design
This study belongs to a qualitative explanatory design in which the researcher seeks to learn about some little-known phenomenon by studying it in depth (Fraenkel
and Wallen, 2009: 431). In other words, it attempts to maintain ‘deeper’
understanding of social phenomena about reading strategies used by students (Silverman, 2005: 10). The use of qualitative approach in this study also refers to the statement that
qualitative research focused on the intensions behind human actions, sought to uncover, and interpret the meanings of all that is happening, being done or being understood by those who are involved in activity under investigation (Nunan, 1992: 2).
This qualitative study tries to investigate the reading strategies used by social and natural science students in postgraduate, the reasons of using those strategies, and the differences and similarities between reading strategies used by social and natural science students. The data that emerge from a qualitative study are descriptive that are reported in words (primarily participants’ words) or pictures, rather than in numbers (Cresswel, 2009: 195).
(12)
35 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
Moreover, this study can be regarded as a case study since it was carried out in a small scale, a single case, and focused on one particular instance of educational experience or practice and was not be generalized. The results of this study cannot be generalized as general conditions of the whole postgraduate students.
In this study, the data were collected by distributing questionnaire and interviewing the participants. The use of multiple method of taking data is called triangulation that attempts to map out or explain fully the richness and complexity of human behavior in human situations and interactions.
3.2 Research Site
This study was conducted at a postgraduate school in Bandung. The postgraduate school was chosen as a research site because the students have used English text materials in most of their subjects. Then, Rahmi and Jefiza (2013: 409) found that there were problems faced by the postgraduate students in reading English text materials. It was assumed that the problems were related to strategies in reading.
Thus, this study attempted to explore postgraduate students’ strategies in reading.
Moreover, postgraduate school was chosen because the researcher was one of the students there and was studying in English department. The researcher hoped to get access easily to the research site and thus to decrease feasibility of the study. The
researcher’s familiarity with the situation in the research site was expected to lead natural relation with the participants.
In addition, the researcher involved social and natural science students since relatively natural and social have a different character of text. Generally, they often use different types of reading text: natural science students read the text with symbol, formula and all about the facts, whereas social science students read the description and explanation text which invites some arguments and opinions. It is clear that the natural and social science students also have different strategies in reading. Thus, in
(13)
36 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
order to find the differences and similarities of the strategies used by both students, this study was conducted to compare these two sciences.
In selecting the participants, this study used purposive sampling to gain important information from research participants (Alwasilah, 2009:146). There were certain purposes underlying the selection of participants. The purposes can be described as follow. First, the researcher was interested to learn more about postgraduate students. Second, the researcher also wanted to explore social and natural science postgraduate students. Third, as a teacher, the researcher can develop a good strategy for their students in reading English text.
The participants were divided into social postgraduate students and natural postgraduate students. There were 25 natural science students and 25 science students involved in this study. The participants were classified into social science students for them who were majoring in economic, geographic, and social education. On the contrary, students who were majoring in math, chemistry, physics, and biology were grouped into natural science students. They were selected randomly from some classes.
The 25 social science students were selected from three classes. 15 students were selected from P2TK social education class; five students were selected from regular social education class, and five students from economic education class. In the other hand, 25 natural science students were selected from one natural education class. The students were chosen because of three reasons. First, most of the students in that class used English text materials as their resources in learning. Second, the students were considered enough to provide information needed for this study. Third, as colleagues, the students want to cooperate in giving important information for this study.
(14)
37 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu 3.3Data Collection Technique
3.3.1 Questionnaire
This study used a questionnaire to collect the data of students’ strategies in reading. As informed by Taylor-Powell (1998: 2), a questionnaire can help researcher to obtain information about what people do, what they have, what they think, know, feel, or want. It provides a means of communications between respondents and researcher. The type of question used in this research was close ended which respondents select either one or multiple responses (Taylor-Powell, 1998; Gay et al., 2009).
The questionnaire consisted of 30 statements about reading strategies which were divided into direct strategies and indirect strategies. The statements about direct strategies consisted of five memory strategies, ten cognitive strategies, and four compensation strategies. Besides, the indirect strategies consisted of four metacognitive strategies, four affective strategies, and three social strategies. They were arranged systematically to make it easy to interpret. They were written in Bahasa Indonesia to make it more comprehensible for the students and to avoid misunderstanding. The form of questionnaire written in English and Indonesian can be seen in Appendix 1 and 2. The distribution of items in the questionnaire is presented in Table 3.1 below.
Table 3.1 Distributing items in questionnaire Cat- Egories Sub Categories Numb. of Items Strategy Direct Strategies Memory Strategies
5 1 (grouping)
2(associating/ elaborating) 3 (semantic mapping) 4 (reviewing well)
5 (using mechanical techniques) Cognitive
Strategies
10 6 (repeating)
7 (recognizing formula) 8 (practicing naturalistically)
(15)
38 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu 9 (getting the idea quickly) 10 (using resources) 11 (reasoning deductively) 12 (analyzing contrastively) 13 (translating)
14 (taking notes) 15 (summarizing) Compensa
tion Strategies
4 16 (using linguistic clues) 17 (using other clues) 18 (using other clues) 19 (selecting the topic) Indirect
Strategies
Metacogni tive strategies
4 20 (finding out about language learning 21 (organizing)
22 (identifying the purpose of language task) 23 (self-monitoring)
Affective strategies
4 24 (using progressive relaxation) 25 (making positive statements) 26 (taking risks )
27 (discussing feelings with someone else) Social
strategies
3 28 (asking for clarification) 29 (cooperating with peers)
30 (developing cultural understanding)
After getting permission from the chairman of both classes ,the researcher made coordination with the students about the time to conduct the research. After that, the researcher explained the purpose of this research and the items of statements before distributing the questionnaire.
3.3.2 Interview
This research conducted interviews to collect information from the participants. As mentioned by Gray et.al (2009: 370), the interview is a purposeful interaction in which one person obtains information from another. Genesee mentions that by doing an interview, a researcher can probe the respondents for additional information in responses to interesting or important answers that arise unexpectedly from the planed questions (cited in Haris, 2007). From point of critical thinking
(16)
39 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
evaluation, the value of individual interview has been observed by Norris and Ennis, who say:
Interviewing students individually is a way of acquiring very detailed information on the
students’ critical thinking. Interviewing students individually has certain advantages over
other information gathering techniques, …many students can express ideas easier …in oral
rather than in written form. While interviewing the evaluator has also the option to ask students to clarify what they have said, to request further reasons for their conclusion, and to ask specific questions about what might have influenced their thinking (1989, in Emilia, 2005: 82).
Thus, the interview was conducted in order to invite participants’ responses in depth and to examine their ideas and feelings.
Furthermore, interview is essentially vocal questionnaire that can be used more flexible and adaptable (McMillan & Schumacher, 2001: 267). McMillan and Schumacher (2001) also state that interviews result in a much higher response rate than questionnaires, especially for topics that concern personal qualities or negative feeling. However, interviews are potential for subjectivity and bias. To mitigate this potential bias, the interview responses can be validated with the data from questionnaires.
In this study, six students were interviewed to collect the data. The students consisted of three students from social science and three students from natural science. They were chosen based on their availability to be interviewed. The students that were chosen must have completed answering questions in the questionnaire.
The interview used in this research was a semi structured interview. The strength of a semi-structured interview, according to Kvale as cited in Emilia (2005: 83) is that:
A semi-structured interview … has a sequence of themes to be covered, as well as suggested questions. Yet, at the same time there is an openness to changes of sequence and forms of questions in order to follow up the answers given … by the subjects (Kvale, 1996).
The semistructured questions were asked orally, which the respondents have no choice to select an answer. Rather, the questions are phrased to allow for individual responses.
(17)
40 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
The interview was used to answer the second research question ‘why do the
students employ those strategies?’ It was conducted after the participants complete
answering questions in the questionnaire. There were 31 questions orally asked in the interview based on the data from questionnaire. The questions were written in bahasa Indonesia in order to help students understood easily. Each question was related to
the students’ reasons in employing reading strategies. The questions can be seen in
Appendix 3.
The interview was conducted individually to every student that had been chosen. The overview of interview is described in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2 Overview of Interview Social science students No Respondents’
number
Date Place
1 R1 May 1st , 2014 Dormitory
2 R2 May 2nd , 2014 3rd floor of pascasarjana
3 R3 May 21st ,2014 Dormitory
Natural science students
1 R1 May 1st ,2014 Dormitory
2 R2 May 2nd ,2014 4th floor of pascasarjana
3 R3 May 4th ,2014 Dormitory
Before asking specific question, the researcher informed the interviewees about what are going to be discussed and the fact that the conversation would be tape-recorded to avoid the loss of data, and to enable the researcher to transcribe it later. Most of the interviews were conducted in respondents’ dormitory, to allow them concentrate and share their ideas without any concerns and it is enable the researcher to record the talk clearly.
(18)
41 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu 3.4 Data Analysis
Data analyses were conducted while collecting the data. Ongoing data analyses were based on data obtained mainly from the questionnaire. The procedures of data analysis were: (1) analyzing the data in accordance with the method of research, (2) displaying the data, (3) interpreting data analyzed, (4) making conclusions and recommendations of the research. In this study there were two kinds of data employed: questionnaire scores and interview.
3.4.1 Analysis of Questionnaire
There were 30 statements of closed-ended items in questionnaire. The data from questionnaire were analyzed by using Likert scale from 1-5. The reading strategy scores were analyzed based on the intensity of use by the students. In this scale, students answered the questionnaire based on five possible options: always, usually, sometimes, rarely and never. Each answer has its own score starting from five to one. The scoring was dealing with counting on how many people answer each item in the questionnaire. The scale of the questionnaire and profile result can be seen in Table3.3 below.
Table 3.3 Scale point of Likert scale
Frequency Scale point
Always (selalu) 5
Usually (sering) 4
Sometimes (kadang-kadang) 3
Rarely (jarang) 2
Never (tidak pernah) 1
After the data are calculated, the average will be known by using the following formula:
(19)
42 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
̅ ∑
̅ Mean score (average grade)
∑ = The sum of respondent’s grade
Number of Respondents
The averages for each part of the SILL show which groups of strategies readers tend to use the most in reading. The overall average indicates how frequent readers use reading strategies in general. Oxford (1990: 291) proposes the key to
understanding readers’ average in using reading strategies.
High Always or almost always used 4.5 to 5.0
Generally used 3.5 to 4.4
Medium Sometimes used 2.5 to 3.4
Low Generally not used 1.5 to 2.4
Never or almost never used 1.0 to 1.4
The first step of processing data in the questionnaire was coding procedures.
Coding procedure involves converting the participants’ answers to numbers (Dornyei,
2002: 84). Before getting down to actual coding, the data were assigned by an identification code. Each student was coded by using numbers, and a number of statements in the questionnaire were also categorized based on strategies classification. Then, the data from the questionnaire were compared with transcription, data from the interview. It was important to know the validity of data. Finally, the data were interpreted based on the theories.
3.4.2 Analysis of Interview
The analysis of interview data was done through three steps as proposed by Maxwell (1996: 78-79). First, the interview recording was transcribed to get the precise and more accurate data. In transcribing the interview data, the name of
participants was coded to protect them confidentiality. Second, students’ answers
(20)
43 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
classified based on the reasons in using memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies. Third, the data were interpreted based on the research questions. In the
discussion of this data, students’ responses in the interview were justified with the
theory in reading strategies, especially the theories from Oxford (1990). Then, the data from interview were used to gain in depth information concerning to research
question and it was compared to students’ answer in questionnaire.
3.5Concluding Remarks
This chapter has presented the restatement of the purpose of the study; the research methodology, including the research design, the research setting, the participants, the data collection techniques, the data analysis and the concluding remarks. The following chapter will elaborate the findings and discussion of the research based on the analysis provided in this chapter.
(21)
34 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the conclusions of the research finding based on the questions proposed in chapter one and some recommendations. The discussions are divided into two parts. The first part concerns with the conclusions and the second part deals with the recommendations of the study.
5.1 Conclusions
This study investigated postgraduate students’ strategies which were employed by social science students and natural science students in reading English academic texts, the differences and similarities between the strategies used by social science students and natural science students, and the reasons why they used those strategies.
Considering the first research question, it was found that the six groups of strategies, both direct and indirect strategies, were used by natural and social science students in reading English academic texts. The results of this study show that social science students most frequently used affective strategies followed by cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, memory and social strategies. All of the strategies were used in medium level of frequency. The data reveal that the social science students did not have confidence in reading English text materials. Hence, they preferred to use strategies to manage their feelings rather than use strategies to manage their mind (cognitive strategies). It also can be implied that, the social science students rarely employed critical reading because they were worries to face reading English texts. Based on those results, it is important for social science students to get reading strategies training and prepare themselves by learning English more in postgraduate school.
(22)
35 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
On the other hand, the natural science students most frequently used compensation strategies followed by affective, cognitive, metacognitive, memory, and social strategies. The compensation strategies were used in high level of frequency while the rest were employed in medium level. It can be inferred that the natural science students have implemented direct strategies more often in their reading. It means that they have familiar with some good strategies for reading. They are able to guess the meaning of texts and overcome their limitation in knowledge. They also always used those strategies to support other strategies.
The result of this study also indicated that there were five differences and 25 similarities of reading strategies which were employed by social and natural science students. It means that there were no great differences of frequency of using strategies in reading English academic texts by social science and natural science students. The students had differences in the strategy: using linguistic clues, using other clues, selecting the topic, taking a risk, and discussing feeling with someone else. The data prove that the natural science students employed more compensation strategies than social science. It means that there were less differences of reading strategies used by social science students and natural science students. For the similarities, natural science and social science employed similar frequency on 25 numbers of strategies. They are : grouping, associating/elaborating, semantic mapping, reviewing well, using mechanical technique, repeating, recognizing formula, practicing naturalistically, getting the idea quickly, using resources, reasoning deductively, analyzing contrastively, translating, taking notes, summarizing, using other clues, finding out about language learning, organizing, identifying the purpose of language task, self-monitoring, using progressive relaxation, making positive statements, asking for clarification, cooperating with peers, developing cultural understanding. They employed strategies on the similar frequencies because of their similar necessities in reading English academic texts in postgraduate school. They have to read English texts more often in order to operate
(23)
36 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
effectively in academic world. It can be concluded that academic majors or sciences are not a potent factor in determining the students’ preferences in using strategies for reading English texts.
Furthermore, there are some reasons why social and natural science students employ strategies in reading English academic texts. First, it was found that the students employed memory strategies because those strategies helped them to remember new information they have read. Second, they used cognitive strategies because those strategies helped them to find an effective way in reading English text materials. Third, the students employed compensation strategies in order to help them find main idea, and guess the meaning of words to understand a text. Moreover, in term of indirect strategies, the students used metacognitive strategies because it enabled them to prepare their reading and monitored their mistakes in reading. Then, the students also employed affective strategies in order to increase their confidence in reading English text materials. Finally, the social and natural science students employed social strategy because they are required to discuss and check their comprehension.
5.2 Recommendation
Based on the findings, the researcher gives some recommendations that hopefully increase the students’ ability in reading English academic texts. The recommendations are aimed for further research, the lecturer and academician.
This study recommends that the lecturer should encourage the natural science students and social science students to use reading strategies in reading English text materials. Many postgraduate students still have anxiety when reading English text. They need to know reading strategies for certain purposes in order to have good comprehension.
For the further research, the researcher may investigate the relationship between students’ reading strategies and reading comprehension. The further study
(24)
37 ADILA JEFIZA, 2015
Investigating the Social and Natural Sciences Postgraduate Students’ Learning Strategies in Reading
English Academic Text
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu
may prove what reading strategies are effective to improve reading comprehension. Then, it is better for the further study to analyze the correlation between those variables.
For academicians, it is recommended to conduct reading strategies training for postgraduate students. It is a must for them to read English material in order to operate effectively in the academic world. Thus, it will be better if they know more varieties of reading strategies.
(1)
̅ ∑
̅ Mean score (average grade) ∑ = The sum of respondent’s grade Number of Respondents
The averages for each part of the SILL show which groups of strategies readers tend to use the most in reading. The overall average indicates how frequent readers use reading strategies in general. Oxford (1990: 291) proposes the key to
understanding readers’ average in using reading strategies.
High Always or almost always used 4.5 to 5.0
Generally used 3.5 to 4.4
Medium Sometimes used 2.5 to 3.4
Low Generally not used 1.5 to 2.4
Never or almost never used 1.0 to 1.4
The first step of processing data in the questionnaire was coding procedures.
Coding procedure involves converting the participants’ answers to numbers (Dornyei,
2002: 84). Before getting down to actual coding, the data were assigned by an identification code. Each student was coded by using numbers, and a number of statements in the questionnaire were also categorized based on strategies classification. Then, the data from the questionnaire were compared with transcription, data from the interview. It was important to know the validity of data. Finally, the data were interpreted based on the theories.
3.4.2 Analysis of Interview
The analysis of interview data was done through three steps as proposed by Maxwell (1996: 78-79). First, the interview recording was transcribed to get the precise and more accurate data. In transcribing the interview data, the name of
participants was coded to protect them confidentiality. Second, students’ answers
(2)
classified based on the reasons in using memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies. Third, the data were interpreted based on the research questions. In the
discussion of this data, students’ responses in the interview were justified with the
theory in reading strategies, especially the theories from Oxford (1990). Then, the data from interview were used to gain in depth information concerning to research
question and it was compared to students’ answer in questionnaire.
3.5Concluding Remarks
This chapter has presented the restatement of the purpose of the study; the research methodology, including the research design, the research setting, the participants, the data collection techniques, the data analysis and the concluding remarks. The following chapter will elaborate the findings and discussion of the research based on the analysis provided in this chapter.
(3)
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the conclusions of the research finding based on the questions proposed in chapter one and some recommendations. The discussions are divided into two parts. The first part concerns with the conclusions and the second part deals with the recommendations of the study.
5.1 Conclusions
This study investigated postgraduate students’ strategies which were employed by social science students and natural science students in reading English academic texts, the differences and similarities between the strategies used by social science students and natural science students, and the reasons why they used those strategies.
Considering the first research question, it was found that the six groups of strategies, both direct and indirect strategies, were used by natural and social science students in reading English academic texts. The results of this study show that social science students most frequently used affective strategies followed by cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, memory and social strategies. All of the strategies were used in medium level of frequency. The data reveal that the social science students did not have confidence in reading English text materials. Hence, they preferred to use strategies to manage their feelings rather than use strategies to manage their mind (cognitive strategies). It also can be implied that, the social science students rarely employed critical reading because they were worries to face reading English texts. Based on those results, it is important for social science students to get reading strategies training and prepare themselves by learning English more in postgraduate school.
(4)
On the other hand, the natural science students most frequently used compensation strategies followed by affective, cognitive, metacognitive, memory, and social strategies. The compensation strategies were used in high level of frequency while the rest were employed in medium level. It can be inferred that the natural science students have implemented direct strategies more often in their reading. It means that they have familiar with some good strategies for reading. They are able to guess the meaning of texts and overcome their limitation in knowledge. They also always used those strategies to support other strategies.
The result of this study also indicated that there were five differences and 25 similarities of reading strategies which were employed by social and natural science students. It means that there were no great differences of frequency of using strategies in reading English academic texts by social science and natural science students. The students had differences in the strategy: using linguistic clues, using other clues, selecting the topic, taking a risk, and discussing feeling with someone else. The data prove that the natural science students employed more compensation strategies than social science. It means that there were less differences of reading strategies used by social science students and natural science students. For the similarities, natural science and social science employed similar frequency on 25 numbers of strategies. They are : grouping, associating/elaborating, semantic mapping, reviewing well, using mechanical technique, repeating, recognizing formula, practicing naturalistically, getting the idea quickly, using resources, reasoning deductively, analyzing contrastively, translating, taking notes, summarizing, using other clues, finding out about language learning, organizing, identifying the purpose of language task, self-monitoring, using progressive relaxation, making positive statements, asking for clarification, cooperating with peers, developing cultural understanding. They employed strategies on the similar frequencies because of their similar necessities in reading English academic texts in postgraduate school. They have to read English texts more often in order to operate
(5)
effectively in academic world. It can be concluded that academic majors or sciences are not a potent factor in determining the students’ preferences in using strategies for reading English texts.
Furthermore, there are some reasons why social and natural science students employ strategies in reading English academic texts. First, it was found that the students employed memory strategies because those strategies helped them to remember new information they have read. Second, they used cognitive strategies because those strategies helped them to find an effective way in reading English text materials. Third, the students employed compensation strategies in order to help them find main idea, and guess the meaning of words to understand a text. Moreover, in term of indirect strategies, the students used metacognitive strategies because it enabled them to prepare their reading and monitored their mistakes in reading. Then, the students also employed affective strategies in order to increase their confidence in reading English text materials. Finally, the social and natural science students employed social strategy because they are required to discuss and check their comprehension.
5.2 Recommendation
Based on the findings, the researcher gives some recommendations that hopefully increase the students’ ability in reading English academic texts. The recommendations are aimed for further research, the lecturer and academician.
This study recommends that the lecturer should encourage the natural science students and social science students to use reading strategies in reading English text materials. Many postgraduate students still have anxiety when reading English text. They need to know reading strategies for certain purposes in order to have good comprehension.
For the further research, the researcher may investigate the relationship between students’ reading strategies and reading comprehension. The further study
(6)
may prove what reading strategies are effective to improve reading comprehension. Then, it is better for the further study to analyze the correlation between those variables.
For academicians, it is recommended to conduct reading strategies training for postgraduate students. It is a must for them to read English material in order to operate effectively in the academic world. Thus, it will be better if they know more varieties of reading strategies.