THE EFFECT OF GUIDED WRITING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT.

THE EFFECT OF GUIDED WRITING STRATEGY ON
STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING
DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

A THESIS

Submitted to English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State
University of Medan, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the
Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

By:
FANDY RAYMOND NAPITUPULU
Registration Number: 2103121014

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN
2015

DECLARATION
I have familiarized myself with the University’s Policy on Academic integrity.

Except where appropriately acknowledged, this thesis is my own work, has been
expressed in my own words, and has not been previously been submitted for
assessment.

I understand that this paper may be screened electronically or otherwise for
plagiarism.

Medan,

Maret 2015

Fandy Raymond Napitupulu
Reg. No. 2103121014

ABSTRACT
Napitupulu, Fandy Raymond. 2103121014. The Effect of Guided Writing
Strategy on Students’ Achievement in Writing Descriptive Text. A Thesis.
English Department. Faculty of Languages and Arts. State University of
Medan. 2015
This study is an attempt to discover the effect of applying Guided Writing

Strategy on students’ achievement in writing descriptive text. It was conducted by
using experimental research design. The Population of this research was the
eighth (VIII) grade students of SMP Tri Sakti Lubuk Pakam which has three
parallel classes. The samples of this research were taken by through lottery. They
were class VIII 3 became the experimental group and class VIII 2 became the
control group. The experimental group was taught by using Guided Writing
Strategy while the control group without treatment. The instrument for collecting
the data was writing test. The data were analyzed by using t-test formula. The
result shows that the value of t-observed is higher than the value of t-table. (5.56 >
1.67 (α = 0.05)) with the degree of freedom (df) = 70. It means that there is a
significant effect of applying Guided Writing Strategy on students’ achievement
in writing descriptive text. So, the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted.

Key words: Writing Descriptive Text , Guided Writing Strategy.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firstly, praise and great gratitude to the almighty God Jesus Christ for his
blessing, mercy, opportunity and helping the researcher to complete this Thesis

entitled “The Effect of Guided Writing Strategy on Students’ Achievement in
Writing Descriptive Text” as one of requirement for the degree of Sarjana
Pendidikan (S1) at English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State
University of Medan.
During the process of writing and conducting the research, the writer was
assisted and supported by many people. This Thesis could have not been
accomplished without guidance, suggestion, and comment from them, for which
the writer would like to express her sincere appreciation which directed to:














Prof. Dr. Ibnu Hajar Damanik, M.Si., the Rector of State University of
Medan.
Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum., the Dean of Language and Arts Faculty,
Vice Dean I, II, III, and all the administrative staff.
Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd., the Head of English and Literature
Department, Dra. Meisuri, M.A., the Secretary of English Department, and
Dra. Masitowarni Siregar, M.Ed., the Head of English Education Study
Program and his Reviewer.
Dra. Tjut Ernidawaty, M. Pd, her Thesis Consultant..
Dr. Siti Aisah Ginting, M. Pd., her Academic Consultant and his Reviewer.
All Lecturers of English Education and Literature Department, who have
taught him and giving great study experiences.
Mam Euis, Sir Pantes, and Mam Ola the academic staff and administrative
staff who had helped the researcher in finishing the administration of
conducting this research.
Gandi Sibarani, S.E, S.Pd., the Headmaster of SMP Swasta Tri Sakti Lubuk
Pakam.
T. Panjaitan, his beloved mother. Masdayani Napitupulu, Imelda
Napitupulu, Ronald Napitupulu, Januarwita Napitupulu, Johannes

Napitupulu, his brother and sisters, and all his family members, for their
support.
His beloved friends, Rismayanti Simatupang, Afsah Trimida S, and Yuni
Khairina, for their endless love, prayer, moral and financial support, in
completing his education.

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His best friends; Riski Apriliyani, Yohanna Siburian, Poppy Marbun,
Filzah, Riska Hayati, Nurlaila Amalia, Debbie Ivanalies, Freddy
Simarmata, for always support and help him.
His lovely classmates, DIK Regulaer B 2010, for the wonderful four years.
His closed friends in PPLT SMK Pemda Lubuk Pakam, for many
experiences and togetherness, especially Nelly Wahyuni, Ayu Kartika,
Warni Silitonga.


Overall, the researcher hopes this Thesis can give contribution to the English
Education students and further pedagogical research. And also it can be useful for
the readers.

Medan,
Maret 2015
The Writer,

Fandy Raymond Napitupulu
NIM. 2103121014

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TABLE OF CONTENT
Page
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................... ii
TABLE OF CONTENT ....................................................................................... iv
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................... vi
LIST OF APPENDICES .................................................................................... vii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of the Study .................................................1
B. The Problem of the Study .......................................................4
C. The Objective of the Study .....................................................5
D. The Scope of the Study ...........................................................5
E. The Significance of the Study .................................................5
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Theoretical Framework ...........................................................7
1. Students’ Achievement ......................................................7
2. The Concept of Writing......................................................8
3. The Process of Writing .......................................................9
a. Prewriting ......................................................................9
b. Writing/Drafting ..........................................................10
c. Revising .......................................................................10
d. Editing .........................................................................11
e. Publishing ....................................................................11
4. Assessment in Writing .....................................................11
5. Genre ................................................................................12
6. Descriptive Text ...............................................................13
a. Communicative Purpose of Descriptive Text ..............14

b. Generic Structure of Descriptive Text .........................15
c. Grammatical Pattern of Descriptive Text ....................15
7. Guided Writing Strategy ..................................................16
a. Guided Writing Strategy Stages ..................................17
b. The Advantages of Guided Writing Strategy ..............19
c. Roles and Responsibilities in Guided Writing
Strategy ........................................................................17
B. Conceptual Framework .........................................................20
C. Hypothesis .............................................................................22

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CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Research Design ...................................................................23
B. Population and Sample..........................................................24
1. Population.........................................................................24
2. Sample ..............................................................................24
C. The Technique for Collecting Data .......................................24
D. The Procedure of Collecting Data .........................................25
1. Pre-test ..............................................................................25

2. Treatment .........................................................................25
3. Post-test ............................................................................26
E. The Technique for Analyzing Data .......................................26
F. Statistical Hypothesis ............................................................27
CHAPTER IV: THE DATA ANALYSIS
A. The Data ................................................................................28
B. Data Analysis ........................................................................31
C. Testing Hypothesis ................................................................33
D. Research Finding...................................................................34
E. Discussion .............................................................................36
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusions ...........................................................................39
B. Suggestions ...........................................................................39
REFERENCES .....................................................................................................41

v

LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1.
Table 2.2.

Table 2.3.
Table 3.1.
Table 3.2.
Table 4.1.
Table 4.2

Rubrics in Scoring Descriptive Text ...................................................11
Generic Structure of Descriptive Text ................................................15
Roles and Responsibilities in Guided Writing ....................................20
Research Design ..................................................................................23
Experimental Group Activities............................................................25
Score in Experimental Group ..............................................................29
Score in Control Group .......................................................................30

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LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX A .......................................................................................................43
APPENDIX B .......................................................................................................44

APPENDIX C .......................................................................................................45
APPENDIX D .......................................................................................................47
APPENDIX E .......................................................................................................52
APPENDIX F........................................................................................................53

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. The Background of Study
As one of the basic skills of learning English, writing is important in
language learning process. Writing is considered a highly productive skill and
arguably the most difficult of the four language skills. It is a process of putting
ideas or thoughts into words which is combined into the form of paragraphs. In
writing, ideas are arranged in series of sentences that are related to each other so
the information can be comprehended. Through writing people can express their
experiences, events and social identities. It also can train them to think critically
and creatively. Writing helps us to remember, observe, think and communicate
(Barras, 1995:9)
Harmer (2004:86) states “writing is a process that what we write is often
heavily influenced by constraints of genre, and then these elements have to
present in learning activity. It is continuous process of thinking and organizing,
rethinking and reorganizing. Writing is a powerful tool to organize overwhelming
events and make them manageable. Writing is really a form of thinking using
written word.
According to sylabus of Junior High School (SMP) for grade eight (VIII),
the goal of teaching writing is to enable the students to write simple descriptive
text by using accurate vocabulary, appropriate grammar and impresses on the
discourse level. It means that the teaching process does not only focus on the text

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but also focuses on how to construct a new text well. After being taught, they are
expected to be able to tell about the real life writtenly.
The descriptive text is one genre that must be mastered by students in
learning English. And theoritically Descriptive Text is a kind of text with a
purpose to give information. The context of this kind of the text is the description
of particular thing, place, person, or others, for instance: a place or a persons we
know well.
When I began teaching. I did not want to inflict the boring writing
environment I had experienced as a child on my students. I could not wait to make
writing instruction meaningful and fun. My goal has always been to motivate
students to write well and to feel like writers. I wrote in front of students on
projected transparencies and on chart paper. I followed my modeling with shared
writing, in which we wrote a piece together ( Lori D.Oczkus 2007: 10)
Based on the observation in SMP Tri Sakti Lubuk Pakam, it was found
that student had some problems when they asked to write a descriptive paragraph.
It was proven by the students score which are under the students minimum criteria
(KKM). First, students were not provided with the brainstorming at the beginning
of the learning, so that students did not know as far as their insights. Second,
when they asked to write a descriptive paragraph, they just make a simple
paragraph that they known and collected without making a draft before. So the
results would not be good, especially if they work individually. Some of students
in the class were not interested to do the assigment. Third, students who have no
interested certainly would not asked their friend and teacher. At the last, writing

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skills of student is unevenly, because when the students maked in the group, most
of the group members do not work.
Guided writing is a strategy thats gives students the opportunity to review
a recently taught writing skill in a small-group setting and then to apply the skill
through independent writing (Ontario, 2005:5.3).
Guided Writing involves a teacher working with a group of students on a
writing task are based on what they have previously been learning about the
writing process. Guided Writing strategy focuses on the process of writing. The
teachers’ role in Guided Writing is one of facilitator to help the students discover
what they want to say and how to say it meaningfully with clarity. The students
are guided by giving them the main idea of what they are going to write. The most
important thing to consider is the idea presented in the writing is clear to the
readers. Therefore students and teachers join to compose a text well to develop
their writing ability in accordance with writing process development.
Guided writing strategy can ovecome the problems that occur in students
SMP Tri Sakti Lubuk Pakam. Because it can make students and teacher more
close and then the students more comfortable in the class to make a good writing
descriptive text. Because the student can explore their mind and they were more
confidence. So that it can improve students’ ability to write descriptive paragraph.
First, students work in group, the members of group are three or four
members. After that teacher give them the general of writing descriptive text. The
students brainstorm to generate ideas for writing. The students make a prewriting
first before making the good writing, like a picture, chart, graphic organizer to

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help develop their idea in writing. Second, student make rough draft. In this step
each member in the group put their idea on the paper without think about
grammar, capitalization, and structure. Third, the member of group share their
draft in their group, make suggestion to each other, and they demanded to help
each other understand the story by asking who, what, where, when, why, and how
question. And then teacher and students do reivising. Fourth, teacher and students
do editing together, it means the students work with teacher correct all mistakes in
grammar and spelling. And the last, students do final draft, it means the students
produces a copy of their writing with all correction with the teacher. And teacher
offers the last suggestion for improvement at this step.
Based on the explanation above, this strategy is the best way to apply in
teaching writing for students. It is learning in small group activity based on
teacher support in teaching learning process but the result of the task is
independent learning. It is makes the students get the chance to share their opinion
in their mind for other students.
By considering the explanation above, this study is aimed to apply guided
writing strategy on students’ achievement in writing descriptive text.

B. The Problem of the Study
Based on the background of the study, the problem of the study is
formulated as follows :
“Is there any significant effect of applying guided writing strategy on
students’ achievement in writing descriptive text?”

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C. The Objective of the Study
In the relation to the problem of study, the objective of the study is to find
out the effect of guided writing strategy on students’ achievement in writing
descriptive text.

D. The Scope of the Study
There are many types of writing, such as narrative, descriptive, procedure,
argumentative, spoof, and others. This study basically limits to students writing
skill on students’ achievement in writing descriptive text, specifically describing
place by applying guided writing strategy.

E. The Significance of the Study
The results of the study both theoritically and practically are:
1. Theoretically
For teachers:
a. The result of the study can be used as input in English teaching learning
process, especially in teaching writing descriptive text.
b. The result of the research can be used as the reference for researcher to
conduct a research in English teaching-learning process.

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2. Practically
This research will be useful for teachers and student, in order to help
them in teaching-learning process, and to make the students more
interested in studying English

CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion
After analyzing the data, it was found that the students’ score in
experimental group was higher than the students in control group. The total score
and the mean score in experimental group showed that there was a significant
improvement of the students’ score between the pre-test and the post-test score.
Based on the data, the conclusions can be drawn as follows the result of
is higher than

at the level of significance 5.56 > 1.67 which

implies that hypothesis of this study is accepted. And it was proved that using
guided writing strategy in teaching descriptive text is more effective because the
result show that students’ score is higher after the treatment.
Since the value of t-observe was 5.56 at the level significance (0,05) is
higher than t-table 1,67 the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted. So, from the
calculation of the data, it can be concluded that guided writing strategy
significantly affect students’ achievement in writing descriptive text.

B. Suggestions
In line with the conclusions and the result of the research, some
suggestions are stages as the following:
1. The English teachers are suggested to apply guided writing strategy in
teaching descriptive text as the alternative in teaching learning process.

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40

Because guided writing can make the teacher and the student to be like a
friend, and so that is make students more comfortable in studying and
explore their mind.
2. The students are suggested to be more creative, confidence, and enjoyable
n exploring their writing ability by applying guided writing strategy.
3. Other researchers are suggested to read this research to improve the
research about guided writing strategy dealing with writing skill,
especially in writing descriptive text.

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Pagliaro, Marie. 2012. Research-Based Unit and Lesson Planning: Maximizing
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