STUDENTS’ WRITING APPREHENSION IN THESIS WRITING AT ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF UIN SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA.

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STUDENTS’ WRITING APPREHENSION IN

THESIS

WRITING AT ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF UIN SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA

THESIS

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of SarjanaPendidikan (S.Pd) in teaching English

By:

LailatulMardiyah

NIM D05212017

ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS TRAINING

SUNAN AMPEL STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SURABAYA

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University, Surabaya. Advisor: Sigit Pramono Jati M.Pd Key Words : Writing, Apprehension, Cause

To get a degree in the university, students are required to conduct research and write a thesis. They also are demanded to finish thesis writing. When writing a thesis, feeling apprehensive is experienced by some students in English Teacher Education Department. That feeling also appears when a product of writing or their thesis is evaluated by lecturer or advisor. Apprehension in writing is called writing apprehension. Writing apprehension is experienced by native or nonnative students. How the levels and causes of writing apprehension are discussed in this thesis. This thesis focuses on students’ level and causes of writing apprehension when doing thesis writing at English Teacher Education Department. This research aims to investigate the level and describe some causes of writing apprehension. The research questions are answered by the descriptive qualitative approach. To measure the level of writing apprehension, it used Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) by Daly Miller and for the causes of writing apprehension used questionnaire sheet. The subject of research is 35 students of eighth-semester students of English Teacher Education Department who have been proposal examination. Data collection was done by test and questionnaire. After analyzing the data, the result found that there are two levels of writing apprehension. They are unusual or average and low level. 34 students indicated as unusual or average level and 1 student included as low level and no one indicates as high level. Most of them are in average level with score between70-85. In unusual or average level got 97%, the low level is 3% and high level is 0%. For the second questions, the result showed that there are three main points in causes of writing apprehension. They are teacher’s negative evaluation, students’ capability in writing, low self-confidence. It can be concluded that most of students indicated in unusual or average level and chose low self-confidence as the causes of writing apprehension.

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ABSTRAK

Mardiyah, Lailatul. 2016. Students’ writing Apprehension in Thesis writing at English Teacher Education Department of UIN Sunan Ampel

Surabaya. A Thesis. English Teacher Education Department, Faculty

of Education and Teacher Training, Sunan Ampel State Islamic University, Surabaya. Advisor: Sigit Pramono Jati M.Pd

Kata kunci: Writing, Apprehension, Cause

Untuk mendapatkan gelar S1 di universitas, mahasiswa dituntut untuk mengadakan penelitian dan menulis skripsi. Saat menulis skripsi, rasa khawatir atau kecemasan dialami oleh beberapa siswa di Jurusan Pendidikan Guru bahasa inggris. Perasaan itu juga muncul ketika hasil tulisan atau skripsi mereka dievaluasi oleh dosen atau pembimbing. Ketakutan atau kecemsan dalam menulis disebut writing apprehension. Writing apprehension dialami oleh siswa yg orang asli bahasa inggris dan yang sedang belajar. Bagaimana tingkat dan penyebab menulis kecemasan akan dibahas dalam skripsi ini. Skripsi ini berfokus pada tingkat siswa dan penyebab dari kecemasan menulis ketika melakukan penulisan skripsi di Jurusan Pendidikan Guru bahasa inggris. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki tingkat dan menjelaskan beberapa penyebab writing apprehension (kecemasan Menulis). Pertanyaan penelitian ini dijawab dengan pendekatan deskriptif kualitatif. Untuk mengukur tingkat writing apprehension (kecemasan Menulis), dengan menggunakan Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) dari Daly-Miller dan untuk menjawab dari penyebab writing apprehension digunakan lembar kuesioner. Subyek penelitian adalah 35 siswa dari mahasiswa semester delapan Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Guru yang telah lulus ujian proposal. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan tes dan kuesioner. Setelah menganalisis data, hasilnya ditemukan bahwa ada dua tingkat dari writing apprehension yaitu tidak biasa atau rata-rata dan tingkat rendah. Terdapat 34 siswa di indikasikan sebagai tingkat yang tidak biasa atau rata-rata dan 1 siswa termasuk tingkat rendah dan 0 siswa tidak ada menunjukkan tingkaan tinggi. Kebanyakan dari mereka berada di tingkat rata dengan skor antara 70-85. Di tingkat yang tidak biasa atau rata-rata mendapatkan 97%, tingkat rendah dengan 3% dan tingkat tinggi adalah 0%. Untuk pertanyaan kedua, hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa ada tiga poin utama dalam penyebab writing apprehension yaitu evaluasi negatif dari guru, kemampuan siswa dalam menulis, rendahnya kepercayaan diri mahasiswa. Dari penelitian tersebut dapat disimpulkan bahwa sebagian besar mahasiswa mengalami level tingkat rata-rata dalam writing apprehension dan mereka juga memilih rendahnya kepercayaan diri terhadap hasil tulisan mereka sebagai penyebab dari writing apprehension.

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APPROVAL SHEET ... iii

MOTTO ...iv

DEDICATION SHEET ... v

ABSTRACT ...vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... vii

PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN TULISAN ...ix

LIST OF CONTENT ... x

LIST OF CHARTS ... xii

LIST OF TABLES ... xiii

LIST OF ABBREVIATION ...xiv

LIST OF APPENDICES ... xv

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of Study ... 1

B. Research Questions ... 6

C. Objective of Study ... 6

D. Significance of Study ... 6

E. Scope and Limitation ... 7

F. Definition of Key Terms ... 8

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Framework ... 10

1. Thesis ... 10

2. Definition of Writing Apprehension ... 13

3. Levels of Writing Apprehension ... 17

4. Causes of Writing Apprehension... 20

B. Previous Studies ... 23

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHOD A. Approach and Research Design ... 28

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B. Research Presence... 29

C. Research Location... 29

D. Data and Source of Data ... 30

E. Research Instrument ... 31

F. Data Collection Technique ... 32

G. Data Analysis Technique ... 33

H. Checking Validity of Findings ... 36

I. Research Stages ... 37

CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION A. Research Findings ... 40

1. Levels of Writing Apprehension ... 40

2. Causes of Writing Apprehension... 44

B. Discussion ... 54

1. Students’ level of writing Apprehension ... 54

2. Causes of Writing Apprehension ... 56

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusion ... 60

B. Suggestion ... 62

REFERENCES APPENDICES

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the background of the study, research questions, purposes of the study, significance of the study, the scope of the study, and definition of key terms.

A. Background of the Study

In higher education, writing a thesis is one of the key requirements for students to get a degree. A thesis is written by students in university and it is supported by some theories, data, empirical facts, observation in the laboratory, and the study of literature to their research. Thesis writing is a branch of academic writing. Based on the type of writing performance, it is included in extensive writing. Extensive writing implies successful management of all the process and strategies of writing for all proposed, up to the length of an essay and term paper, a major research project report or even

a thesis.1 Therefore, students in writing a thesis should have mastered all

about basic of writing for example grammar, vocabulary, etc.

Additionally, writing a thesis is not easy. As mentioned above, writing a thesis is included as macro skill. In thesis writing, students have to think, change and make ideas, how well it relates to the next sentence or not. The process of writing in English can be divided into three stages: pre-writing,

H. Douglas Brown. Language assessment principle and classroom practices (U.S: Longman,2004), 231.

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free-writing, and re-writing.2 However, Zamel describes the process of

writing as exploratory and generative which the writers discover and generate ideas as they attempt to approximate meaning. The process of writing involves sub-processes of planning, collecting the data, drafting, revising, rewriting and

editing. In writing a thesis should consider some components of writing.3

According to Raimes, he categorizes the components of writing as content, organization, grammar, syntax, mechanics, word choice, the targeted audience and the writer's process. Then, writing is such a complex skill even for native

speakers.4

Although writing a thesis has complex component, students of English Education Department of UIN Sunan Ampel who writing a thesis are generally demanded by their selves to accomplish writing a thesis in certain time to take examination eventually. Before writing the thesis, they must propose research title then doing proposal examination. Due to the fact, it will

make students feeling stressed, confused and worried.5 The reason of choosing

the thesis writing in this research is, due to the students usually meet and consult their thesis to lecturers or advisors. Thus, when the lecturers evaluate their writing, they may reach for apprehension. In writing, this condition is normally called writing apprehension.

J. B. Hughey,et.al.”Teaching ESL composition: Principles and techniques”(Rowley, Massachusetts: Newbury House,1983),

V. Zamel. “The composing processes of advanced ESL students: Six case studies.” TESOL Quarterly. 17(2), 1983,165-187

A. Raimes, “Techniques in Teaching Writing”. TESOL Quarterly. 36, 1984, 535-538 5

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The term of apprehension is coined by Daly and Miller which is referred to writing-specific anxiety. The phenomenon of writing apprehension is similar to anxiety, blocking, and fear. However, concerning writing, the common word used is apprehension or anxiety. The researcher gives definition differently about the word apprehension and anxiety. According to the literature, the definition given by Daly and Miller regarding writing apprehension is “A Subject-specific situation and individual difference associated with a person's tendencies to approach or avoid situation perceived to potentially require writing accompanied by some amount of perceived

evaluation".6 Then, writing anxiety is more of a fear of the writing process

that outweighs the projected gain from the ability to write.7

The phenomenon of writing apprehension is also related to the development of writing skills, syntactic level, and the formal level. Students who have a high level of apprehension tend to have language less vocabulary

compared to the students who have low levels of apprehension.8 For instance,

they use less variation of vocabularies in their writing. They make fewer

statements and use fewer words in general.9

J. A., Daly - M. D. Miller, “The empirical development of an instrument of writing apprehension”. Research in the Teaching of English.9, 1975, 242-249

A. Takahashi. “Self-perception of English Ability: Is it related to proficiency and/or class performance?”. Niigata Studies in Foreign Languages and Cultures.14, 2009,39-48

Virginia. Book, “Some effects of apprehension on writing performance”. ( Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Business Communication Association, San Diego, December 28-30, 1976). (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 132 595)

Smith, Michael W, Smith, Michael W. “Reducing Writing Apprehension”. (ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, Ill.; National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, Ill)

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Based on the phenomenon of writing apprehension above, the researcher believes that ESL and EFL students have experienced about writing apprehension. Similarly, it is also experienced by students in English Education. Hettich El stated that writing apprehension has been a critical

problem for both native and non-native writer's language learning.10 Thus, the

researcher views that students of English Department of UIN Sunan Ampel who are doing on thesis writing have experienced writing apprehension based on the preliminary study before doing the research. Some students who are doing writing thesis feel apprehensive when they meet to lecturers or consult their thesis writing based on the interview with twenty students of English

Education Department.11 As we know before, to get a degree, students are

required to conduct research and write a thesis. Hence, the ability to write English properly is also concerned by students when their thesis will be evaluated by advisor or examiner in an examination. In this study, the researcher wants to discuss apprehensive students in doing thesis writing.

Several studies have researched related to writing apprehension, such as journal article written by Al-Sawalha, Musa Abdulla Salem, and Chow, Thomas Voon Foo entitled "The Effects of Writing Apprehension in English on the Writing Process of Jordanian EFL Students at Yarmouk University ". Focus of that study has a similarity for this study about writing apprehension. However, the purpose of this journal is to investigate the effects of writing

Al-Ahmad S. “The impact of collaborative learning on L1 and L2 college students' apprehension about and attitudes toward writing”. (Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2003),

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with apprehension on the writing process of Jordanian EFL students at Yarmouk University in Jordan. It shows that it differs with this present study. This study focused on the causes of writing apprehension.

Then a study conducting by Ariani Rosyadi entitled "Dialogue Journaling: Enhancing Students' Writing Viewed from Writing Apprehension". That study is aimed to identify the effect of the teaching methods and writing apprehension on students' writing skills. Having different objective with Ariani’s study, this research wants to know the level of apprehension and the causes of apprehension in writing thesis writing.

In this study, the researcher took English Teacher Education Department of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya as the location of research because the use of English for the thesis in that department. The research conducted in eighth-semester students who are doing thesis writing in academic year 2015/2016. From this investigation, the researcher expects that this gives a description about the level of writing apprehension for students. The lecturers and advisors can get information so that they can give some suggestion or feedback on students’ writing and this research can contribute to lecturer in creating method to reduce writing apprehension also for teaching to students who have low, unusual or average and high writing apprehension.

After knowing this phenomenon, the researcher wants to know about the level of writing apprehension that experienced by students who are doing thesis writing in English Teacher Education Department. The researcher not

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only to know the level but also to describe the causes of writing apprehension writing based on the students' perspective.

B. Research Questions

Based on the background above, there are two kinds of statement problems which the researcher wants to answer. They are:

1. What are the levels of writing apprehension among students in doing their thesis writing?

2. What are the causes of writing apprehension among students in doing their thesis writing?

C. Objectives of the study

1. To investigate the levels of writing apprehension among students in doing their thesis writing.

2. To describe the causes of writing apprehension among students in doing their thesis writing.

D. Significance of the study

The significance of this study for:

1. The Department

It is expected that the result of this research provides benefits for English Teacher Education Department to add literature especially about writing apprehension.

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2. English lecturer

It is expected that the result of this research provides information for lecturers about the level of writing apprehension experienced by students and some causes of writing apprehension. Then lecturers can give feedback on writing the thesis and can provide some strategies to handle or reduce writing apprehension not only in thesis writing but also other assignments such as essay, writing, or argumentative writing.

3. For further researcher

It is expected that the result of this research can be used as literature in doing similar research in the same field in the future.

E. Scope and Limitation

The scope and limit of this study are:

1. The scope of this study about writing apprehension. In this study, the

researcher investigated the level of writing apprehension that experienced by students. The researcher used writing apprehension test (WAT) based on Dally and Miller. Then, the research focused on describing what the causes of writing apprehension that experienced by students.

2. The limitation of the study is writing apprehension in eighth-semester

students who are doing thesis writing at English Teacher Education Department of UIN Sunan Ampel in the academic year of 2015/2016.

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F. Definition of Key Terms

1. Writing: a form of communication to deliver through or to express

feeling through written form.12 Thus, it can be concluded that writing is a

person's ability to communicate information and ideas to someone, public, government, etc. In this research, the researcher limits to thesis writing. Thesis means paper, document, or report of research that submitted by students as a requirement to get a degree. This study observed eighth-semester students who are doing thesis writing in academic year 2015/2016.

2. Apprehension: a fear that something bad or unpleasant is going to

happen or a feeling of being worried about the future.13 Fear or anxiety

about writing called writing apprehension. In this study, the research focuses on to apprehension in writing aspect. Daly and Miller give definition about writing apprehension. Writing apprehension is "subject-specific situation and individual difference associated with a person's tendencies to approach or avoid situation perceived to potentially require

writing accompanied by some amount of perceived evaluation".14 In this

research, writing apprehension defined as a feeling of students to approach or avoid a situation in requiring English writing and feeling fear

J. Harmer. “The Practice of English Language Teaching third edition”(London:Longman,2001), 79

Merriam - Webster. “definition of Apprehension” Learner's Dictionary,

(http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/apprehension, accessed on Mei 31, 2016)

J. A. Daly,& M. D. Miller.“The empirical development of an instrument of writing apprehension“. Research in the Teaching of English.9, 1975, 242-249

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when their product of English writing which their thesis is evaluated by lecturer or advisor.

3. Cause: Something or someone that produce an effect, result, or condition. In another definition is something or someone that makes

something happened or exist.15 In this study, the researcher gives

definition which a cause means thing that cause writing apprehension appear among students in doing thesis writing.

Merriam – Webster.” Definition of Cause” An Encyclopedia Britannica company, (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cause , accessed on Mei 31, 2016)

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter reviews a brief explanation about some theories and previous studies that will support this study. It deals with explanation about thesis, levels, and causes of writing apprehension.

A. Theoretical Framework

1. Thesis

Thesis is one of academic writing which is usually written by bachelor or undergraduate as requirement to get a degree. Thesis writing is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or

professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.1

1.1Components of Thesis

a. Cover page

In this section, cover page identifies topic, writer, institution, degree and date. It also contains title, candidate's name and qualifications, degree aimed at, faculty, university, month and year presented.

"Definition of Thesis" Wikipedia, (Https://En.Wikipedia.Org/Wiki/Thesis, Accessed On March 6, 2016)

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a. Declaration

It states that the material presented has not been used for any other award, and that all sources are acknowledged. It shows gratitude to anyone whose support has been important for the work.

b. Table of Contents

In this stage, it demonstrates lists all major divisions and subdivisions marked by numbers and indicates page of tables, figures, illustrations, appendices. It contains of all lists and the pages that included in thesis

c. Abstract

It orients the reader and presents the focal points of the thesis, and then it summarizes the thesis, mentioning aims/purposes, focus of literature review, methods of research and analysis, the findings, and implications

d. Introduction

It provides background of research and rationale for the research, thus the reader is persuaded that it will be useful or interesting. It usually serves as a frame within which the reader reads the rest of the thesis. Additionally, it provides background information related to the need for the research and builds an argument for the research and presents research question. It is also

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included the aim for research that present personal motivations behind research.

e. Literature Review

In this stage, it consists of more than one sub chapter. It shows the reader that it is familiar with issues and debates in the field. Alternatively a literature review may be the main source of data, and fulfill the aims of the thesis. The main purpose of the literature review is to provide current theories and arguments related to research topic.

f. Methodology

In methodology section, it presents method and approach that used in the research. It describes what the researcher did for selection of site, participants, data collection and analysis. It also includes illustrations for example a timeline demonstrating stages or steps in the research. Moreover, issues of validity and reliability are discussed in this section.

g. Results or Finding

It explains the data and findings of research. Some data in tables should be carefully set out, checked and discussed then it presents the answer of research question.

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h. Discussion

In this part, it discusses findings, drawing out main achievements and explaining results. The researcher also makes links between aims and findings.

i. Conclusion

It draws all arguments and findings together. The researcher usually leaves the reader with a strong sense. Further, it also summarizes major findings and gives suggestion or directions for future research

j. Bibliography

It shows the reader about all references that used to support facts and arguments.

k. Appendices

It includes raw data examples and reorganized data (e.g., a

table of interview quotes, questionnaire, etc).2

2. Definition of Writing Apprehension

The word apprehension is created by Daly and Miller which states

as tendency to avoid of writing when requiring writing task and feel

apprehensive when evaluated by teacher “The general avoidance of writing

Monash University. Writing A Thesis In Education (Group of Eight: Academic Language And Literacy Development, 2014)

Https://Www.Monash.Edu/__Data/Assets/Pdf_File/0007/145816/Booklet-Writing-A-Thesis-In Education.Pdf accessed on Mei 2, 2016

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situations perceived by individuals to potentially require some amount of

writing accompanied by the potential for evaluation of that writing”.3

This definition draws a correlation and interaction between three constructs: first is individual attitudes such as positive or negative judgment. Second are emotions and feelings such as fear or anxiety and third are

avoidance behaviors such as blocking or resistance.4

Donald Mc Andrew in his review of research on writing apprehension gives definition as an individual difference associated with increase in

anxiety when one is faced with situations requiring writing.5 on the other

hand, Sylvia Holladay states that writing apprehensive as students who is frightened by demands for writing competency, who fear of evaluation because he or she expects to fail, who avoid writing, and behaves

destructively when forced to write.6

Grenfell defines writing apprehension as the abnormally high level of an anxious, nervous, agitated or stressful feeling in a writing-strategy-related

situation, regardless of blocking and evaluation.7 Writing apprehension

relates directly to the anxiety that associated with the writing process,

J. A., Daly - M. D. Miller, “The empirical development of an instrument of writing apprehension”. Research in the Teaching of English.9, 1975, 242-249

A.M Grenfell. “EFL Writing Apprehension: The Macro or the Micro?”.Journal of Arts and Humanities (JAH), Volume -2, No.-3, April, 2013, p.79-89

Donald Mc.Andrew-Mike Rose (Ed)”The essential Delay:when writer’s Blockisn’t it. “when writers can’t write (New York:Guslford, 1985), p.219

Silvia Holaday .”writing anxiety: what research tells us”. NCTE convention, Boston, November 1981, ERIC ED 216393

A.M Grenfell. “EFL Writing Apprehension: The Macro or the Micro?”.Journal of Arts and Humanities (JAH), Volume -2, No.-3, April, 2013 p.79-89

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included the concept as well as physical aspects of writing. Further, writing

apprehension includes the fear of the evaluation of written products.8

The concept of writing apprehension is inclusive of anxiety, and relates to the idea that some individuals are more comfortable and may enjoy the writing process while others do not. Larson states that writing apprehension (WA) may be related to the arousal of certain emotions, particularly when written products are to be evaluated. Daly and Wilson report that apprehension as related to academic success, occupational

decisions, self-esteem, and personality behaviors.9

Daly classifies writers’ perceptions and feelings into two main

categories10: first is dispositional feeling and second is situational feeling.

The former of dispositional feeling refers to the consistent feelings such as attitude related to writing and writing outcome expectancy which perceived importance and value of writing. Moreover, situational feeling refers to task-based feelings like writing anxiety which feeling of discomfort while writing. Daly distinguishes between apprehension and anxiety. He viewed apprehension like avoidance of writing situations as one of the dispositional feelings, while anxiety was seen as a situational feeling.

J. Daly.“Writing apprehension in the classroom: Teacher role expectancies of the apprehensive writer”.Research in the Teaching of English.13,1979,p.37-44.

Carl H. Boening,, Lara A. Anderson, Michael T Miller.“Writing Apprehension and Academic Achievement among Undergraduate Honors Students”. Education Administration program:University of Alabama 206 Wilson hall Tuscaloosa, Al 3547 in ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) ED 414 775

J. Daly.Writing apprehension- When a writer can’t write: Studies in writer’s block and other composing-process problems. In M. Rose (Ed.), (New York: Guilford Press,1985)p. 65-73

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Based on some definitions before, generally apprehension is part of anxiety. In journal about anxiety, classroom language learning for EFL produces some foreign language anxiety in learning process. They are self-perception, belief, feeling, and behavior. Those situations will deal in foreign language anxiety. Foreign language anxiety (FLA) related to four skills, they are speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Three general components of language anxiety are communication apprehension, anxiety, and fear of

negative evaluation.11

Communication apprehension relates to an individual's fear or reticence toward oral communication, and writing apprehension has been viewed as a principle of the broader concept of communication apprehension. Apprehensive situation in oral communication is called communicative apprehension. If there is apprehensive in writing, it can be called as writing apprehension. Written that produced by students identified as high and low apprehensive differ significantly in structure, language use, and amount of

information conveyed.12

Writing apprehension plays an important role in writing performance. Students who have high apprehension are less control over usage and written rules than students who low in apprehension. For example students with high writing apprehension write shorter, syntactically less complete pieces,

Meihua Liu & Huiliuqian Ni.“Chinese University EFL Learners’ Foreign Language Writing Anxiety: Pattern, Effect and Causes”. English Language Teaching; Vol. 8, No. 3; 2015

Virginia Book."Some Effects of Apprehension on Writing Performance". Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Business Communication Association, San Diego, Calif., 28-30 December 1976.(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 132 595)

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especially in personal narratives. In writing apprehension, Faigley, Daly, and Witte describe low apprehensive students as those writers who tend not to avoid situation that demanded writing, are confident in their abilities to write, and frequently enjoy writing. For high apprehension is opposite of low apprehensive students which tend to avoid situation that demanding writing

and they are not confident with their abilities in writing skill.13

3. Levels of Writing Apprehension

In measuring levels of writing apprehension, this study was used Writing Apprehension Test (WAT). To know about levels of writing apprehension, there are three ranges to determine about levels. Writing

Apprehension scores range from 26 to 130. 14

o High level

This level indicates students have a high level of writing apprehension with range 26-59.

o Unusual or average level

Most students in this level do not experience significantly of writing apprehension with range 60-96. It means that they are in middle position or safe zone as writer with score mean is 78.

Wendy Bishop. “We’re all basic writers: tutor talking about writing apprehension”. The writing center journal.p.33-35

John Daly and Michael Miller, "The Empirical Development of an Instrument to Measure Writing Apprehension". Research in the Teaching of English. 12,1975,p. 242-49.Adapted by Michael W. Smith in Reducing Writing Apprehension (Urbana: NCTE, 1984).

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o Low level

In this level, range is 97-130. A score in this range indicates that students have a low level of writing apprehension.

Result of Virginia’s research concluded that there are some conditions that experienced by students both high and low apprehension in their writing product based on writing performance. Some conditions that experience for

low apprehensive in their writing product such as15:

a. Low apprehensive students use more nouns in direct, brief statements.

When they elaborated reasons in support of the statements, they relied primarily on concise structural patterns.

b. Low apprehensive students write three times as many words as the high

apprehensive.

c. Low apprehensive students write approximately twice as many

paragraphs which were about 1 1/2 times longer than the high apprehensive.

d. Low apprehensive used 4 times as many nouns.

e. Low apprehensive 3 1/2 times pronouns than high apprehensive.

Some conditions that experience for high apprehensive in their

writing product such as:

Virginia Book."Some Effects of Apprehension on Writing Performance." Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Business Communication Association, San Diego, Calif., 28-30 December 1976. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 132 595)

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a. High apprehensive students generate shorter response and fewer words in writing. It also happens when people express orally. It was anticipated that high apprehension would generated fewer words in writing just as they express less orally. A simple word count was made to find the length of response. A word was considered any symbol, including a number, bound by white space on either side.

b. High apprehensive students reveal less information or knowledge.

c. High apprehensive students use more adjectives and prepositional phrases

in proportion to nouns and pronouns; it is likely that the message produced-skill have fewer main ideas and more description and amplification.

d. High apprehensive students use fewer words to write.

e. High apprehensive students more rambling statements using nouns and

adjectives in prepositional phrases rather than in noun phrases.

On the other hand, some attributes of low apprehensive students such as students who has low apprehensive are not afraid of majors which require writing. They have flexible, heuristic procedures to help to avoid writing block. They have fewer spelling errors, greater syntactic complexity and greater length than high apprehensive. They give an awareness audience, propose, and organizational writing strategies. They have planning methods and also delay writing to procedure better, can compress writing time or postpone it to avoid anxiety. They can take advantages of multiple drafts.

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They appear to be able to ignore negative response, have had encouraging

writing experiences, and know how to ask for teacher guidance.16

Talking about relation among writing apprehension among gender, writing achievement, and concerning for content-form, there are some conditions concerning about level of apprehension. For example, high apprehensive writers have a weaker knowledge of writing skills, vocabulary, and limited syntactic resources. Both high and low apprehensive writers were significant. They are more concerned about form than content; however low apprehensive writers being significantly more concerned with form than the high apprehensive writers. And for the result of that issue, thus, content-based process writing classroom strategies may be able to be used to reduce high apprehension since the writing environment is conducive to exploring

ideas and content.17

4. Causes of writing apprehension

Some studies have done about cases of writing apprehension. Writing apprehension is sometimes experienced by students when writing English both

ESL and EFL learners. Tighe mentions only two main causes of students’

writing apprehension and these are critical comments and fear of evaluation.18

Wendy Bishop p.33-35

Diana Masny, Justine Foxall.”Writing Apprehension in L2”.(Ottawa: Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa of ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.ED 352 844)

M. A. Tighe. “Reducing writing apprehension in English classes”. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English Spring Conference, 1987, March. Louisville, United States

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Lin and Ho conducted research about causes of writing apprehension. They summarized five cases of apprehension. They are issues of time restriction such as thinking of the limitation of a time during testing, issues of teacher’s evaluation such as students are looking for teacher’s evaluation and negative comments in their work issue of peer competition such as peer’s comment and attitudes of competition, issues of writing subjects or classes

course, issue of required writing format.19

Yasser and Ibrahim found some cases of writing apprehension among Jordanian Ph.D. students at University Utara Malaysia Four main themes emerged pertaining to causes of writing apprehension which are Lack of knowledge in English structure, negative attitude toward writing, negative writing experience in the past, and Inadequate knowledge in academic writing. In their study concluded that writing apprehension was a prevalent

phenomenon among the students.20

Moreover, In Latif' research stated that some causes of writing apprehension were a lack of linguistic knowledge such as grammar and vocabulary knowledge, Low foreign language competence, Poor history of writing achievement and perceived writing performance improvement, Low

Lin, G. H. C., & Ho, M. M. S. “An exploration into foreign language writing anxiety from Taiwanese university students’ perspectives”. Paper presented at the NCUE Fourth Annual Conference on Language, Teaching, Literature, Linguistics, Translations and Interpretation, Taiwan 2009, April

Yasser Al-Shboul & Ibrahim Fathi Huwari.”The Causes of Writing Apprehension through Students’ Perspective”. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 535-544, May 2015

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English writing self-efficacy, Instructional practice of English writing and fear

of criticism.21 Although some studies have researched related to cases of

writing apprehension and have similarity with this study, the result was different because of a different subject which this research is students of the eighth semester in thesis writing.

From some studies above, it could be concluded that some causes of writing apprehension are:

• History of classroom with instruction particularly in traditional classroom

instruction.k of self-confidence

• Time restriction (limitation of time)

• Teacher evaluation (teacher’s negative comment)

• Peer competition (peer’s comment. Attitude competition)

• Lack of writing skill, vocabulary knowledge, writing experience,

linguistic knowledge (grammar, vocabulary)

• Low foreign language competence

• Poor history of writing achievement and perceived writing performance

improvement

• Low English writing self-efficacy

• Fear of criticism and evaluation

• Language use

• Critical comment

Latif, M. A. “The factors accounting for the Egyptian EFL university students’ negative writing affect”. Essex Graduate Student Papers in Language & Linguistics., 2007 9(7), 57-82.

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B. Previous Studies

In this study, the writer found several previous studies which are related with the writing apprehension. For instance, Ariani Rosyadi's thesis entitled "Dialogue journals: enhancing students’ writing viewed from writing apprehension”. The aim of this research is to find out whether: first, dialogue journals method is more effective than direct instruction method to teach writing. Second, the students who have low writing apprehension have better writing skill than those have high writing apprehension. Third, there is an interaction between teaching methods and students' writing apprehension in teaching writing. An experimental was used in his research. He took research in the eighth grade of SMP Ta'mirul Islam Surakarta in the academic year of 2014/2015. Data were collected through writing test and writing apprehension questionnaire and it was analyzed by a descriptive statistic. The finding of his research is: first, dialogue journals method is more effective than direct instruction method to teach writing, the students who have low writing apprehension have better writing skill than those have high writing apprehension. Third, there is an interaction between teaching methods and

students' writing apprehension in teaching writing.22

Peter Pappalardo in his dissertation entitled Teacher Behavior and Attitude and Students Writing Apprehension. It focuses on evaluating how teacher behaviors and attitudes affect the writing apprehension of students. The purpose of the study was to examine three questions related to student

Ariani Rosyadi.“Dialogue journals: enhancing students’ writing viewed from writing apprehension”(Surakarta:Sebelas Maret University,2015)

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writing apprehension and teacher behavior and attitude in a rural Pennsylvania high school. The questions were as follows. First, is the Willower Pupil Control Ideology (PCI) a reproducible instrument that predicts teacher behaviors in the classroom on a continuum from custodial to humanistic? Second, is there a relationship between teacher behaviors as measured by the PCI and student writing apprehension as measured by changes in the Daly/Miller Writing Apprehension Survey (WAS)? Third, did students report other factors which had an effect on their willingness to write? The results of the study support the idea that Willower’s PCI was a generally useful psychometric which predicts the likelihood of humanistic or custodial and direct or indirect behaviors by teachers. Student writing apprehension increased over the sampled population (n=405), with no differential effects found among the 25 classes studied, a result that is consistent with overall custodial behavior and direct teacher-student interactions. According to observed and student-reported data Systematic writing instruction, teacher modeling of writing and affective supported in the classroom were not common or significant elements in the curriculum of the high school in this

study.23

Sayyah Al-Ahmad in his dissertation entitled “the impact of collaborative learning on L1 and L2 college students’ apprehension about and attitudes towards writing”. It was intended to investigate the impact of collaborative learning on L1 and L2 college students' apprehension about

Peter Pappalardo, Doctoral dissertation: “Teacher Behavior And Attitude And Student Writing Apprehension”.( Indiana: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2010)

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attitudes towards writing. The subject of this research was 349 L1 students and L2 writing teachers, 77 L2 students, and 3 L2 writing teachers. The instruments that used were the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test twice, once a pre-test and another as posttest and writing course activity questionnaire. The purpose of both instruments was to find whether students' level of writing apprehension decreased from pretest to the posttest and investigate the relationship between collaborative learning and teacher's attitudes, a reduction on in students' writing apprehension and change in their attitudes towards writing. the result found that students' writing apprehension had decreased significantly from the pretest to the posttest. Additionally, their

attitudes towards writing had positively changed from pre to the posttest.24

Another study from Sawalha, Abdulla Musa Salem, and Chow, and Thomas Voon Foo entitled "The effect of writing apprehension in English on the writing process of Jordanian EFL students at Yarmouk University”. This research aims to investigate the effects of writing apprehension on the writing

process of Jordanian EFL students at Yarmouk University in Jordan. The

sampling of this study was sixty-third year students studying B.A English Language and Literature at Yarmouk University in Jordan for the academic year 2010/ 2011. The instruments used in this study were Adapted Daly and Miller Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) by Gungle and Taylor to measure writing apprehension and the writing strategy questionnaire which was

Sayyah Al-Ahmad, Doctoral Dissertation: “The Impact Of Collaborative Learning On L1 And L2 College Students’ Apprehension About And Attitudes Towards Writing”.( Indiana: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2003)

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adapted from the questionnaire used by Petric and Czárl. The results of this study showed that majority of the Jordanian EFL students at Yarmouk University in Jordan experienced a high level of writing apprehension. Furthermore, There were significant differences among high, mid, low in the frequency use across the three writing stages .These statistics suggested writing apprehension level of students had affected the frequency of strategy use and type of strategy use. English Language and Literature students at Yarmouk University in Jordan of different writing apprehension levels had

preference over different and frequency of strategy use.25

Dilek Yavuz Erkan and Ayten İflazoğlu Saban in their journal entitled

“Writing Performance Relative to Writing Apprehension, Self-Efficacy in Writing, and Attitudes towards Writing: A Correlation Study in Turkish Tertiary-Level EFL. The purpose of this study is to identify whether writing performance in students of English as a foreign language (EFL) is related to writing apprehension, self-efficacy in writing, and/or attitudes towards writing. The subjects were tertiary-level EFL188 students at Çukurova University School for Foreign Languages (YADIM) in Turkey. Three instruments were used to collect data: a writing apprehension test (WAT), a self-efficacy in writing scale (SWS), and a questionnaire on attitudes towards writing (WAQ). The results of the study suggest that, in these tertiary-level

Al_Sawalha, Abdulla Musa Salem and Chow & Thomas Voon Foo.”The Effects of Writing Apprehension in English on the Writing Process of Jordanian EFL Students at Yarmouk University”.International Interdisciplinary Journal of Education.Volume 1, Issue 1, February 2012.p.6-14

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EFL students, writing apprehension and writing performance are negatively correlated, writing apprehension and writing self-efficacy are negatively correlated, and writing apprehension and attitude towards writing are

positively correlated.26

From first until five previous studies above, this research has the same aspect about writing apprehension. An instrument that used is writing apprehension test to measure the level of writing apprehension. Although it has the same aspect, this research more focuses on Level and the causes of writing Apprehension. It does not correlate level with another aspect. It also has different subject whereas it conducted the research in English Education Department of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.

26 _{Dilek Yavuz Erkan and Ayten İflazoğlu Saban.”Writing Performance Relative to Writing}

Apprehension, Self-Efficacy in Writing, and Attitudes towards Writing: A Correlational Study in Turkish Tertiary-Level EFL”.Asian EFL Journal. p 164-192.

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter deals with the procedures or steps for conducting the study. It includes research design, location and subject research, data and source of data, research instrument, data collection, data analysis, checking validity, research stages.

A. Approach and Research Design

The research design is a procedure for collecting, analyzing, interpreting and reporting data in research studies. The design of this study is descriptive qualitative. The descriptive qualitative method is used to describe

and capture the phenomenon of situation and condition.1

According to Creswell, qualitative Research is an inquiry process of

understanding a social or human problem based on building a complex, holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and

conducted in a natural setting.2 Furthermore, a qualitative method is the way to

get data from a human problem or phenomenon depth and detail.

In this study, the researcher did not use quantitative approach because it did not contain hypothesis and treatment. It only captures and describes the phenomenon of writing apprehension among students, thus it tends to be a

M.Nazir, Metode penelitian (Jakarta: Ghalia Indonesia.2003), p.55

John W. Creswell. Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (New York: Sage Publications, 1994) p.15

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qualitative research. As Denzin & Lincoln state that qualitative research does not introduce treatments or manipulate variables, or impose the researcher’s operational definitions of variables on the participants. Rather, it lets the meaning emerge from the participants. It is more flexible in that it can adjust to the setting. Concepts, data collection tools, and data collections methods can be

adjusted as the research progresses.3

In this case, the research wants to investigate the level of writing apprehension and describes some causes of writing apprehension. By using WAT (Writing Apprehension Test), the research measured the level of writing apprehension and questionnaire sheet as an instrument for causes of writing apprehension.

B. Research Presence

In this study, the researcher was non participation observer. She was collector of the data and did not observe directly. The participants knew the researcher when collecting data from them.

C. Research Location

This study was conducted in English Teacher Education Department at the Faculty of Education and Teacher Training of UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya. The researcher chose this location because there is thesis writing class which must be taken by students in the eighth semester of English Teacher Education Department as the requirement to get a degree.

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The subject of the study was eighth-semester students of English Teacher Education Department in academic year 2015/2016. In this research, the technique for choosing sample is purposive sampling. The researcher used purposive sampling because this research obligated several criteria in sampling technique. Purposive sampling selects a sample based on beliefs and prior

information which provides the data we need.4

This study observed only students who have been accepted their research title and approved by examiners in thesis proposal examination to continue their research. It could be said that this study observed students who are doing thesis writing. The research took 35 students from 82 students in eight semesters in academic year 2015/2016.

D. Data and source of the data

Data is an adhere attribute in a particular object, in which it serves information that can be justified and obtained through a method or instrument of data collection. Generally, the obtained data will be processed and analyzed by a certain method in order to produce a thing that can describe or indicate

something.5

In this study, the researcher gained the source of the data from students of English Teacher Education Department who are doing thesis writing in eighth semester in academic year 2015/2016. The researcher got the data by

Jack R. Fraenkel and Norman E. Wallen. How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education 7th Ed (USA: Beth Meji, 2008), p.99

Haris hardiansyah, M.Si. Wawancara, Observasi, dan Focus Groups Sebagai Instrument Penggali Data Kualitatif (Jakarta: PT Raja Grafindo Persada, 2013), p.8

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using test and questionnaire. The test was distributed to investigate the students' experienced writing apprehension level, while questionnaire is used to describe the causes of writing apprehension.

E. Research Instrument

In this study, the researcher used instruments as follow:

1. Writing Apprehension Test (WAT)

For this study, the researcher used Daly and Miller's (1975a) WAT (Writing Apprehension Test) to assess students' apprehension about writing. This instrument is questionnaire form but it is called test as the instrument to measure writing apprehension. Furthermore, this is a 26-item questionnaire that provides 13 items with positive polarity and 13 with negative polarity. Scoring is done on a 5-point Likert scale and it contains whether they strongly agree, agree, are uncertain, disagree, and strongly disagree with statements about writing. This result answered the first question about the level of writing apprehension.

2. Questionnaire sheet

To answer the second question, questionnaire sheet is applied in this study. The researcher used the instrument from Ibrahim and Yasser in their research entitled Effect of Writing Apprehension among Jordan and Ph.D. Students' Perspective. Then, it was adopted and modified to find the cases of writing apprehension as the second question of the study. This

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instrument was open-ended questionnaire with 10 questions and distributed to participants.

This questionnaire sheet was administered to 35 students (students

from each high-apprehension, average-apprehension and Low-

apprehension) and the students were asked to specify the contexts and situations when they felt apprehensive both writing English thesis writing and consulting with an advisor who evaluates their English thesis writing.

F. Data collection technique

Data collection is an essential component to conducting research. Data collection technique is a technique that used by the researcher in conducting research. In this study, data collection used as follow:

1. Test

In this study, the students filled Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) developed by Daly and Miller. The researcher used an online test to collect the data. Students asked to fill Writing Apprehension Test in Google form. It consists of 26 statements and shaped Likert-type self-report scales with five possible answers for each item from (1) strongly agree to (5) strongly disagree. Examples of the items are like: "I am not good at writing", “I look forward to writing down my ideas”, “Expressing ideas through writing seems to be a waste of time”, “Discussing my writing with others is an enjoyable experience”, and “I don’t like my compositions to be evaluated”. This questionnaire resulted in quantitative data that answered

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the first question about the level of writing apprehension when doing thesis writing. By the existence of the data, it answered the first question “what are the levels of writing apprehension among students in doing their thesis writing?”

2. Questionnaire

The questionnaire is a set of questions for gathering information

from individuals.6 In this study, the researcher spread the questionnaire to

35 students. They responded and answered 10 questions as long as it did not change the theme. Then it was submitted to the researcher after the filled it. The results of this questionnaire answered the second question of this study “what are the causes of writing apprehension among students in doing their thesis writing?”

G. Data Analysis Technique

After collecting data from both instruments, data was analyzed. Data analysis processes to analyze data using some steps. In this study, the collected data was analyzed using qualitative methods of data analysis. Data analysis involves the identification, examination, and interpretation of data.

Evaluation Briefs N0.14/November 2008

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First, to know result from the level of writing apprehension among students, some steps did to calculate and read the score from Writing

Apprehension Test (WAT) as follow7:

• Determine each value in each item.

• Add together all point values for positive statements (PSV) only and add

together all point values for negative statements (NSV) only.

- PSV questions = 1; 4; 5; 7; 8; 13; 16; 18; 21; 22; 24; 25; 26

- NSV questions = 2; 3; 6; 9; 10; 11; 12; 14; 15; 17; 19; 20; 23

• Set those scores into the following formula to discover Writing

Apprehension (WA) score: WA = 78 + PSV-NSV

• After all score have been calculated then the researcher categorizes into

three levels. They are low, unusual or average, and high apprehension. Writing Apprehension scores range from 26 to 130.

After all scores in writing apprehension test (WAT) have been calculated, then it was continued to next process. The result of Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) and the questionnaire was analyzed in some steps. According to Sugiyono, data analysis includes data reduction, displaying data,

and drawing conclusion8. For the explanation as follow:

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1. Data Reduction

Data reduction is used to identify some important data that used. This is the process of reducing and transforming the data. In the reducing data from writing apprehension test (WAT), the researcher checked the answer and arranged score for calculating then it was classified scores into categorization based on range (low, average, and high apprehension). In questionnaire sheet, the answer was checked and identified whether the participants answer clearly and properly. Then it was taken some important data to process in the next step.

2. Displaying Data

After reducing data, then the researcher displayed data. It showed using a table to ease the researcher for analyzing data. The following as follow:

 Displaying Data from WAT (Writing Apprehension Test)

After calculating scores from WAT using a formula which provided in WAT, the researcher tabulated result of scores in WAT. It was categorized based on range from level low-average-high apprehension. After categorizing into three levels, it was concluded by taking percentage in each level using formula:

Total of students with same level

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 Displaying Data from Questionnaire

Data was analyzed from the answer in the questionnaire. Because of an open-ended questionnaire, the researcher had to analyze carefully. Data was tabulated into some parts that showing causes students writing apprehension. Furthermore, data was concluded into charts and gave percentage of result using formula:

Students who answer same point

Total participants X 100%

3. Drawing conclusion

After analyzing both of data instrument, then the researcher summarized the finding into the table to give the description about the level of writing apprehension. Moreover, the researcher also drew result of the level of writing apprehension and some causes of writing apprehension, what make students feel apprehensive when doing thesis writing.

H. Checking Validity of Findings

The validating finding is determining the accuracy or credibility of the findings. Triangulation means a technique for validating and verification. In this study, the research chose triangulation as a research strategy to assure completeness of finding or to confirm finding into validity. The researcher used the methodological technique for data collection which combining some methods for collecting data (e.g., test and questionnaire). In the first instrument, Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) is an instrument to measure

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writing apprehension. Daly and Miller measured Writing Apprehension Test

(WAT) as a reliable and valid instrument.9 The second instrument is

questionnaire sheet which is adopted from Ibrahim and Yasser. It has been validated by the expert. The researcher also is rechecked the result of analysis with theory, data, and expert to make sure the analysis is valid.

I. Research Stages

1. Preliminary research

Preliminary research is the beginning step before doing research to view and look for problems. In doing preliminary research, the researcher was interested in writing skill. But many types of research about writing aspect have been observed. Due to that information, the research tried to look for another aspect beyond writing. Finally, the researcher found some problems in the eighth semester of English Teacher Education Department when doing thesis writing. First, the problem about difficulty when getting accepted the research title. Some students felt apprehensive when writing the outline of thesis writing and meeting the lecturer. Then the researcher interviewed some students who have accepted research title. The researcher asked some question about how their feeling when they wrote a thesis and consulted with an advisor. Some students said that they felt apprehensive. Thus, it made the researcher wanted to investigate about level of writing apprehension and causes of writing apprehension.

John A. Daly and Michael D. Miller.”The Empirical Development of an Instrument to Measure Writing Apprehension. National Council of Teachers of English Research in the Teaching of English, Vol. 9, No. 3, winter 1975, p. 242-249

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Additionally, the researcher also did searching in the library included the point of writing apprehension. Some studies have done about writing apprehension quantitatively and qualitatively. To limit the topic, then the researcher wanted to investigate about level and causes of writing apprehension.

2. Designing investigation

After doing preliminary research, the researcher designed some steps for doing the investigation about the levels and causes of writing apprehension in eighth-semester students from determining the method, participants, instruments, data analysis technique, also the technique of checking validity. To measure levels of writing apprehension, the researcher used WAT (Writing Apprehension Test) by Daly and Miller and questionnaire adopted by Ibrahim and Yasser to answer causes of writing apprehension. It also needed to be validated by an expert in the field.

3. Implementing investigating

In doing research, the researcher did all procedures from to answer finding with distributing WAT and questionnaire to eight students who doing thesis writing.

4. Analyzing data

In analyzing data, some steps were done to answer the finding from reducing, displaying, and concluding data. To answer levels of writing

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apprehension, the research calculated scores using the formula that provided in Daly and Miller's note. To answer causes of writing apprehension, the researcher analyzed and interpreted the questionnaire.

5. Concluding data

After analyzing data, then the researcher summarized data. In concluding data the research used tables and charts to ease in a draw the finding of the research.

6. Writing report

The last step in research stage is writing a report. In writing the report, the descriptive qualitative method is used then the form of this study tends to the narrative. The research wrote and drew report from first until fifth chapter to give detail of the research.

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CHAPTER IV

FINDING AND DISCUSSION

This chapter demonstrates about finding and discussion. In the finding draws result of the research about levels and causes of writing Apprehension. While other parts, discussion explains about information that got from finding.

A. RESEARCH FINDING

1. Level of Writing Apprehension

The first question in this study is what the levels of writing apprehension among students when dong thesis writing. The data were gained through writing apprehension test (WAT) and spread to 35 students. In this part, the research demonstrated the result of level writing apprehension from English Education department students.

In analyzing Writing Apprehension test, data calculated using a formula that presented by the Writing Apprehension Test (WAT). To discover writing apprehension score is WA =78+PSV-NSV. After knowing the result of Writing Apprehension Test then the researcher categorized score based on the range of Writing Apprehension Test (WAT). As mentioned in chapter 3, there are three ranges; they are low, unusual/average, and high level. The researcher tabulated the data based on name and their score of Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) in a table below.

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Table 4.1 Summary of Students’ Final Score in WAT

NO. Name Score of WAT

Levels of Writing Apprehension High level

(26-59)

Unusual/Average level (60-96)

Low level (97-130)

1. Student’ 1 78 

2. Student ‘2 76 

3. Student ‘3 109 

4. Student ‘4 75 

5. Student ‘5 85 

6. Student ‘6 81 

7. Student ‘7 82 

8. Student ‘8 84 

9. Student ‘9 88 

10. Student ‘10 76 

11. Student ’11 83 

12. Student ‘12 81 

13. Student ‘13 80 

14. Student ‘14 85 

15. Student ‘15 84 

16. Student ‘16 77 

17. Student ‘17 78 

18. Student ‘18 71 

19 Student ‘19 86 

20. Student ‘20 79 

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22. Student ‘22 80 

23. Student ‘23 75 

24. Student ‘24 78 

25. Student ‘25 68 

26. Student ‘26 83 

27. Student ‘27 75 

28. Student ‘28 78 

29. Student ‘29 71 

30. Student ‘30 92 

31. Student ‘31 82 

32. Student ‘32 81 

33. Student ‘33 67 

34. Student ‘34 75 

35. Student ‘35 73 

After calculating the score in writing apprehension test, the researcher categorized level based on range. In the table above, the result showed that level of writing apprehension among students in doing thesis writing is unusual or average and low level. There are 34 students that their final score including to unusual or average level. And 1 student got a low level of writing apprehension and no one got high level.

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Chart 4.1 Frequency of Writing Apprehension Level

In the chart 4.1, it mentioned that 34 students tended to an unusual range, it meant that unusual range is majority level for students when doing thesis writing in this department. Unusual or average level (range 60-96) indicated that most students do not experience significantly in writing apprehension. Likewise, there is 1 student categorized in the low level (range 97-130). Students with number 3 got score 109 in the final score of Writing Apprehension Test. It meant that she indicates in the low level of writing apprehension. For the last, no one indicates to the high level of writing apprehension. It could be concluded that levels of writing apprehension among students in writing thesis are low and unusual or average level. To ease the interpretation, this pie chart would summarize the result using percentage.

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

High level Unusual /

average level

Low level

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Chart 4.2 levels of Writing Apprehension

In the chart above, the level of students writing apprehension in doing writing thesis is unusual level and low level. The result of the final score in writing apprehension test dominated score from 70-85 and it indicated to the unusual level. Unusual or average level got 97%, the low level is 3% and high level is 0%.

2. Causes of Writing Apprehension

The second question from this study is “what are the causes of writing apprehension among students in doing thesis writing?” It used open-ended questions and 35 students filled the questionnaire. After doing analyzing the questionnaire from reduction and tabulated data in the instrument, there are many same responses about causes of writing apprehension. The table below summarized the result about causes of writing apprehension.

97% 3%

Level of Writing Apprehension High Level Average Level Low Level

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Table 4.2 Summary of Students’ Questionnaire

NO. Name Response of Questions About Causes of Writing Apprehension

1. Student ‘1  Yes, I feel depressed because they are experts. So, I

was afraid to show my stupidity regarding research.

 (No response)

 Coming under pressure.

2. Student ‘2  Yes, I feel apprehension

 Yes, I am afraid of many unanswered questions asked

by them

 Feeling hopeless

3. Student ‘3  Yes, I feel apprehension

 Yes, when making mistakes

 laziness, less motivation, feeling tired, feeling busy

4. Student ‘4  Yes I’m afraid of making lot of mistake

 Yes, Content and structure

 Feeling tired

5. Student ‘5  No

 (No response).

 Laziness

6. Student ‘6  Yes, I do. Because I’m afraid of getting big mistake

and I cannot answer my advisor question

 Background, RQ, design and analysis technique

 Feeling busy

7. Student ‘7  Exactly, because everything inside of my thesis

should be perfect

 everything inside of my thesis

 Less motivation

8. Student ‘8  Yes of course, I am afraid of many revision

 There are many revisions, checking the grammatical

error.

 laziness, less motivation, feeling tired, feeling busy

9. Student ‘9  yes, I 'm afraid of making fatal mistakes

 I 'm afraid of making fatal mistakes

 Tired

10. Student

‘10

 Yes, because I am afraid if I make many mistakes

 The advisor have good academic knowledge

 Tired and busy

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‘11 have about English. We have been studying for 4

years in this department, if the English is low, we will be shy for it.

 Lack of capability in writing English well especially,

continuing to write thesis.

 Laziness

12. Student

‘12

 I like it when my content of my thesis to be evaluated.

because from that I know my lack

 The content between Research question, theory, and

data analysis

 I have my own deadline to make me excited to have

the consultation with my advisor

13. Student

‘13

 Yes, little bit. Because I think I am never the perfect

one who can write thesis.

 I think the order of the thesis itself. Like the

Background, Research Method, etc.

 Less motivation

14. Student

‘14

 Yes, of course. I thought that I have many mistakes on

that

 There are many mistakes on that, from the grammar

even in organizing the idea (content)

 Actually I don’t really understand with this point, but

talking about my feeling...I just afraid on if there will be so many questions from my advisor about the content then I can’t give the right reason.

15. Student

‘15

 Of course

 Because advisor will evaluate all and give suggestion

thus make me confident

 Laziness

16. Student

‘16

 Yes, because I am afraid if my knowledge about

grammatical structure was disappeared and not useful anymore.

 The comments of the advisor sometimes make me

feeling down.

 I feel less motivation

17. Student

‘17

 Yes I do. It is similar to be evaluated by friends.

 I am afraid if she is not agreeing with my writing.

 I am afraid disturbing her free time.

18. Student

‘18

 No, because from the advisor, I can get advice to

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 The idea of my writing. The content. Is it appropriate or not.

 Laziness

19 Student

‘19

 Of course absolutely yes. If my writing did not really

express my idea. It means we have different

understanding. And the advisor is the master so it will give a big pressure.

 They suggest me to add more theories, so it will help

you when your thesis is evaluated by them on final test

 (no response)

20. Student

‘20

 Yes. because it is help me too in finishing my thesis

 (no response)

 You know what my answer first. It reflects on the

example above. Of course, I got laziness, feel tired to think and writing everything

21. Student

‘21

 No, because it has to do

 Negative comments, make me down

 Less motivation

22. Student

‘22

 Yes, I am afraid for their comment

 (no response)

 Feeling tired

23. Student

‘23

 Sure, because he is an expert.

 I don't want to disappoint him.

 feel enthusiasm and optimist

24. Student

‘24

 No, because my advisor is older than me. When I

faced him, I feel like talking with my father.

 Nothing

 Laziness

25. Student

‘25

 Yes, I’m afraid for many revisions when advisor ask

me to revise thesis if it not appropriate with her/his opinion.

 Wrong theory

 Feeling nervous

26. Student

‘26

 Yes, because advisor always know the best way in

writing thesis

 The mistakes, such as grammar, paraphrase, the

format of thesis

 sometimes Less motivation

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From the table above, the researcher analyzed and tabulated responses become six points. They are negative comments of a thesis, many revisions of the thesis, content of thesis, lack of knowledge about writing, making a fatal

‘27  (no response)

 Feeling busy and laziness

28. Student

‘28

 Nope. I'm just afraid of disappointing them.

 I don't know

 Tired and busy. That's students are supposed to be

29. Student

‘29

 Yes because my lecture very clear to give explanation

 Make more brave

 Feeling busy

30. Student

‘30

 Yes the content

 The content in the thesis

 Less motivation

31. Student

‘31

 Yes because I think my thesis is far from the criteria

of good thesis

 I think my thesis is far from the criteria of good thesis

 Nervous, afraid

32. Student

‘32

 Yes. There are many mistakes will be found. And she

asked to add more and more difficult ideas in my paragraph

 Adding information that impossible to find.

 Make me mad, disappointed, and tired

33. Student

‘33

 I do not know because my thesis has not been

evaluated

 (no response)

 Stressful

34. Student

‘34

 No

 I do not know

 less motivation

35. Student

‘35

 No

 Plagiarism

 yes sometimes laziness, less motivation, feeling tired,

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a wrong theory, plagiarism. Low self-confidence included getting afraid if can’t answer the questions, making a fatal mistake, advisor disagree with writing/idea, feeling fear.

B. Suggestion

The researcher gives some suggestion at the end of this research as follows:

1. For lecturer or advisor

Based on the result especially for the causes of writing apprehension, there are three main points in causes of writing apprehension. Many students chose a point of low self-confidence. As the result, advisor or lecturer can give feedback clearly, some suggestions about their thesis and some methods to handle their apprehension in writing thesis. The last, giving motivation when doing thesis also is needed to support them so that it can reduce some feeling of apprehension.

2. For further researcher

This research has scope and limitation, so further researcher who are interested in writing apprehension, they may consider this suggestion. There are many topics about writing apprehension can be taken as further research. The further researcher can focus on students’

(2)

students’ high or low level of apprehension. The further researcher also can observe about validating on Daly-Miller WAT for Indonesian students.

(3)

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STUDENTS’ WRITING APPREHENSION IN THESIS WRITING AT ENGLISH TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF UIN SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA.