An analysis of the students’ critical thinking in writing argumentative essay: a case study in fourth semester students of English Teacher Education Department at Sunan Ampel State Islamic University Surabaya.

(1)

AN ANALYSIS OF THE STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING IN

WRITING ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

(

A Case Study of Fourth Semester Students in English Teacher

Education Department of Sunan Ampel State Islamic University

)

THESIS

Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirement for the degree of Sarjana

Pendidikan (S.Pd) in Teaching English

By

Siti Maghfirotun Hasaniyah

D05212031

ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING

SUNAN AMPEL STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

SURABAYA

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Hasaniyah, Siti Maghfirotun (2017). An Analysis of The Students’ Critical Thinking in Writing Argumentative Essay (A Case Study Of Forth Semester Students In English Teacher Education Progam of Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya, A Thesis English Teacher Education Department, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, Sunan Ampel State Islamic University. Advisor: Dr. Phil. Khoirun Niam

Key Word: Writing, Argumentative Essay, Critical Thinking Level, Critical Thinking Skill

This study was analyzed the students’ critical thinking in writing argumentative essay in fourth semester students of English teacher education program at UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. The focus is to know the students’ level and also the way they apply the critical thinking in their writing. Based on the theory, there are six levels in critical thinking. Those are the unreflective, the challenge, beginning, practicing, advanced, and accomplished thinker. The researcher used qualitative as the design of her research. Data collection technique used in this research was questionnaire and documentation. The questionnaire was to know students’ ability in applying their critical thinking when writing argumentative essay. The documentation use to gain more information about students’ critical thinking and complete the information in the questionnaire test.

Based on theresult of study, the students’ ability in applying critical thinking is 29% in advanced thinker and practicing thinker, 20% in beginning thinker, 10% in accomplished thinker, 9% in the challenge thinker, and 1% in unreflective thinker, and the students’ writing is 25% students in practicing and advanced thinker, 15% student in the challenge thinker, beginning thinker, and accomplished thinker, and 5% student in the unreflective thinker, and the last students’ achievement of critical thinking is 47% student in accomplished thinker, 44% student in advanced thinker, 4% student in beginning thinker, 3% student in practicing thinker, 2% student in the unreflective thinker, and 0% student in the challenge thinker. Their skill in critical thinking is supported by their ability which they have. Due to the students have applied the critical thinking well, they can improve well the critical thinking skill in that argumentative class.

(7)

TABLE OF CONTENT

ADVISOR APPROVAL SHEET……… i

APROVAL SHEET ... ii

MOTTO ... iii

DEDICATION ... iv

ABSTARCT ... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... vi

PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN TULISAN ... viii

TABLE OF CONTENT ... ix

LIST OF TABLE ... xi

LIST OF FIGURE... xii

LIST OF APPENDIXES... xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Research Background ... 1

B. Research question ... 7

C. Objective of the Study ... 8

D. Significance of the Study ... 8

E. Scope Limit of the Study ... 8

F. Definition of Key Term ... 9

CHAPTER II: REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE A. Critical Thinking ... 11

1. Critical Thinking Definitions ... 11

2. The Basic Building Blocks of Critical Thinking... 13

3. The Process of Critical Thinking ... 18

4. Assessing Critical Thinking ... 21

5. Critical Thinking Level ... 27

B. Writing ... 39

(8)

2. The Criteria A Good Essay Argumentation ... 42

3. The Generic Structure of Argumentative essay ... 43

E. Previous Study ... 44

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODE A. Approach and Research Design ... 46

B. Research Subject ... 47

C. The Data and Sources of The Data ... 48

D. Data Collection Technique ... 49

E. Research Instruments ... 50

F. Research Procedure ... 56

G. The Data Analysis Technique ... 56

H. Research Validity ... 58

CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION A. Findings... 59

B. Discussion ... 116

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusion ... 122

B. Suggestion ... 123

(9)

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses the area of the study that will be covered in some headings (1) The Background of this Study, (2) Statements of the Problem, (3) Objectives of this Study, (4) Significance of the Study, (5) Scope and Limitation, (6) Definitions of Key Terms.

A. Research Background

In this era, critical thinking is important for learners to gain the challenges of their life. It is not only in education, it is also useful in their social life. Surely, teachers expected the students be able to think critically. This cognitive thinking will require them to think critically for taking an idea from the situation around. They have the basic skill involved critical thinking. It is like working out whether they believe what they see and what they hear, taking steps to find out whether something is likely to be true, and arguing our own case if someone does not believe them. Another basic critical thinking skill that the students have will help them to live with their society and get better chances in many cases. Kanik argued that if students are to perform in a highly technical society, they must be prepared with life-long learning and critical thinking skill is

necessary to obtain and process information in an ever changing world.1_Surely,

FigenKanik. Doctoral Dissertation.An Assessment Of Teachers’ Conceptions Of Critical ThinkingAnd

Practices For Critical Thinking Development At Seventh Grade Level. (Middle East TechnicalUniversity. 2010), 1.

(10)

the university will be more focused to increase the students that have ability in this quality.

Essentially, the critical thinking has many purposes in gaining their circumstances life. One of them will make the learners easier getting high proficiency of their lesson. They will understand deeply about the lesson because they create another process in their brain to make the information accepted or understood by them. For example in every single lesson, when the teachers give lesson to the students, they will accept and think deeply what is the important and the purpose of the lesson. It will make them recognize one thing, that this lesson give them information and new perception about something. If the students assume this kind of information is good, they will process this continuously. Conversely, they assume this kind of information is bad for them; it will process in their thinking in another way.

Critical thinking plays important role in education process. Therefore the teachers should care of this tool in order make the students easily in understanding the lesson. Thus, the students’ cognitive thinking will process well in their brain. This is in line with Wallace that critical thinking skills should be

embedded in the subject matter and woven into language education.2 Since the

critical thinking important for students, it acquire them to think naturally how the

C. Wallace. Critical reading in language education. (Palgrave Macmillan. 2005) accessed on 15th June 2015.

(11)

information accepted by their brain. It proved by their work or exercise after whether the students have good critical thinking or not.

At university level, critical thinking skill is essential abilities in using intellectual tools by which one appropriately assesses thinking. In this case, by utilizing critical thinking skills, students can use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers concepts and principles that enable them to analyze, assess, and improve thinking. They will be able to work diligently to develop the intellectual virtues of intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, intellectual civility, intellectual empathy, intellectual sense of justice and confidence in reason. To put it briefly, critical thinking skills are self-improvement in thinking through

intellectual tools that assess thinking.3

The critical thinking skill will help them directly in any circumstances of information in their lesson caused by this cognitive thinking. One of the important characteristic of critical thinking identified by many sources is metacognition. Kurfiss argued that underlines three sides of critical thinking. Those are declarative knowledge (the facts and concepts of the discipline or field), procedural knowledge (how to reason, inquire, and present knowledge about the discipline), and metacognition (being able to evaluate the outcomes of

the thinking process).4 Specifically, “Metacognition is being aware of one’s

The Critical Thinking Community. 2009.Defining Critical Thinking. 4

J. Kurfiss, (1988). Critical Thinking: Theory, Research, Practice, and Possibilities. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 2, 1988: ERIC.

(12)

thinking as one performs specific tasks and then using this awareness to control

what one is doing”.5 Without this kind of intellectual skill, the view of students

about around them will be none. Occasionally, critical thinking influences people to process the information that they get. How they can know whether the information is right or not if cannot process the information in our cognitive process about what happen around.

Thus, when they write the information in a paper, the critical thinking skill persuades them to choose the information which they write on their paper. There are many factors in building their argument in the writing work. The important factor is covered by their social life. How the environment persuades their brain to accept the information. It will process to be one of the important things for them. When their environment is not supporting their brain to process the information, it will make the teachers difficult to identify the ideas which wrote by the students in their essay.

The concept of critical thinking increase more general questions about the nature of knowledge and reasoning. On the one hand, thinking and reasoning can be seen as a general cognitive processing ability that is readily transferable

across different topics and contexts.6 On the other hand, thinking and reasoning

T. A. Al-Sharadgah, Dr., Developing Critical Thinking Skills through Writing in an Internet-Based Environment. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science. Vol. 4 No.1 January 2014.

Liam, O., Carol, M., (2009). MeasuringCritical Thinking, Intelligence, and Academic Performance in Psychology Undergraduates. The Irish Journal of Psychology.Vol. 30 No. 3-4 pp. 123-131. Retrieved on 23thFebruary 2016.p.124

(13)

can be seen as highly used in knowledge and disciplinary contexts such that it is only worthwhile assessing critical thinking as it relates to particular knowledge areas. Those areas are history of life, definitions about something around, problem of life, or anything around them.

Assessment of critical thinking at university normally occurs when an academic analyses a student’s written work on a subject specific topic for evidence of critical thinking. Occasionally, the teachers will know the students thinking in their writing work. The teachers are often see written work as an opportunity to show how much information they acquired about a particular subject rather than as an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking thought. Moreover, it is often difficult for students to judge how much the evidence will be given to critical thinking with internal or external factors that students have in written work. This is in line with research from Anderson, Howe, Soden, Halliday, and Low that specifically analyses students’ argument skills in essays shows that they rarely use their knowledge in an evaluation or critical thinking

manner.7

Then, this case challenges the teachers as the one guider to make them show up their skill of critical thinking. However, just because the students can think critically this does not mean they do it in good way. This is to be expected,

T.Anderson, C. Howe, R. Soden, J. Halliday, & J. Low. (2001).Peer interaction and the learning of critical thinking skills in further education students. Instructional Science, 29, 1-32.

(14)

as the teacher does not need to employ the same level of critical thinking for everything they do because each student has different level in writing their critical thinking on paper. It means there are some students feel difficult in writing their essay because of many factors. The teachers could not expect all students has same idea of the information that they have to describe. The students’ ideas are also could not make the teachers judge the students. Due to our mind has different cognitive processing or different skill in thinking. It depends on the teachers’ explanation or the students’ cognitive level. It can also come from their internal or external factors which makes them not confidence in their written. Those causes become the teachers’ problem. In addition, the students has different life that makes them cannot understand each other about the thing that the teacher meant.

Irregularly, the students confused to describe something on the paper that actually they have known. For example when the teachers ask to them to describe the big problem of the university, this problem will make them confused to choose the case due to many problems happen around which they trust and entrust. They confused whether their written will be same idea with each other or not. It means they have not sure with their own written work due to the differences. They cannot imagine if what they though is negative as well as their friend though it. It will disturb them and make the written work to in trouble.

(15)

Furthermore, this argumentative essay becomes one text to be observed due to those causes. Many teachers ask the students to write something with their own idea without knowing any consequences. Some of teachers think that all ideas are true but some of them say not. The same context will produce many kind of information because of this critical thinking. The level of the cognitive process in their writing will be seen clear enough. Additionally, teachers should know what the students thinking same as what they are writing on their paper.

Therefore, this thesis will help the teachers. How the students write their writing argumentative essay by understanding the factors and also those causes of the students’ life. So based on those causes the researcher will help the teachers and also reader by thesis entitled: “An Analysis of the Students’ Critical Thinking in Writing Argumentative Essay of Fourth Semester Student of English Teacher Training Department at SunanAmpel State Islamic University Surabaya”.

B. Research Question

Based on the background of study above, this study intended to examine the question “What is the students’ critical thinking level as appearin their argumentative essay?

(16)

C. Objective of the Study

Referring to the research questions above, the objectives of this study proposed research is to know what the students’ critical thinking level as appear intheir argumentative essay.

D. Significance of the Study This study is significant:

1. For the teachers: The result of the study can use by the teachers to know the character of students’ writing and their level of critical thinking and how to solve the students which have those differences.

2. For the students: The result gives them information to solve their problem of their character of though and can help them easily in writing showing their idea in writing.

3. For the readers: the result will give them further information about students’ critical thinking and the factors in writing argumentative essay about around.

E. Scope and Limitation

This study focuses on analyzing students’ critical thinking level in students’ writing skill in argumentative essay. The subjects of the study are the students in argumentative class of fourth semester in English Teacher Education Department at SunanAmpelState Islamic University Surabaya in the academic

(17)

year 2016-2017. This study also aimed to know the factors and style of their critical thinking in writing argumentative essay.

F. Definition of Key Terms a. Writing

Writing is acombination of process and product of discovering ideas, putting them on paper on paper and working with them until they are

presented in manner that is polished and comprehensible to readers.8

b. Argumentative essay

Argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a

position on the topic in a concise manner.9

c. Critical thinking skill

Critical thinking is the intelligently self-controlled skill process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and

action.10

caroline T. Linse, Practical English Language Teaching: Young Learners, (NY: McGraw Hill, 2006), p.98.

9_{Purdue Online Writing Lab. Online:}_{https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/05/}_{. Retrieved}

on April 14th2017.

10_{H. Masduqi, 2006.}_{Critical Thinking and Meaning.}_{TEFLIN Journal, Vol. 22, No 2. Retrieved: 2 July}

(18)

d. Critical thinking level

Critical thinking level is a position on a real or imaginary scale of amount, quality, extent, or quantity where it measures the critical thinking or an amount of critical thinking where the critical thinking has their own

position in building or creating something.11

11_{Linda E. & Richard P.,}_{Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools}_{, (The Foundation for Critical Thinking,}

(19)

CHAPTER II

REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE

In this chapter, the researcher explicates several theories through reviewing some literatures related to this study. This theoretical construct deals with some main areas: the definition of critical thinking, the concept map paragraph and essay, the good criteria in writing argumentative essay. Furthermore, some previous studies related to this current study are also discussed here.

A. Critical Thinking

1. Critical Thinking Definition

In university level critical thinking skills are essential abilities in using intellectual tools by which one appropriately assesses thinking. By utilizing critical thinking skills, students can use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers the concepts and principles that enable them to analyze.

In the other hand Dewey introduced more recent effects in the critical thinking show around life. He named critical thinking "reflective thinking" and described it as "an active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds which support it and the further conclusions to which it tends".1

(20)

Critical thinking is the intelligently self-controlled process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.2 The same line meaning described by Scriven and Richard that it based on universal intellectual values that excel subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.✄

Linda and Richard argued that critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it.4In short, critical thinking is that mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them.

Another researcher S.P Norris in the Article of Synthesis of research on Critical Thinking stated that there are nine definitions explained the critical thinking based on many researches. Those are:5

a. Firstly,critical thinking is a complex of many considerations. b. Secondly, Critical thinking is an educational idea;

☎

H. Masduqi, 2006.Critical Thinking and Meaning.TEFLIN Journal, Vol. 22, No 2. Retrieved: 2 July 2011. P.186

M. Scriven,&P. Richard, (1987).A Statement for the 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform,retrieved 13 June 2011.

✆

E.Linda. &P. Richard,Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools, (The Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2006), 4thEdition. p.4

S.P. Norris, 1985. Synthesis of Research on Critical Thinking.Published by Association for Supervvision and curriculum development.

(21)

c. Thirdly, Critical thinking is not widespread. The way students in measuring ability in recognizing assumptions or evaluation do not score well. They frequently make simple judgmental errors on simple problem.

d. Fourthly, Critical thinking is sensitive to context.

e. Fifthly, teachers should look for the reasoning behind students’

conclusion.

f. Sixthly, simple errors may signal errors in thinking at a deeper level. g. Seventhly, having a critical spirit is as important as thinking critically. h. Eighthly, to think critically one must have knowledge.

i. Ninthly, one is teachers do not know about great deal about the effects of teaching critical thinking.

2. The Basic Building Blocks of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It requires rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.6

6_{E. Linda&P. Richard,}_{Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools}_{, (The Foundation for Critical Thinking,}

(22)

Linda & Richard argued that there are some elements of thought in conception the critical thinking in our brain.7

Elements of thought

Figure2.1The Elements of Though

In another line argued that there are three basics to build the critical thinking. Those are:8

a. Claims : A statement, true or false, that expresses an opinion or belief.

b. Issues/question : What is raised when a claim is called into question c. Argument : A two part structure of claims, one part of which (the

premise or premises) I given as a reason for thinking the other part (the conclusion is true).

7_{Linda E. & Richard P.,}_{Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools}_{, (The Foundation for Critical Thinking,}

2006), 4thEdition. p.13

B.N. Moore & R. Parker, 2008.Critical Thinking-9thedition.Published by McGraw-Hill, an imprint of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 1221 Avenue of The Americas, New York, NY 10020.p.5-6.

(23)

In the other hand, the same opinion stated by John and Geoff that the word that is often used for a piece of reasoning is argument.9 The other researcher said that arguments are using reasons to support a point of view, so that known or unknown audiences may be persuaded to agree. An argument may include disagreement, but it is more simply disagreement if it is based on reasons.10

Another said Logicians two kind of good arguments: Deductive argument and a good inductive argument.11 Focus on those arguments, it is should know by people the distinction between the two is second nature to the teachers of critical thinking, and it is easy for students and the teachers to sometimes forget that it is new to many people. In addition, within the past few pages we have already brought up several new ideas, including critical thinking, claim, argument, premise, conclusion, issue and more.

a. Deductive Arguments

A good deductive argument is said to be valid. Which means it is not possible for the premise to be true and the conclusion false.

Example 1 Premise: Rio Lives in Jakarta

Conclusion: Therefore, Rio lives in Indonesia (This is valid argument because it is not possible for Rio to live

in Jakarta and not live in Indonesia)

9_{J. Butterworth and G. Thwaites, 2011.}_{Thinking Skills}_{. Published: Cambridge University Press. p.7}

S. Cottrell, 2005.Critical Thinking Skils; Developing an effective analysis and argument. Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP. Published by Palgrave Macmillan. P.52.

(24)

Example 2 Premise: Rio taller that his girlfriend and his girlfriend is taller than his sister.

Conclusion: Therefore, Rio taller than her sister (This is valid argument too because it is not possible for the

premise to be true and the conclusion to be false)

To put all this differently, the premises of good deductive argument, assuming they are true prove or demonstrate the conclusion.

b. Inductive Arguments

A good inductive argument does not prove or demonstrate the conclusion. They support it. It means that assuming they are true, they raise the probability that the conclusion is true.

Example 1 Premise : Rio Lives in Jakarta

Conclusion : Therefore, Rio uses mosquito repellent.

(It means Rio living in Jakarta makes it probably that he uses mosquito repellent)

Example 1 Premise : People who live in Butte City already spend a lot of time in the sun Conclusion : Therefore, a tanning salon will

not do well there.

(The premise of this argument assuming it is true raises the probability that the conclusion is true, thus it supports the conclusion) The more support the premises of an argument provide for a conclusion, the stronger the argument is said to be.

Stella argued that there are two key terms of argument in critical thinking. Firstly is contributing arguments. It means individual reasons are referred to as arguments or contributing arguments. Secondly is the overall argument. It means composed of contributing arguments, or reasons. It

(25)

presents the authors’ position. The term line of reasoning is used to refer to a set of reasons, or contributing arguments, structured to support the overall argument.12

In the same line, Jim Wohlpart stated that the two features of critical thinking. Those are:13

a. Overview of an argument:

1) Consciousness of point of view

2) Consciousness of intention and audience 3) Statement of central problem issue 4) Understanding keys ideas

b. Internal elements of an argument

1) Deduction: Consciousness of inferences and assumptions 2) Induction: analysis of information and proof

When you have believed in your writing, you will sure to build up the writing using your idea of the information tough. Although the common issue that comes to you is have two answers both true and false. From the core critical thinking above can conclude that the process of critical thinking begin form our assumptions about the information. All the complete conceptualizing in our mind has becoming one circle rule.

S. Cottrell, 2005.Critical Thinking Skils; Developing an effective analysis and argument.p.38.

(26)

Further, our thinking have virtues or traits in concepting the information or the doamin of life. That is:14

The Virtues or Traits of Critical Thinking

Figure 2.2The Virtues or Traits of Critical Thinking c. The Process of Critical Thinking

Dewey stated that there dimensions of critical thinking are emotional, social, physical and cognitive.15 This current study focuses on cognitive process of the students’ critical thinking in their writing argumentative essay. Then, these Cognitive aspects can divide into five different categories: Inference, Analysis, Evaluation, Conclusion and Induction. As a process, critical thinking involves students in recognizing and researching the

Linda E. & Richard P.,Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools, (The Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2006), 4thEdition. p.20

(27)

assumptions that undergird their thoughts and actions.16Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It requires rigorous standards of excellence and mindfully command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.17

Assumptions are the taken for granted beliefs about the world and our place within it that seem so obvious to us that they do not seem to need to be stated explicitly.18 Many of the assumptions depend on our thinking. When the students think critically, they start to research these assumptions for the evidence and experiences that inform them. Look at theTable2.3below.

Process of Critical Thinking Building

Figure 2.3Process of Critical Thinking

S.D. Brookfield, Developing Critical Thinkers: Challenging Adults to Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting. San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987.

Linda E. & Richard P.,Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools, (The Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2006), 4thEdition. P.4

18_{J. Butterworth and G. Thwaites, 2011.}_{Thinking Skills}_{. p.51} Hegemonic

Assumptions

Frame Relationships Assumptions Information /

Issues

Critical Thinking

(28)

Based on theTableabove, the purpose of critical thinking tends to be to scrutinize two particular and interrelated sets of assumptions.19

1) There are assumptions that frame how the students view power relationships in our lives. Critical thinking entails adult understanding that the flow of power is a permanent presence in our lives. In our personal relationships, work activities, and political involvements, power relations are omnipresent, though often submerged. Uncovering and questioning these power relations so that people might redirect the flow of power in a circular or democratic manner is important part of critical thinking.

2) There are hegemonic assumptions that need to be uncovered. Hegemonic assumptions are those that the students embrace eagerly because people think they are in its best interests. Yet perversely these assumptions actually work against us in the long term and serve the purpose of those who do not have our best interests in our heart. The term hegemony applies to the process whereby ideas, structures, and actions come to be seen by the majority of people as wholly natural, preordained, and working or their own good when in fact these ideas constructed and transmitted by powerful minority interests to protect the status quo that serves these interests so well.

19_{A. D. Rose, and M. A. Leahy.} _{Assessng Adul Learning in Diverse Settings: Current Issues and} Approaches. Published by John Willey & Sons, Inc. 2002. p.48.

(29)

Critical elements of reas

3) 4)

Figu d. Assessing Critic

One of t its assessment. measurestudent defined critica taxonomy (1956

al thinkers routinely apply the intellectual standa easoning in order to develop intellectual traits.

3) 4)

igure 2.4The Concept of Critical Thinking itical Thinking

of the most intense discussions about critical thinki nt. To be sure, standardized tests are available tha

udents’ability to reason in critical manner. Many res

cal thinking in terms of taxonomies, includi 1956). Choy and Cheah found that many believe

The Concept of Critical Thinking

tandards to the

hinking concerns that purport to researchers have uding Bloom’s ve Bloom’s top

(30)

three tiers to be Bissell and Lem skills in a biology tiers: application, a

From the believe that cri skills. Further the

1. Step 1: Kn In terms of requires tha

S.C., Choy, & P.K Cheah,

Influence on Higher Educatio

20(2), p.186.

A.N. Bissell, & P.P. Lem

Classroom. Bioscience, 56,

H. Coffey, (2013). Bloom’s

23_{Bruce R. Reichenbach,}

ISBN:0073660272

o be critical thinking “analysis, synthesis, and

emons developed a study to assess students’ cri ology course using Bloom’s taxonomy, particularl

tion, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.21

Figure 2.5Bloom’s taxonomy22

the Table of bloom taxonomy above, most of critical thinking identify the top three tiers as cri r the explanation of bloom Taxonomy of critical thi

nowledge

of critical thinking, the basic level of acquisition that you be able to identify what is being said:

h, (2008).Teacher Perceptions of Critical ThinkingAmong cation. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in H

emons, (2006).A New Method for Assessing Critical Th

6, 66-72.

’s Taxonomy.

23 _, _{An Introduction of Critical} _Thinking_{, (Mc Graw}

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Critical Thinking

nd evaluation”.20 critical thinking arly the top four

t of researchers critical thinking l thinking.23

on of knowledge d: the topic, the

g Students and Its

Higher Education,

l Thinking in The

(31)

issue, the thesis, and the main points.exhibits previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic conceptsand answers. It is same line by Barbara that Knoeledgw means exhibits previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answers.24

2. Step 2: Comprehension

Comprehension means understanding the material read, heard or seen. It is also demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas.25In comprehending, you make the new knowledge that you have acquired your own by relating it to what you already know. The better you are involved with the information, the better you will comprehend it. As always, the primary test of whether you have comprehended something is whether you can put what you have read or heard into your own words. Review some key words that help you identify when comprehension is called for. Remember that comprehending something implies that you can go beyond merely parroting the material back but instead that you can give the material your own significance.

Barbara Fowler, 1996,Bloom Taxonomy and Critical Thinking, Longview Community College.Inquires [email protected]

25_{A.E.Dreyfuss, J. Jordan, K. Rajaram, (2014) (2nd Ed.). The Work Matters: A guide for new}

(32)

3. Step 3: Application

Application requires that you know what you have read, heard, or seen, that you comprehend it, and that you carry out some task to apply what you comprehend to an actual situation. Review the some tasks that require application. It will solving the problems by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.26

4. Step 4: Analysis

Analysis involves breaking what you read or hear into its component parts, in order to make clear how the ideas are ordered, related, or connected to other ideas. Analysis deals with both form and content. Review how critical thinkers analyze form. Review how critical thinkers analyze content.

5. Step 5: Synthesis

Synthesis involves the ability to put together the parts you analyzed with other information to create something original. Review some key words that help you identify when synthesis is called for.

6. Step 6: Evaluation

Evaluation occurs once we have understood and analyzed what is said or written and the reasons offered to support it. Then we can appraise this information in order to decide whether you can give or withhold belief,

26_{A.E.Dreyfuss, J. Jordan, K. Rajaram, (2014) (2nd Ed.). The Work Matters: A guide for new}

(33)

and whether or not to take a particular action. Review some key words that help you identify when synthesis is called for. Never put evaluation ahead of the other steps in critical thinking steps; otherwise, you will be guilty of a "rush to judgement." When emotion substitutes for reasons, evaluation incorrectly precedes analysis.

There are some terms within the definitions of critical thinking that do not necessarily fit into Bloom’s taxonomy. One of these is creating or constructing. In their re-creation, they placed “evaluating” with “creating” as the top level, the skill that was considered to be the highest or most complex cognitive task. Overbaugh and Schultz argued that the synonyms they used for this skill were assembling, design, develop, formulate, and construct. These tasks are similar to:27

a) Judging and evaluating

b) Creating an idea or opinion involves synthesizing information c) Judging the information that has been collected

d) Forming an opinion based on that evidence.

However, constructing is a cognitive task that goes beyond judging or evaluating something that is already there. It involves creating something new.

D, Brookfield challenges the use of standardized assessments of critical thinking adult learning influenced by the differences of student’s

(34)

critical thinking in learning. 28Stephen stated that learning to think critically is an irreducibly social process. It happens best when people enlist the help of other people to see our ideas and actions in new ways.29 In addition, if critical thinking is certainly a social process, then it follows that its assessment should also be a social process involving a multiplicity of experiences, contributions, and perceptions. These cooperative approaches to assessing critical thinking based on premised in three assumptions which it should be subject to constant critical analysis.

a. Critical thinking can be assessed only in specific contexts. It means studying the dimension of action what the students do as well as what they say is crucial.

b. Critical thinking can often be best assessed by one’s peers, who function

as critical mirrors. Not only the teachers but also other learners can provide valuable assessment of one’s developing capacity to question hegemonic assumptions and imagine democratic alternatives.

c. Assessment of critical thinking should allow learners to document, demonstrate, and justify their own engagement in critical thinking. In viewing learning from other outside, the teachers may miss entirely the critical dimensions of students’ though and practice.

J. Willey, & Sons, Inc. 2002.Assessing Adult Learning.Printed in the United States of America.

Norris, Stephen P., Phillips, and Linda M,“Explanations of readingcomprehension:schema theory and critical Thinkingtheory”.Teachers College Record. v89 n2Win 1987, 281-306.

(35)

e. Critical Thinking Level

The critical thinking level that the researcher use is written by Critical Thinking community. They are Linda Elder with Richard Paul. They defined critical thinking as the ability and disposition to improve one’s thinking by systematically subjecting it to intellectual self-assessment. On this view they argued that persons are critical thinkers, in the fullest sense of the term, only if they display this ability and disposition in all, or most, of the dimensions of their lives. They exclude from their concept of the critical thinker those who think critically in only one dimension of their lives. It caused by the quality of one’s life is dependent upon high quality reasoning

in all domains of one’s life, not simply in one dimension. The stages are:30

a. The unreflective thinker

Defining features: largely unaware of the determining role that thinking is playing in their lives. Unreflective thinkers lack the ability to explicitly assess their thinking and improve it thereby.

Skill in Thinking: Unreflective thinkers may have developed a variety of skills in thinking without being aware of them. Prejudices and misconceptions often undermine the quality of thought of the unreflective thinker.

30_{Linda E. & Richard P.,}_{Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools}_{, (The Foundation for Critical Thinking,}

(36)

Some Implications for Instruction: in the present mode of instruction it is perfectly possible for students to graduate from high school, or even college, and still be largely unreflective thinkers. Though all students think, most students are largely unaware of how their thinking is structured or how to assess or improve it. Thus when they experience problems in thinking, they lack the skills to identify and “fix” these problems. Most teachers do not seem to be aware of how unaware most students are of their thinking. Little is being done at present to help students "discover" their thinking. This emphasis needs shifting.

b. The Challenge Thinker

Defining Features:Thinkers move to the “challenged” stage when they become initially aware of the determining role that thinking is playing in their lives, and of the fact that problems in their thinking are causing them serious and significant problems.

Principal Challenge: To become initially aware of the determining role of thinking in one’s life and of basic problems that come from poor thinking.

Knowledge of Thinking: Challenged thinkers, unlike unreflective thinkers are becoming aware of thinking as such. They are becoming aware, at some level, that high quality thinking requires deliberate reflective thinking about thinking (in order to improve thinking). They recognize that their thinking is often flawed, although they are not able

(37)

to identify many of these flaws. Challenged thinkers may develop an initial awareness of thinking as involving concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, etc., and as involving standards for the assessment of thinking: clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness, etc., though they have only an initial grasp of these standards and what it would take to internalize them. Challenged thinkers also develop some understanding of the role of self-deception in thinking, though their understanding is limited. At this stage the thinker develops some reflective awareness of how thinking operates for good or ill.

Skill in Thinking: Most challenged thinkers have very limited skills in thinking. However like unreflective thinkers, they may have developed a variety of skills in thinking without being aware of them and these skills may (ironically) serve as barriers to development. At this stage thinkers with some implicit critical thinking abilities may more easily deceive themselves into believing that their thinking is better than it actually is, making it more difficult to recognize the problems inherent in poor thinking. To accept the challenge at this level requires that thinkers gain insight into the fact that whatever intellectual skills they have are inconsistently applied across the domains of their lives.

(38)

Relevant Intellectual Trait: The fundamental intellectual trait at this stage is intellectual humility, in order to see that problems are inherent in one’s thinking.

Some Implications for Instruction: The importance of challenging our students in a supportive way to recognize both that they are thinkers and that their thinking often goes awry. We must lead class discussions about thinking. We must explicitly model thinking (e.g., thinking aloud through a problem).

c. Beginning Thinker

Defining Feature: Those who move to the beginning thinker stage are actively taking up the challenge to begin to take explicit command of their thinking across multiple domains of their lives. Thinkers at this stage recognize that they have basic problems in their thinking and make initial attempts to better understand how they can take charge of and improve it.

Principal Challenge:To begin to see the importance of developing as a thinker and to begin to seek ways to develop as a thinker and to make an intellectual commitment to that end.

Knowledge of Thinking: Beginning thinkers, unlike challenged thinkers are becoming aware not only of thinking as such, but also of the role in thinking of concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, etc. Beginning thinkers are also at some beginning stage

(39)

of recognizing not only that there are standards for the assessment of thinking: clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness, etc., but also that one needs to internalize them and thus begin using them deliberately in thinking. They have a beginning understanding of the role of egocentric thinking in human life.

Skill in Thinking: Beginning thinkers are able to appreciate a critique of their powers of thought. Beginning thinkers have enough skill in thinking to begin to monitor their own thoughts, though as “beginners” they are sporadic in that monitoring. They are beginning to recognize egocentric thinking in themselves and others.

Relevant Intellectual Traits: The key intellectual trait required at this stage is some degree of intellectual humility in beginning to recognize the problems inherent in thinking. In addition, thinkers must have some degree of intellectual confidence in reason, a trait which provides the impetus to take up the challenge and begin the process of active development as critical thinkers, despite limited understanding of what it means to do high quality reasoning.

Some Implications for Instruction: Once we have persuaded most of our students that much of their thinking left to itself is flawed and that they, like all of us, are capable of improving as thinkers, we must teach in such a way as to help them to see that we all need to regularly practice good thinking to become good thinkers. Here we can use

(40)

sporting analogies and analogies from other skill areas. Most students already know that you can get good in a sport only if you regularly practice.

d. Practicing Thinker

Defining Feature:Thinkers at this stage have a sense of the habits they need to develop to take charge of their thinking. They not only recognize that problems exist in their thinking, but they also recognize the need to attack these problems globally and systematically. Based on their sense of the need to practice regularly, they are actively analyzing their thinking in a number of domains. However, since practicing thinkers are only beginning to approach the improvement of their thinking in a systematic way, they still have limited insight into deeper levels of thought, and thus into deeper levels of the problems embedded in thinking.

Principal Challenge: To begin to develop awareness of the need for systematic practice in thinking.

Knowledge of Thinking: Practicing thinkers, unlike beginning thinkers are becoming knowledgeable of what it would take to systematically monitor the role in their thinking of concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, etc. Practicing thinkers are also becoming knowledgeable of what it would take to regularly assess their thinking for clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness, etc. Practicing

(41)

thinkers recognize the need for systematical critical thinking and deep internalization into habits. They clearly recognize the natural tendency of the human mind to engage in egocentric thinking and self-deception. Skill in Thinking: Practicing thinkers have enough skill in thinking to critique their own plan for systematic practice, and to construct a realistic critique of their powers of thought. Furthermore, practicing thinkers have enough skill to begin to regularly monitor their own thoughts. Thus they can effectively articulate the strengths and weaknesses in their thinking. Practicing thinkers can often recognize their own egocentric thinking as well as egocentric thinking on the part of others. Furthermore practicing thinkers actively monitor their thinking to eliminate egocentric thinking, although they are often unsuccessful.

Relevant Intellectual Traits: The key intellectual trait required to move to this stage is intellectual perseverance. This characteristic provides the impetus for developing a realistic plan for systematic practice (with a view to taking greater command of one’s thinking). Furthermore, thinkers at this stage have the intellectual humility required to realize that thinking in all the domains of their lives must be subject to scrutiny, as they begin to approach the improvement of their thinking in a systematic way.

(42)

Some Implications for Instruction:Teachers must teach in such a way that students come to understand the power in knowing that whenever humans reason, they have no choice but to use certain predictable structures of thought: that thinking is inevitably driven by the questions, that we seek answers to questions for some purpose, that to answer questions, we need information, that to use information we must interpret it (i.e., by making inferences), and that our inferences, in turn, are based on assumptions, and have implications, all of which involves ideas or concepts within some point of view. We must teach in such a way as to require students to regularly deal explicitly with these structures (more on these structure presently).

e. The Advanced Thinker

Defining Feature: Thinkers at this stage have now established good habits of thought which are “paying off.” Based on these habits, advanced thinkers not only actively analyze their thinking in all the significant domains of their lives, but also have significant insight into problems at deeper levels of thought. While advanced thinkers are able to think well across the important dimensions of their lives, they are not yet able to think at a consistently high level across all of these dimensions. Advanced thinkers have good general command over their egocentric nature. They continually strive to be fair-minded. Of course, they sometimes lapse into egocentrism and reason in a one-sided way.

(43)

Principal Challenge: To begin to develop depth of understanding not only of the need for systematic practice in thinking, but also insight into deep levels of problems in thought: consistent recognition, for example, of egocentric and sociocentric thought in one’s thinking, ability to identify areas of significant ignorance and prejudice, and ability to actually develop new fundamental habits of thought based on deep values to which one has committed oneself.

Knowledge of Thinking: Advanced thinkers are actively and successfully engaged in systematically monitoring the role in their thinking of concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, etc., and hence have excellent knowledge of that enterprise. Advanced thinkers are also knowledgeable of what it takes to regularly assess their thinking for clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness, etc. Advanced thinkers value the deep and systematic internalization of critical thinking into their daily habits. Advanced thinkers have keen insight into the role of egocentrism and sociocentrism in thinking, as well as the relationship between thoughts, feelings and desires.

Skill in Thinking:Advanced thinkers regularly critique their own plan for systematic practice, and improve it thereby. Practicing thinkers regularly monitor their own thoughts. They insightfully articulate the strengths and weaknesses in their thinking. They possess outstanding

(44)

knowledge of the qualities of their thinking. Advanced thinkers are consistently able to identify when their thinking is driven by their native egocentrism; and they effectively use a number of strategies to reduce the power of their egocentric thoughts.

Relevant Intellectual Traits: The key intellectual trait required at this stage is a high degree of intellectual humility in recognizing egocentric and sociocentric thought in one’s life as well as areas of significant ignorance and prejudice. In addition the thinker at this level needs: a) the intellectual insight and perseverance to actually develop new fundamental habits of thought based on deep values to which one has committed oneself, b) the intellectual integrity to recognize areas of inconsistency and contradiction in one’s life, c) the intellectual empathy necessary to put oneself in the place of others in order to genuinely understand them, d) the intellectual courage to face and fairly address ideas, beliefs, or viewpoints toward which one has strong negative emotions, e) the fair-mindedness necessary to approach all viewpoints without prejudice, without reference to one’s own feelings or vested interests. In the advanced thinker these traits are emerging, but may not be manifested at the highest level or in the deepest dimensions of thought.

(45)

f. The Accomplished Thinker

Defining Feature: Accomplished thinkers not only have systematically taken charge of their thinking, but are also continually monitoring, revising, and re-thinking strategies for continual improvement of their thinking. They have deeply internalized the basic skills of thought, so that critical thinking is, for them, both conscious and highly intuitive. Principal Challenge: To make the highest levels of critical thinking intuitive in every domain of one’s life, to internalize highly effective critical thinking in an interdisciplinary and practical way.

Knowledge of Thinking: Accomplished thinkers are not only actively and successfully engaged in systematically monitoring the role in their thinking of concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, etc., but are also regularly improving that practice. Accomplished thinkers have not only a high degree of knowledge of thinking, but a high degree of practical insight as well. Accomplished thinkers intuitively assess their thinking for clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, logicalness, etc.

Skill in Thinking: Accomplished thinkers regularly, effectively, and insightfully critique their own use of thinking in their lives, and improve it thereby. Accomplished thinkers consistently monitor their own thoughts. They effectively and insightfully articulate the strengths and weaknesses inherent in their thinking. Their knowledge of the qualities

(46)

of their thinking is outstanding. Although, as humans they know they will always be fallible (because they must always battle their egocentrism, to some extent), they consistently perform effectively in every domain of their lives.

Relevant Intellectual Traits: Naturally inherent in master thinkers are all the essential intellectual characteristics, deeply integrated. Accomplished thinkers have a high degree of intellectual humility, intellectual integrity, intellectual perseverance, intellectual courage, intellectual empathy, intellectual autonomy, intellectual responsibility and fair-mindedness. Egocentric and sociocentric thought is quite uncommon in the accomplished thinker, especially with respect to matters of importance. There is a high degree of integration of basic values, beliefs, desires, emotions, and action.

Some implications for Instruction: For the foreseeable future the vast majority of our students will never become accomplished thinkers any more than most high school basketball players will develop the skills or abilities of a professional basketball player or student writers the writing skills of a published novelist. Nevertheless, it is important that they learn what it would be to become an accomplished thinker. It is important that they see it as a real possibility, if practicing skills of thinking becomes a characteristic of how they use their minds day to day.

(47)

B. Writing

a) Writing Definitions

Writing is one of language skills and productive skill that be learnt by students in school. Students will be able to express their ideas and feeling by English writing. It can be used to maintain thoughts, ideas, and speech sounds. Writing is a combination of process and product of discovering ideas, putting them on paper and working with them until they are presented in manner that is polished and comprehensible to readers.31 Thus, it is be stated writing is one of language skills which combine to process and productive skill that can be used preserve thought, ideas, and speech sounds. C. Essay Writing

a) Definition of essay writing

Essay writing has different meaning of paragraph. It consists of more paragraph and more clear explanation. This kind of text is one of the student’s ideas to make their writing be more logical by readers. Setiawan argued that essay writing is the expectation of the reader to write and extend a topic more extensively or complex, it must convey it into essay form, in which a kind of writing that consists of more than one paragraph.32There are differences both of paragraph and essay writing. Look at table below.

Caroline, T. Linse,Practical English Language Teaching: Young Learners, (NY: McGraw Hill, 2006), p.98.

(48)

The Concept of Map Paragraph and Essay

Paragraph Essay

Supporting sentence Introductory Paragraph 1. General statement

2. Thesis statement Supporting sentence Body paragraph

Topic sentence

- Supporting sentence - Concluding sentence Supporting sentence Topic sentence

- Supporting sentence - Concluding sentence Concluding sentence Concluding paragraph

- Restatement of the main points, or

- Summary, - Final comment. Table 2.6Concept map paragraph and essay

Shortly according to concept map above explains that in writing essay needs the authors' extensive knowledge, thought, idea and opinion to make a good essay that has longer content and paragraph.

In the other hand, Gerrot and Wignell found many kinds of genres (text type). They are: Those are spoof, recount, report, analytic exposition, narrative, description, hortatory exposition, explanation, reviews, discussion, procedure, news item.33

Another researcher said that there are three kind of writing such letter writing, essay writing and creative writing. Then Alabi stated clear in her 33

L. Gerrot and P. Wignell,Making Sense of Functional Grammar, (Sidney: AntepodeanEducational Enterprises, 1995).

(49)

book that in English language, there are four types. Those are narrative, descriptive, expository and argumentative essays.34This study only concerns of argumentative essay, in which college use. Further, only argumentative writing focus of students logical thinking which makes them think critically in their writing by expressing their idea, feeling, and though.

D. Argumentative essay

a) Definitions of argumentative essay

Argumentative essay is other types of essay writing and it is concerned with the reasoning ability of the writer to present an issue logically with an overriding view.35 In this kind of writing, the authors are not only gives information but also present an argument with the PROS (supporting ideas) and CONS (opposing ideas) of an argumentative issue.36 The argumentative essay is also called a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner.37 According to the meanings above, it is stated that argumentative essay is an essay that requires the writer or the author to convey their thinking in deep understanding and extensive knowledge by considering the evidence or supporting ideas to

V.A.Alabi-Babatunde. The Use of English in Higher Education (Nigeria, Ilorin University Press, 1998), 172.

35_{V.A.Alabi-Babatunde.}_{The Use of English in Higher Education}_{. 175.}

OyaOzagac,Argumentative Essay, ( www.buowl.boun.edu.tr, acessed on September 2004)

Jack Baker-Allen Brizee, Elizabeth Angeli. "Argumentative Essay" (https//owl.english.purdue.edu. Accessed on October 3rd2013)

(50)

make the reader believe about the writers' argument. Therefore, in producing a good argumentative essay the author must have extensive knowledge, good ideas, deep thought and opinion about what they want to write.

b) The Criteria A Good Essay Argumentation

Recently, The Educational Testing Service revamped the infamous Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which many universities use when determining whether to admit an applicant. This change shows the importance the educators place on the ability to write this type of essay. That is because writing an argumentative essay is doing nothing other than thinking critically and leaving a paper trail for others to follow. Occasionally the teachers who have retired the students’ essay because they could not bear

to read another students’ essay. As a result, the students offer their two

moments’ substance here in hope of continuing to see familiar faces.

Generally, essay should have four components.38 Those are a statement of the issue, a statement of one’s position on that issue, arguments

that support one’s position and rebuttals of arguments that support contrary

position. According Chris Endy there are three specific qualities in writing good argumentation in essay. Those are Precision in argument and use of terms, grounding in evidence, clarity and concision in prose.39

B.N. Moore & R. Parker, 2008. Critical Thinking-9thedition..p.87.

C. Endy, 2011.How to Write an Argumentative Essay. The Center: JFK Library Palmer Wing, Room 2097. retrieved:http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/write_cn/

(51)

c) The Generic Structure of Argumentative essay

The students should master the generic structure of writing argumentative essay before they are writing it. The structure of argumentative essay follows some particular stages, the beginning, middle, and the last part of the text. Each text has own generic structure. There are three possible organization patterns.

The Concept Map Organization Pattern of Argumentative Essay

Figure 2.7Concept Map Organization Pattern of Argumentative Essay

Note: PROS is supporting ideas and CONS is opposing ideas Pattern 1:

Thesis statement: PRO idea 1 PRO idea 2

CONS(s) + Refutation(s) Conclusion

Pattern 2: Thesis statement:

CON(s) + Refutation(s) PRO idea 1

PRO idea 2 Conclusion Pattern 3:

Thesis statement:

CON idea 1Refutation CON idea 2Refutation CON idea 3Refutation Conclusion

(52)

1. Previous Studies

This section discus about the previous study related to the researcher’s topic “The Students’ Critical Thinking in Writing argumentative essay” and the researcher will explain what the differences between study and the previous study.

The first study by RirinKhoridah(2014) entitled “Efektifitas Model

Pembelajaran Critical Thinking

dalamMeningkatkanPemahamanSiswapadaBidangStudi PAI SMP Unggulan Al

FalahSiwalanpanjiBuduranSidoarjo”. Her research analyzed the

implementation of critical thinking method in learning, the strategies that used to improve undersatdning, and the effectiveness critical thinking method in improving students’ understanding.

The second study by NiswatulHasanah(2012) entitled “EfektifitasPenerapan Model PembelajaranBerbasis Deep Dialogue/Critical Thinking (DD/CT) TerhadapPrestasiBelajarSiswaKelas VIII B pada Mata Pelajaran PAI di SMP Negeri 2 TanggulanginKabupatenSidoarjo”. She analyzed the implementation of Deep Dialogue/ crtical thinking method in learning. The purpose is improving students’ achievement using the method. It proved that this study use new method in the class that did not use before.

The third study is written by Istiharoh (2015) entitled “The Students` Ability to Think Critically on Critical Reading Class At English Teacher Education Department Of Faculty Of Education And Teacher Training Of

(53)

State Islamic University SunanAmpel Surabaya 2015”. A thesis is in English Education Department of Faculty of Education and Teacher Training. She is the student from SunanAmpel State Islamic University Surabaya in 2015. The result of the study is the students’ ability in their critical thinking developed by the activity which created by the writer. Shortly, it is meant the writer assumed the students in the reading class have less critical thinking ability before. So that case, this writer tried to make the students engaged to think critically in reading class.

This study concerned on how the students’ critical thinking level in

their writing of argumentative essay and their ability when writes the argumentative essay using their own ideas or their own knowledge. The case study is in the fourth semester where the argumentative essay tough by the teacher. This study is on descriptive qualitative method to observe the factual case in reality. For technical collecting data the researcher used instrument to get the data they are questionnaire, and documentation that gave to 40students as the sample from 87 students as population of fourth semester students of essay class that toke from class A until C randomly.

(54)

This chapter will concern on the methodology and the procedure to develop the study. On the research method, the researcher tries to conduct the validity and reliability research by its method and its analysis. The subtitles of this chapter are research design, subject of the study, the data and source of data, data collection technique, research instruments, research procedure, data analysis technique and research validity.

A. Approach and Research Design

The method of research is the common strategy that is used by research to get and collect the data needed in order to answer the research problems.1Considering the goal, this study is included as qualitative descriptive design since it tries to describe a phenomenon of language behavior. In addition, one of the characteristics of qualitative study is the natural setting since its goal is to describe social phenomenon as it occurs naturally without manipulation.

The researcher tried to observe the research by defining the qualitative research as the research that investigates the quality of relationships, activities, situations, materials. It focuses on understanding the context and attempts to explain the intentionality of behaviors.2

ArifFurqon.” PengantarPenelitianDalamPendidikan”. _{Translated from DonalAry. (Yogyakarta}

:PustakaPelajar, 2011), p.39.

(55)

Referring back to Donald, the study will use the qualitative descriptive

research design to collect and to analyze the students’ critical thinking in their

writing argumentative essay and finding the level of their critical thinking skill with their written work and the activities in the class.

B. Research subjects

The study takes in English Teacher Education Department (ETED) of Education Faculty and Teacher Training at SunanAmpel State Islamic University which located on Street A. Yani 117 East Surabaya. In this research, there are 87 students and 25-30 students from fourth semester students whom entering Argumentative Class in A-C class.

The researcher uses a purposive sampling to choose the subject of the research. Purposive sampling is a non-representative subject of some larger population and is constructed to serve a very specific need and purpose. Therefore, the researcher choose this class as the object of the study because in the students in fourth semester is the one semester who is facing this class that focused on writing argumentative essay.

In this class, the students trained to have good skill in writing with their own ability. Their experiences and their insight must be readily trained by the teacher in their written work. For collecting and analyzing between the same fact and the main goal, the researcher should have the facts to describe the same activities, situations, relationships, materials, or another fact with the study. By

(56)

those reasons, the researcher chooses the fourth students semester of English Teacher Education Department.

C. The data and sources of data a. Data

In this research data will be collected use the qualitative descriptive design. Occasionally, qualitative data could be much more than just words or text. It further analyzes with Photographs, videos, sound recordings, and so on. In this study the researcher needs some data to complete the research. Firstly,

the researcher needs the students’ writing argumentative essay to analyze and

describe it in the research.Secondly, the researcher needs the students’ level of

critical thinking by using the rubric. Thirdly, the researcher needs the critical thinking theories for making the data valid.

b. Sources of Data

The researcher needs three sources of the data that comes from the object of the data. Firstly, the researcher takes the data of students’ writing

argumentative essay in the field or to the direct object itself.Secondly, students’

level of critical thinking can research get from the field which using the documentation technique. It will analyze by the rubric that the researcher got form the third data. The last data is critical thinking theory which is taking in the library. Cause of that, this research called library research or the research that compare with some theories inside.

(57)

D. Data Collection Technique

To answer research question, the researcher collected the data that appropriate for this research. The researcher uses two techniques in collecting the data.

a. Questionnaire

According to Donald Ary, as explained in Furqon book, there are two kinds of questionnaires: structured questionnaire and closed questionnaire.3 This research used open questionnaire in which the answer options have been given in the multiple choices: the student respondents only needed to choose the answer best express what their opinion (See Appendix 1). In another that in this research uses also quantitative data that support the qualitative data, in side of quantitative data.

b. Documentation

Documentation is ready for analysis without the necessary transcription that is required with observational and interview.4The researcher takes the data from the field use the documentation technique. Documentation technique is one of technique that used to collect the data in the last of the

learning process. In this study the researcher needs the students’ writing, the

students’ achievement and also the teachers’ objectives in the learning process

of writing.

3_ArifFurqon._”_{PengantarPenelitianDalamP}_endidikan_”.

Translated from DonalAry. (Yogyakarta: PustakaPelajar, 2011), 260.

(58)

E. Research Instruments

In order to collect the data, the researcher will use some instruments. Moreover, some documents used to support the research that it will be analyzed by the researcher such as documentation and questionnaire.

a. Questionnaire

In this instrument, the researcher needs the students as the one subject to answer the questions and gives the informant identity. This research used open questionnaire in which the answer options have been given in the multiple choices: the student respondents only needed to choose the answer best express what their opinion (See Appendix 1). Further, look at the table below to know what the research expects from the informant or the students.

No. Data of Questionnaire

1 The way of the students write their ideas in the written work

2 The students’ ability in responding new information or issue

3 The level of the students’ criticalthinking 4 The students’ critical thinking skill

5 The way of the students think their ideas before and after write their written work

(59)

b. Documentation

The researcher will use this technique to collect the data from the subjects in the field.Documentation of Data is a technique to search the data based on the certain study by transcript, books, newspaper, magazine, meeting writer, etc.5here some documentation that searched by researcher:

No. Data of Documentation Result

1 The students’ final written work

2 The SAP of the teacher 3 The students’ achievement

The Table 3.2Data of Documentation Result

Besides collecting the students’ achievement and the teachers’ SAP,

the researcher will analyze the data with the theory completely. Moreover, the researcher uses the rubric to assess the students’ final written work or the students’ argumentative essay. See inthe table 3.3below.

Suharsimi Arikanto,Prosedur Penelitian: Suatu Pendekatan Praktek(Jakarta: PT. Rineke Cipta), p. 236.

(60)

history, define the problem, thesis Statement paragraph contains detailed background, a clear explanation

or definition of the problem and

a thesis statement introductory paragraph contains detailed background, explanation or definition of the

problem and states the thesis

of the paper well paragraph contains detailed background, but lack of explanation or definition of the

problem and a thesis statement contains some background information and states the problem, but does not explain

using details. States the thesis

of the paper

but does not adequately of

the problem. The problem is stated but lacks

detail

vague or Unclear. Background details are a seemingly

random collection of information, unclear, or not

An analysis of the students’ critical thinking in writing argumentative essay: a case study in fourth semester students of English Teacher Education Department at Sunan Ampel State Islamic University Surabaya.