Mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English language education study program.

MASTERY OF DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES BY STUDENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

STUDY PROGRAM

A THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By

R.Aj Triastuti Dian Kusumartini Student Number: 051214146

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

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MASTERY OF DEFINING AND NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES BY STUDENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

STUDY PROGRAM

A THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By

R.Aj Triastuti Dian Kusumartini Student Number: 051214146

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

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STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the references, as a scientific paper should.

Yogyakarta, April 8, 2011 The Writer

R.Aj Triastuti Dian Kusumartini 051214146

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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN

PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama : R.Aj Triastuti Dian Kusumartini Nomor Mahasiswa : 051214146

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma, karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

“Mastery of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses by Students of the English Language Education Study Program”

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal 8 April, 2011 Yang menyatakan

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Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity

in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's

work from beginning to end.

(Ecclesiastes 3:11)

I dedicate this thesis to my Lord, Jesus Christ,

to my beloved parents, sister and brother,

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my Lord Jesus Christ for His blessing and faithfulness of accompanying me so that I can finish my thesis. I thank Him for giving me a beautiful life complete with the happinesses and the sadnesses. Also, I thank Him for guiding me to walk in the best way in my life, and underpinning me when I fall. He is my mainstay.

I am very grateful to my sponsor Carla Sih Prabandari, S.Pd., M.Hum. for her guidance, suggestions, and supports during my thesis accomplishment. I would like to thank the lecturers of English Language Education Study Program. My gratitude also goes to Laurentia Sumarni, S.Pd. who also gives me supports and advices since I started studying in PBI. I thank Gregorius Punto Aji, S.Pd., M.Hum. for checking and giving feedback on my thesis. I thank also all PBI staffs who help me especially in administrative needs.

I like to express my special gratitude to Dr. Antonius Herujiyanto,M.A., the lecturer of Poetry I, for giving me permission to conduct my try-out test in his class and Hanandyo Dardjito, S.Pd., M.Hum., the lecturer of Academic Essay classes for allowing me to conduct my research in his classes. My gratitude also goes to all students of Poetry I Class A and Academic Essay Class A and Class E in academic year of 2009/2010 for the active and nice cooperation.

I would like to address my great gratitude to my parents, RM Sukrohadi, B.Sc and R.Ay Retno Rahayu, Bc.Hk. I thank them for their sincere love, care, sacrifices, prayers, patience and guidance to me. I would like to thank my siblings, R.Ay Retno Wiranti Yudiastuti, S. Psi. and RM Wuryanto Hadi Nugroho, S. Farm., Apt., M.Sc. and my brother inlaw, Yohanes Ferry Kristyawan Ari Bowo, S. Psi. for their love, care, prayer, and guidance. I am grateful to all my uncles, aunts and cousins for their support and prayers. I like to thank my family in FPUB especially Pak Waldji, Pak Arnold, Rm. Yatno, Mbak Jeani, Alit, Ayok, Betlin, Mas Kakung, Mas Aan, Mas Niel and Mas Paul for our fraternity, their guidance, support, and prayers.

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My special thanks are addressed to my best friends, Yoan, Olive, Nancy, Tari, Nita and Delfin for our friendship, their support, guidance and prayers during study in PBI started from semester 1 till the end of finishing my thesis. I thank Mui, Bangkit and Wiwin for sharing and helping me during writing my thesis. I also thank Nita, Ari, and Wahyu “Bocong” for checking my thesis and giving me advice to improve it. I also thank Hawkeye English Course crew, all PBI students 2005, PBI students 2004 and 2006 who know me, I am grateful for our friendship in PBI. Hopefully, our friendship can grow forever.

I like to thank all of my friends I found in Sanata Dharma University, Afan FE’05, Widia Far’05, Simbah BK’04, Sepri BK’04, Pikal BK’04, Ndari BK’04, Asep BK’03, Pitra BK’03, Erna BK’03, Paul PBSID’03 for our nice relationship during I study in USD and live in Jogja, hopefully our relationship never lasting. I am very thankful to my boarding house friends, especially Puput, Eni, Ana, Riska, Nana, Sisil, Mbak Wulan, Refi, Rahma, Astri, and Tari for our sisterhood, their supports and helps during living together in our lovely boardinghouse. Also, I would like to thank my old friends, especially Hesti, Renny, Ari, Dimas, Jeka, Danik, Adit, Asih, Desy, Agus, Nita, Lidwina, and all my old friends who always support me since since junior high school till now.

My special gratitude goes to Mas Paul’s family, Asep’s family, Nita’s family, Yoan’s family and Olive’s family who accept me as their own family. Those family are my family in Jogja. They subtitute my family in Solo. They arise me during living in Jogja.

My gratitude also goes to those whom I cannot mention by names. I would like to thank them for their support, prayer, guidance and encouragement.

ix ABSTRACT

Kusumartini, R.Aj Triastuti Dian. 2011. Mastery of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses by Students of the English Language Education Study Program. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

Relative clause is one of crucial English structure that the students should master. In English writing, the students sometimes use relative clauses. We sometimes find and use relative clauses in our daily activities, such as when we are talking to others, when we are reading a book, a newspaper, etc and we are writing a story, a letter, etc.

The students of the English Language Education Study Program learn relative clauses from semester II to semester V. therefore, the students should master relative clause materials such as relative pronouns, antecedents, main clauses, and relative clauses, structure of relative clause, defining and non-defining relative clauses, and punctuation (comma(s)) needed. Also, English Language Education Study Program students as candidates of English teachers have to master defining and non-defining relative clauses, which is an aspect of English structure that they will teach to their students in the future. However, they will face problems in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses.

The research aims to find out English Language Education Study Program students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses. The problems to be evaluated are: (1) How is mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by studnets of the English Language Education Study Program? and (2) What errors occur in the students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses?

The researcher applied survey research to conduct the research. This research implemented of two data analysis techniques, quantitative to answer the first research question and qualitative to answer the second research question. She took 40 students of the fifth-semester students of English Language Education Study Program, in academic year of 2009/2010 as the representative sample of the research. She selected the sample using Cluster Sampling Technique. The instrument used in the research was an essay test. The test requires the students to produce complex sentences using defining and non-defining relative clauses. The researcher used the test to measure the students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses and to find the students’ errors occurring in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses.

The research findings showed that the students achieved 70.04% of required points. Therefore, they got 7.00 scores. Based on the standard score of Sanata Dharma University, the students who obtained 7.00 scores occupied good level. However, the students still faced some problems in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses. They made errors in three categories. The first criterion was relative pronouns with percentage 12.52%. The second criterion was

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grammar/structure of relative clause with percentage 42.14%. The third criterion was the use of punctuation (comma(s)) with percentage 45.34%. After classifying the errors, the researcher found misinformation errors and omission errors in students’ errors of relative pronouns. Then, she obtained misordering errors, addition errors, misinformation errors and omission errors in students’ errors of grammar/structure of relative clause. At the last, she found omission errors and addition errors in students’ errors of the use of punctuation (comma(s)).

Finally, the researcher suggests an alternative teaching strategy to teach defining and non-defining relative clauses. It is expected that the alternative teaching strategy the researcher provided will be useful for the lecturers and for the students. For the lecturers, this alternative teaching strategy aims to improve their teaching strategies to teach defining and non-defining relative clauses. For the students, it aims to improve their mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses.

xi ABSTRAK

Kusumartini, R.Aj Triastuti Dian. 2011. Mastery of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses by Students of the English Language Education Study Program. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Relative clauses merupakan salah satu struktur bahasa Inggris yang penting yang harus dikuasai oleh mahasiswa. Dalam setiap komunilkasi yang menggunakan bahasa Inggris, baik secara lisan maupun tertulis, setiap orang sering menggunakan relative clauses. Kita sering menemukan dan menggunakan relative clauses dalam kegiatan sehari-hari kita, seperti ketika sedang berbicara dengan orang lain, ketika sedang membaca sebuah buku, surat kabar, dan lain-lain yang menggunakan bahasa Inggris, dan ketika sedang menulis sebuah cerita, surat, dan lain-lain dalam bahasa Inggris.

Mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris belajar relative clauses sejak semester II sampai semester V. Sehingga mahasiswa sebaiknya menguasai materi relative clause seperti relative pronouns, antecedents, main clauses dan relative clauses, structure of relative clause, defining and non-defining relative clauses, dan punctuation (comma(s)) yang dibutuhkan. Selain itu, mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris sebagai calon guru Bahasa Inggris sebaiknya menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses, yang merupakan salah satu bagian struktur bahasa Inggris yang akan mereka ajarkan pada siswa-siswi mereka kelak. Bagaimana pun juga, mereka masih bermasalah dalam menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui penguasaan defining and non-defining relative clauses oleh mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Permasalahan yang dievaluasi yaitu: (1) Bagaimana mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahsa Inggris menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses? dan (2) Kesalahan-kesalahan apa yang terjadi pada defining and non-defining relative clauses yang disusun oleh mahasiswa?

Peneliti menerapkan metode penelitian survei untuk melaksanakan penelitian tersebut. Penelitian ini terdiri dari dua teknik analisa data, teknik analisa data kuantitatif untuk menjawab permasalahan penelitian yang pertama dan teknik analisa data kualitatif untuk menjawab permasalahan penelitian yang kedua. Dia mengambil 40 mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris semester lima tahun akademik 2009/2010 sebagai sampel penelitian. Dia memilih sampel dengan menggunakan tehnik sampling cluster. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah tes esai. Tes ini menuntut mahasiswa untuk membuat kalimat majemuk menggunakan defining and non-defining relative clauses. Peneliti menggunakan tes tersebut untuk mengukur penguasaan defining and non-defining relative clauses oleh mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris dan untuk menemukan kesalahan-kesalahan mahasiswa yang terjadi dalam menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses.

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Temuan penelitian tersebut menunjukkan bahwa para mahasiswa meraih 70.04% dari poin yang ditentukan. Jadi mereka mendapatkan skor 7.00. Berdasarkan skor standar Universitas Sanata Dharma, mahasiswa yang mendapat skor 7.00 memenuhi level baik. Bagaimanapun juga, para mahasiswa masih menghadapi beberapa masalah dalam menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses. Mereka membuat kesalahan-kesalahan dalam tiga kategori. Kategori pertama ialah relative pronouns dengan persentase 12.52%. Kategori kedua yakni grammar/structure of relative clause dengan persentase 42.14%. Kategori ketiga yaitu the use of punctuation (comma(s)) dengan persentase 45.34%. Setelah mengklasifikasikan kesalahan-kesalahan, peneliti menemukan misinformation errors dan omission errors dalam kategori relative pronouns. Kemudian, dia mendapatkan misordering errors, addition errors, misinformation errors dan omission errors dalam kategori grammar/structure of relative clause. Terakhir dia memperoleh omission errors dan addition errors dalam kategori the use of punctuation (comma(s)).

Akhirnya, peneliti menyarankan sebuah strategi alternatif pengajaran untuk mengajarkan defining and non-defining relative clauses. Semoga strategi alternatif pengajaran yang disediakan peneliti tersebut akan berguna bagi para dosen dan juga bagi para mahasiswa. Bagi para dosen, strategi alternatif pengajaran tersebut bertujuan untuk meningkatkan strategi pengajaran mereka dalam mengajar defining and non-defining relative clauses. Bagi para mahasiswa, strategi alternatif pengajaran tersebut bertujuan untuk meningkatkan penguasaan mereka terhadap defining and non-defining relative clauses.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGES ... ii

STATEMENT OF WORK'S ORIGINALITY ... iv

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... v

PAGE OF DEDICATION ... vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... vii

ABSTRACT ... ix

ABSTRAK ... xi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... xiii

LIST OF TABLES ... xvi

LIST OF APPENDICES ... xvii

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION ... 1

A. Research Background ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 4

C. Problem Limitation ... 5

D. Research Objective ... 5

E. Research Benefits ... 6

F. Definition of Terms ... 7

CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 10

A. Theoretical Description ... 10  

1. Mastery ... 10  

2. Relative Clauses ... 11

a. Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses ... 12

b. Relative Pronouns ... 14

3. Errors ... 22

a. Definition of Errors ... 22

b. Classifications of Errors ... 23

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CHAPTER III : METHODOLOGY ... 29 

A. Research Method ... 29

B. Research Participants ... 30

C. Research Instruments ... 32

1. Test Validity ... 35

a. Content Validity ... 35

b. Construct Validity ... 37

c. Face Validity ... 38

2. Test Reliability ... 39

D. Data Gathering Techniques and Type of Data ... 43

E. Data Analysis Techniques ... 44

F. Research Procedure ... 47

CHAPTER IV : RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ... 50 

A. Students’ Mastery of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses ... 50

B. Students’ Errors of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses .. 54

1. Classifications od Errors ... 57

a. Relative Pronouns ... 58

b. Grammar/Structure of Relative Clause ... 60

c. The use of punctuation (comma(s)) ... 66

CHAPTER V : CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 71 

A. Conclusions ... 68

B. Suggestions ... 74

REFERENCES ... 75

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 : Standard Range of Score in Sanata Dharma University ... 11

Table 2 : Relative Pronouns According to Close (1977) ... 14

Table 3 : Distribution of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses ... 35

Tabel 4 : Students’ Achievement ... 51

Table 5 : The Percentage of Students’ Level ... 52

Table 6 : Students’ Errors ... 54

Table 7 : The Percentage of Students’ Errors in Each Criterion ... 55

Table 8 : Classifications of Students’ Relative Pronoun Errors ... 59

Table 9 : Classifications of Students’ Grammar/Structure of Relative Clause Errors ... 61

Table 10 : Classifications of Students’ Errors in the Use of Punctuation (Comma(s)) ... 66

Table 11 : Classifications of Students’ Errors ... 70

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LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 : Try Out Test ... 78

Appendix 2 : Answer Key to Try Out Test ... 81

Appendix 3 : Real Test ... 84

Appendix 4 : Answer Key to Real Test ... 87

Appendix 5 : Letter of Permission to the Chairperson of English Language Education Study Program ... 90

Appendix 6 : Students’ Work of Try-out Test ... 91

Appendix 7 : Students’ Work of Real Test ... 94

Appendix 8 : Table of “r” Values of Product Moment ... 97

Appendix 9 : Computation of Try Out Test ... 98

Appendix 10 : Computation of Real Test ... 100

Appendix 11 : List of Students’ Achievement ... 102

Appendix 12 : List of Students’ Errors ... 103

Appendix 13 : List of Students’ Relative Pronouns Errors ... 105

Appendix 14 : The Alternative Teaching Strategy ... 106

1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter is an introductory chapter that describes research background, problem formulation, research objectives, research benefits and definition of terms. In research background, the researcher describes the reasons why the researcher conducts the research and chooses defining and non-defining relative clauses as the topic and the fifth-semester students of English Language Education Study Program as the sample. In problem formulation, the researcher mentions the research questions. In problem limitation the researcher shows the limitation of the area that the research applies for. In research objectives, the researcher explains the aims of the research. In research benefits, the researcher describes the benefits of the research. In definition of terms, the researcher defines briefly the meaning of the terms used in the research.

A. Research Background

In English Language Education Study Program, the students are prepared to be professional English teachers. In order to prepare professional English teachers, English Language Education Study Program teach the students some language aspects especially Linguistics. In Linguistics, the students learn English grammar and structure, English pronunciation, English phonology, English sociolinguistics, English semantics, English morphology and syntax, English semantics, etc.

2 In the case of English structure, the students learn English structure in Structure classes. There are five levels of Structure classes. The first level is Structure I, which is offered, in the first semester. The next is Structure II in the second semester. The third is Structure III in the third semester. The fourth is Structure IV in the fourth semester. The last is Structure V in the fifth semester. Those Structure classes teach English grammar and structure.

According to the previous research by Herning (2002: 137), there was no group achieved 75% of correct answers in the whole test. Herning (2002:137) state Structure IV students’ mastery of the Wh- and That clauses in relative clauses and noun clauses were categorized into “sufficient” level. The researcher conducts the research in order to investigate if the students’ mastery of relative clauses still in “sufficient” level or experiences a change. If the students’ mastery of relative clauses experiences a change, the researcher would like to investigate what changes occur in their mastery of relative clauses are.

In this research, Structure V students have passed the previous Structure classes, so in semester V the students should master English grammar and structure. That is the reason why the researcher chooses those students as the representative sample of semester V in order to evaluate whether the students have mastered defining and non-defining relative clauses or not. Also, the researcher would like to assess their mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses.

The students learn relative clauses in Structure classes. Relative clause is one of crucial English structure that the students must master. In English writing

the students sometimes use relative clauses. They sometimes find and use relative clauses in their daily activities, for example when they are reading a book, a newspaper, etc and when they are writing a story, a letter, etc. That is the reasons why the researcher conducts a research about relative clauses. It aims to examine mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program.

Also, relative clause is a familiar English structure that the students learn in all Structure classes since semester II. It is taught in four levels of Structure class. The students learn relative clauses from semester II to semester V. Therefore, the students should have mastered relative clause materials such as relative pronouns, antecedents, main clauses and relative clauses, structure of relative clause, defining and non-defining relative clauses, and punctuation (comma(s)) needed.

To master all relative clause materials is not easy, especially in distinguishing defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses. It needs good understanding of defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses characteristics. The students have to practice constructing defining and non-defining relative clauses frequently in order to have good understanding of defining and non-defining relative clauses. That is the reason why the researcher conducts a research focusing on defining and non-defining relative clauses. The research will describe the students’ understanding of defining and non-defining relative clauses.

4 In conclusion, because Structure V students of the English Language Education Study Program have learnt English grammar and structure in four levels of Structure class, the researcher chooses them as the representative sample of research. Moreover, the researcher possesses three reasons why she conducts the research focusing on defining and non-defining relative clauses. Besides relative clause is often used to communicate with others, the researcher sees that English Language Education Study Program students have learnt relative clauses in four levels of Structure class.

In addition, the researcher is aware that it needs good understanding and frequently practices to correctly distinguishing defining and non-defining relative clauses. In this case, the researcher measures the students’ understanding of defining and non-defining relative clauses. Therefore, this research aims to dig out how English Language Education Study Program students master defining and non-defining relative clauses and what errors occurred in students’ defining and non-defining relative clauses are.

B. Problems Formulation

In order to find out mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program and the errors occurring in their defining and non-defining relative clauses, there are two research questions to identify the problems:

1. How is mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of English Language Education Study Program?

2. What errors occurred in English Language Education Study Program students’ defining and non-defining relative clauses?

C. Problems Limitation

This research is a descriptive survey research, which describes mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program and the students’ errors occurred in defining and non-defining relative clauses. The research concerns with how English Language Education Study Program students master defining and non-defining relative clauses and what errors occurred in students’ defining and non-defining relative clauses. Therefore, this research is limited to English Language Education Study Program population especially the Structure V students as the sample of the research.

D. Research Objectives

This research is aimed to find out data of mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program. It is expected to discover:

1. The students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses, 2. Errors occurred in students’ defining and non-defining relative clauses.

6 E. Research Benefits

The research brings many benefits for English Language Education Study Program lecturers, English Language Education Study Program students, and the future researchers.

1. Lecturers

Lecturers will recognize mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program. It means that the lecturers understand how the students master defining and non-defining relative clauses correctly. As a result, the lecturers will find out the students’ strength and weakness in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses. Those benefits are shown by the errors occurred in students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses. Therefore, the lecturers create some ideas how to improve their mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by considering their strenghts and weakness.

2. Students

English Language Education Study Program students examine their mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by producing complex sentences using defining and non-defining relative clauses. Therefore, they will recognize what their strengths and their weaknesses in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses are. The strengths have to be defended and the weaknesses have to be fixed.

3. Future researchers

Future researchers who also have a research in the same topic need references about mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program to support their research. Besides giving information they need for their researches, this research gives future researchers some suggestions about mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program so that their research is better than the previous researches. It is expected that this research is useful for those future researchers to finish their research.

F. Definition of Terms

The researcher gives the definition of terms used in this research as key words in order to help the readers to understand the meaning of the special words in the research. Thus, they can understand the ideas of the research.

1. Mastery

According to Stern (1983:346), mastery means knowing, competence and proficiency. He also summarizes four factors that a learner should have in order to master a language. Those factors are:

a. The intuitive mastery of the forms of the language,

b. The intuitive mastery of the linguistic, cognitive, affective and sociocultural meaning, expressed by the language forms,

c. The capacity to use the language with maximum attention to communication and minimum attention to form, and

8 d. The creativity of language use.

In this research, mastery refers to competence of defining and non-defining relative clauses and of applying them in writing.

2. Relative clauses

A relative clause is also called an adjective clause. According to Azar (1989: 238), an adjective clause is “a dependent clause” modifying a noun. A dependent clause is not “a complete sentence”. Therefore, an adjective clause needs to be connected to an independent clause by connector to construct a good complex sentence. In addition, there are two kinds of relative clause, defining and non-defining. In this research, a relative clause clause refers to a dependent clause that needs a connector to modify a noun in an independent clause in order to construct a complex sentence. This research uses both defining and non-defining relative clauses.

a. Defining relative clauses

According to Thompson and Martinet (1960:31), a defining relative clause is a relative clause that modifies the preceding noun to “distinguish it from other nouns in the same class”. In this research, a defining relative clause means a relative clause that explains and decribes a certain noun in independent to differ it from other noun in the same class.

b. Non-defining relative clauses

According to Thompson and Martinet (1960:34), a non-defining relative clause is a relative clause that is “placed after” the noun and “separated” from the noun by commas to give some additional information about a certain noun. In this

research, a non-defining relative clause refers to a relative clause which is not really important because it is only to give more information about the noun modified.

3. Students

The students in this research refers to the fifth-semester English Language Education Study Program students. In the fifth semester, they have learned relative clauses for five semesters.

10 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Theoretical Description 1. Mastery

Mastery refers to knowing, competence and proficiency. Stern (1987:346) provides a summary of four factors indicating having mastered a language. Those factors are:

a. The intuitive mastery of the forms of the language,

b. The intuitive mastery of the linguistic, cognitive, affective and sociocultural meaning, expressed by the language forms,

c. The capacity to use the language with maximum attention to communication and minimum attention to form, and

d. The creativity of language use.

In this research, mastery is competence of defining and non-defining relative clauses and of using them in writing. The researcher would like to measure the students’ competence of defining and non-defining relative clauses and their ability in constructing complex sentences using defining and non-defining relative clauses. The students’ competence was indicated by four factors provided by Stern (1987: 346).

Then, in order to score the students’ answers, the researcher applies the standard score in Sanata Dharma University. Here is the standard range of score in Sanata Dharma University.

Table 1. Standard Range of Score in Sanata Dharma University Percentage of the

Obtained Points The Obtained Score Level

80% - 100% 8.00 – 10.00 Very Good A

70% - 79% 7.00 – 7.99 Good B

56% - 69% 5.60 – 6.99 Sufficient C 50% - 55% 5.00 – 5.59 Insufficient D

0% - 40% 0.00 – 4.99 Fail E

The students who obtain scores in the range 80% - 100% or 8.00 – 10.00 are in the level A which means very good. The students who obtain scores in the range 7.00 – 7.99 or 7.00 – 7.99 are in the level B which means good. The students who obtain scores in the range 5.60 – 6.99 or 5.60 – 6.99 are in the level C which means sufficient. The students who obtain score in the range 5.00 – 5.59 or 5.00 – 5.50 are in the level D which means insufficient. The students who obtain scores in the range 0.00 – 4.99 or 0.00 – 4.99 are in the level A which means very good

2. Relative Clauses

According to Azar (1989:238), a relative clause, which is also called adjective clause, is “a dependent clause that modifies a noun”. Azar explains that a dependent clause is “an incomplete sentence”, while an independent clause is a “a complete sentence” (Azar, 1989:238). Barli Bram states that a simple sentence minimally consists of “one subject and one predicate” and that “a simple sentence is an independent” (Bram, 1995:39). Therefore, a simple sentence that minimally has only one subject and one predicate is an independent clause. In addition, Azar (1989:238) also states that dependent clause have to be connected to an independent clause. It can be concluded that a relative clause

12 needs a connector to connect to an independent clause. After connecting a relative clause to an independent clause, we can construct a sentence, which is called a complex sentence.

In complex sentence using relative clause, the independent clause is called main clause and the dependent clause is called relative clause. In order to connect main clause and relative clause, we use a relative pronoun. A relative pronoun begins the relative clause. It can be the subject of clause, the object of verb in the clause, the object of preposition or a possessive (Close, 1977: 52). It comes after the antecedent in the main clause. An antecedent is a noun phrase in the main clause that the relative clause modifies (Close, 1977: 51). That is why relative pronoun comes after the antecedent.

a. Defining and Non–Defining Relative Clauses

There are two kinds of relative clauses. These are defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses.

1) Defining relative clauses

A defining relative clause is a relative clause to modify a noun by giving some crucial information about the noun modified. Neuman (1981:34) states that a defining relative clause explains the person or thing referred. It represent that the relative clause give the crucial information to make the meaning within the sentence clear. The information adds some clues to create the clear meaning. For example (1), the man who is standing at the door wants to speak to you personally. It refers to that there are some men there and there is only one man

who is standing at the door. This man wants to speak personally. Therefore, defining relative clauses give the information that makes the meaning clear, unless it will be confusing. Another example (2), the bungalow we rented last summer was not as well equipped as the one we had the year before. It has two defining relative clauses. The first relative clause is we rented last summer. The second relative clause is we had the year before. Both relative clauses are contact clauses because they omit the objective relative pronouns. If not, they should be which/that we rented last summer and which/that we had the year before.

2) Non-defining relative clauses

Non-defining relative clause is a relative clause which modifies a noun with the additional information about the noun modified. Neuman (1981:35) defines that non-defining relative clauses give additional information to modify the referred noun. A non-defining relative clause is written between commas. It does not influence the meaning within the sentence. The meaning has been clear without the relative clause. Therefore, a relative clause is the additional information. It is not really needed. Its existence or inexistence does not change the meaning within the sentence. For example (3) Mr. James, the English teacher, came late yesterday. It means that there is only one Mr. James in the school. He is an English teacher in that school. He came late yesterday. Therefore, relative clause the English teacher is a non-defining relative clause that gives the additional information that does not really influence toward the meaning within the main sentence.

14 In this research, the researcher is going to test the students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses. Relative pronouns the researcher uses in the test are who(m), which, that and ∅. _{Those relative pronouns are used only}

as a subject, object and object of preposition. Therefore, in the test, the researcher uses four relative pronouns for three functions in relative clauses, whereas, the researcher does not provide relative adverbs when and where because who(m), which, that and ∅  can substitute both relative adverbs. Also relative adverbs when and where function as adverbial of time and place that can be substituted by functions as subject, object and object of preposition. Besides adverbial of time and place, the researcher does also not use relative pronouns functioning as possessive in order to avoid confusing choices that cause many errors the students make.

b. Relative Pronouns

Close (1977:52) describes four types of relative pronouns; subject pronouns, object pronouns, object of preposition pronouns and possessive. Table 2 is the description of relative pronouns according to Close (1977:52).

Table 2. Relative Pronouns according to Close (1977:52) RELATIVE PRONOUNS

Function as a/an

Defining Relative Clauses Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Personal Non-Personal Personal Non-Personal a. Subject who, that which, that Who which

b. Object whom, who, that which, that who(m) which c. Object of

preposition to whom, (whom), (who), (that)…to to which, (which), (that)…to to whom, who(m)…to to which, which…to d. Possessive whose whose, of

which

Whose whose, of

In the table, Close (1977:52) explicitly explains that there are two types of antecedent; personal and non-personal. Personal antecedents refer to people, whereas, non-personal antecedents refer to things. Besides explaining the antecedents, Close (1977:52-55) describes the use of relative pronouns based on their position. There are four functions of relative pronouns in the table. They are as a subject, as an object, as an object of preposition and as a possessive. Here is the description of relative pronoun usage based on their functions.

1) As a Subject

As a subject, we use three relative pronouns. Those relative pronouns are who, which and that. Here are the rules how those relative pronouns work.

a) Who is used to modify personal antecedents both in defining and non-defining relative clauses,

b) Which is used to modify personal antecedents both in defining and non-defining relative clauses, and

c) That is used to modify for both personal and non-personal antecedents only in defining relative clauses.

Those three relative pronouns have the same function. The function is as a subject of the relative clause. It refers to the antecedent in main clause, then, becomes the subject of relative clause. Therefore, it substitutes the antecedent’s function in the main clause into the subject of relative clause. Examples 4 and 5 describe how those relative pronouns work.

Example 4:

16

Ö I thanked the woman who helped me, or

Ö I thanked the woman that helped me. Example 5:

The book is mine. It is on the table.

Ö The book which is on the table is mine.

Ö The book that is on the table is mine. 2) As an Object

As an object, we apply relative pronouns who, whom, which, that and ∅ . The following are the rules how those relative pronouns work.

a) Who/whom is used to modify personal antecedents both in defining and non-defining relative clauses,

b) Which is used to modify personal antecedents in both defining and non-defining relative clauses,

c) That is used to modify both personal and non-personal antecedents only in defining relative clauses, and

d) ∅ (Symbol of omission) is also used for both personal and non-personal antecedents in both defining and non-defining relative clauses.

In the case of omission symbol, ∅ means that it is possible to omit the relative pronouns functioned as an object in relative clause. This sign has the same aim as the relative pronoun in the bracket, as it is presented in Table 2. _The

bracket means that the word or letter in the bracket can be omitted. Nonetheless, the omission does not change the meaning within the sentence. In the function as

an object, there is no any difference between relative clauses with relative pronouns and relative clauses without relative pronouns.

Then, those three four relative pronouns work as an object in relative clause. They modify the antecedent in the main clause to be the object of verb in the relative clause. Here, the examples 6 and 7 draw how those relative pronouns work as an object.

Example 6:

The man was Mr. Jones. I saw him.

Ö The man who(m) I saw was Mr. Jones.

Ö The man that I saw was Mr. Jones.

Ö The man ∅I saw was Mr. Jones Example 7:

The movie was not very good. We saw it last night.

Ö The movie which we saw last night was not very good.

Ö The movie that we saw last night was not very good.

Ö The Movie ∅we saw last night was not very good.

Examples 6 and 7 explain those relative pronouns are the objects of verb in the relative clause. On both examples, that can be used to modify a noun, both people as personal antecedents and things as non-personal antecedents, which are functioned as the object in relative clauses. Also, whom is usually used in writing, while, in speaking people usually use who. It also modifies a noun referring people as personal antecedents functioning as the object in relative clauses

18 In relative clauses, those relative pronouns may be omitted and directly continued to the relative clause without any relative pronoun as a connector. In other words, sometimes the relative pronouns are able to be omitted. This relative clause is called a contact clause. Neuman (1984:32) states a contact clause is a defining relative clause that omits the objective relative pronoun (whom, that, or which). Relative clauses especially defining relative clauses without relative pronoun is called contact clause.

3) As an Object of Preposition

As an object of preposition, we use seven relative pronouns. They are to whom, to which, (who)/(whom)…to, (which)…to, which…to, (that)…to. Those

relative pronouns always follow or are followed by preposition because those relative pronouns represent the object of preposition. Each relative pronoun has its own rule. These are their rules.

a) To (preposition) whom is used to modify personal antecedents either in defining or non-defining relative clauses,

b) To (preposition) which is used to modify non-personal antecedents either in defining or non-defining relative clauses,

c) (Who/whom)…to (preposition) is used to modify personal antecedents either in defining or non-defining relative clauses,

d) (Which)…to (preposition) is used to modify non-personal antecedents in defining relative clauses,

e) Which…to (preposition) is used to modify personal antecedents in non-defining relative clauses,

f) (That)…to (preposition) is used to modify either personal or non-personal antecedents in defining relative clauses, and

g) ∅ (Symbol of omission) is also used for both personal and non-personal antecedents in both defining and non-defining relative clauses.

In this function, as an object of preposition, relative pronouns in the bracket can be omitted. As explained in the previous function, bracket or ∅  show meaning that relative pronouns functioning as an object/object of preposition in the relative clauses can be omitted. Also, to in to whom, to which, (who/whom)…to, etc represents preposition. Therefore, to can be changed by

other prepositions such as about, of, in, under, at, etc. Moreover, those relative pronouns change the antecedent’s function in the main clause into the object of preposition in the relative clause. Here are the examples how they work.

Example 8:

She is the woman. I told you about her.

Ö She is the woman about whom I told.

Ö She is the woman who(m) I told about.

Ö She is the woman that I told about.

Ö She is the woman ∅ I told about. Example 9:

The music was good. We listened to it last night.

Ö The music to which we listened last night was good.

Ö The music which we listened to last night was good.

20

Ö The music ∅ we listened to last night was good.

Examples 8 and 9 explain relative pronouns are the objects of preposition. On examples 8 and 9, mostly a preposition comes after subject and verb because only very formal English places preposition in the beginning, before subject and verb in the relative clause (Azar, 1995: 269). However, relative pronouns that and who cannot immediately come after preposition because only relative pronouns which and whom who can follow the preposition. 4) As a Possessive

In the last position, as a possessive, we apply two relative pronouns; whose and of which. These are the rules to use them.

a). Whose is used to modify both personal and non-personal antecedents either in defining or non-defining relative clauses, and

b) Of which is used to modify non-personal antecedents either in defining or non-defining relative clauses.

In order to show possession, a relative clause uses whose and of which to substitute the antecedents function in the main clause to be possessive function in relative clause. There two relative pronouns that substitute the possessive pronouns; whose used for people and animal characters in the story, and of which used for things and animals in general (Neuman, 1981: 32). However,

relative pronoun of which is written after the noun modified and usually used in non-defining relative clause. Here, examples 7 and 8 draw the use of relative pronouns whose and of which as the possessive pronouns.

I know the man. His bicycle was stolen.

Ö I know the man whose bicycle was stolen. Example 11:

The student writes well. I read her composition.

Ö The student whose composition I read writes well. Example 12:

The table is so high. Its foot is almost broken.

Ö The table, a foot of which is almost broken, is so high.

Examples 10 and 11 show that relative pronoun whose is the same as his, her, its, and other possessive pronouns. In relative clauses, whose cannot be

omitted and comes in the beginning of relative clause. Also, whose usually modifies people as personal antecedents, but sometimes it can modify animal characters in a story. Example 12, while, shows a possession of things. It is the same as its in general. It is only used for things and animal in general as non-personal antecedents.

However, Azar (1999:277) combines object and object of preposition as one type of relative pronoun, whereas, Close (1977:52) separates them. Also she introduces two relative adverbs that can modify and relate the antecedents to the relative clauses. Those relative adverbs are when and where.

3. Errors

In teaching learning process, there are errors always occur during the process. Error is different from mistake. Ellis (1997:139) states that errors are “deviation in usage which results from gaps in learner’s knowledge of the target

22 language” and mistakes are “deviation in usage that reflects learner’s inability to use what they actually know the target language” (Ellis, 1997:141). It means that errors occur because the learner does not really understand the correct forms and mistakes are made by carelessness that actually the learner understands correct forms. However, in this research, the researcher only discusses errors in order to find the students’ errors in defining and non-defining relative clauses. In order to discuss errors in depth, here are the definition and classification of error.

a. Definition of errors

According Ellis and Barkhuizen (2005:56), errors are defined based on two views, grammaticality and acceptability. In grammaticality, they cite that an error is “a breach of the rule of the code”. They state that it depends on the view that “what particular variety of the target language is chosen as the code” (Ellis and Barkhuizen, 2005:56). It means that errors break the rules of a variety of a target language as a code. On the other side, based on the acceptability, Ellis and Barkhuizen (2005:56) define that an error is “more dependent on the subjective evaluation of the researcher ...” and also “involves attempting to identify a situational context ...” (Ellis and Barkhuizen, 2005:56). It can be said that errors are dependable and based on the context used.

Because of those uncertainties of the distinction of grammaticality and acceptability, those theories were blurred. Then, Ellis and Barkhuizen (2005: 56) cite that errors refer to “a linguistic form or a combination of forms which, in the same context and under similar conditions of production, would, in all

likelihood, not be produced by speakers’ native speaker counterparts” (Ellis and Barkhuizen, 2005: 56). It is clearly that errors happen in the same context and condition of production and are unlike what native speaker counterparts produce. In this research, the researcher searched the students’ linguistic forms that are produce unlikely as the native speaker counterparts produce defining and non-defining relative clauses.

b. Classifications of errors

Ellis and Barkhuizen (2005:60) classify errors based on the system of category, which is named taxonomy. There are two kinds of taxonomy they describe, linguistic taxonomy and surface structure taxonomy.

1) Linguistic Taxonomy

Linguistic taxonomy is drawn by descriptive grammar, which is famously called descriptive taxonomy. In English descriptive grammar or descriptive taxonomy, a grammar includes:

a) General categories such as sentence structure, verb phrase, noun phrase, preposition phrase, etc.

b) More specific categories such as:

1. Verb tenses (e.g. simple present tense, simple past tense, etc). 2. Aspect (e.g. perfective, progressive, etc).

3. Auxiliary verbs which are divided into primary (e.g. is, am, are, etc) and modal (e.g. can, may, will, etc).

24 “Errors should be classified in terms of the target language categories that have been violated rather than the linguistic categories used by learner” (Ellis and Barkhuizen, 2005: 60). Therefore, errors are classified based on the violation happening in the target language categories. Those errors are different from the linguistic categories the learner learns.

2) Surface Structure Taxonomy

Dulay, Burt, and Krasen (1982:150) that surface structure taxonomy is drawn based on “the ways surface structures are altered” Then, based on surface structure taxonomy; they suggest four principles of the learner’s errors:

a) Omission

The errors come because of the omission of a form that should appear in the construction of a sentence. For instance, the omission of auxiliary verb be in the sentence I beautiful. It should be I am beautiful.

b) Addition

The errors come because of the presence of a form that should not appear in the construction of a sentence. It happens in these sub-categories:

1. Regulation, for instance she eated soto yesterday (it should be she ate soto yesterday).

2. Double marking, for instance she did not studied last night (it should be she did not study last night).

3. Simple addition is the addition that is not describable as regulation or as double marking.

c) Misinformation

The errors come because of the use of the wrong form of morpheme or the structure in the construction of a sentence. These errors happen in these sub-categories:

1. Regulation, for example do you be sad? (It should be are you sad?). 2. Archi-forms, for example me love you (It should be I love you). 3. Alternating forms, for example no smoke (It should be no smoking). d) Misordering

The errors come because of the incorrect placement of a morpheme or a group of morpheme in the construction of a sentence. For instance, misordering of the adverb phrase in the sentence I fight all the time my brother. It should be I fight my brother all the time.

B. Theoretical Framework

Making errors is a part of learning process. Errors always occur during the learning process. Students usually make errors when they learn and try to master the materials. Moreover, the errors the students made are indicators showing that the students still feel difficult to master those materials. That is the reason why researcher conducts this research. The research aims to know how the students master defining and non-defining relative clauses by identifying the errors in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses.

In order to answer the first research question, the researcher uses the standard range of score in Sanata Dharma University to measure mastery of

26 defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program. Because relative clause is one of English structure, the researcher does not use linguistic taxonomy, but she focuses on surface structure taxonomy to classify the students’ errors in defining and non-defining relative clauses. Consequently, the researcher implemented surface structure taxonomy in order to answer the second research question.

Relative clauses the researcher used in the research are defining and non-defining relative clauses with personal and non-personal relative pronouns functioned as subject, object and object of preposition such as who(m), which, that, and ∅. In this research, the researcher holds a test for the fifth semester students of English Language Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University. The test is about defining and non-defining relative clauses. A defining relative clause is a relative clause that modifies a noun by giving the crucial information about the noun modified (Neuman, 1981: 34), while, a non-defining relative clause is a relative clause that modifies a noun by giving the additional information about the noun modified (Neuman, 1981: 35).

In addition, the test is an essay test. The students have to combine two simple sentences into one complex sentence by using the correct relative pronouns to modify the noun modified. The students should also construct defining and non-defining relative clauses with the correct relative clause grammar/structure in order to show clearly the information that modifies the noun. Then, the students must produce defining and non-defining relative clause

with the correct punctuations to differentiate between a defining relative clause and a non-defining relative clause.

In the case of relative pronouns, Close (1977: 52) describes relative pronouns in four functions such as subject, object, object of preposition and possessive. In the research, the researcher provides four relative pronouns who(m), which, that and ∅ functioned as subject, object and object of preposition. The researcher does not use relative pronouns functioned as possessive because those relative pronouns can be replaced by relative pronouns functioned as subject, object and object of preposition.

In the case of grammar/structure relative clauses, the researcher examines the students’ understanding of main clauses and relative clauses. There is an antecedent in the main clause (Close, 1977: 51) and a relative pronoun in the relative clause (Close, 1977: 52). The students should master to distinguish both the main clause and the relative clause. The main clause has the antecedent and the relative clause has the relative pronoun.

In the case of punctuation, the punctuation needed is comma. The use of comma(s) differentiates between a defining relative clause and a non-defining relative clause. Comma(s) here bring a meaning that the information within the relative clause is only additional or non-defining information (Neuman, 1981: 35). Therefore, comma(s) are only used in non-defining relative clauses, which give only additional information to modify the noun modified.

Consequently, this research aims to examine mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education

28 Study Program. In the examination, the researcher identify the errors occurred in students’ defining and non-defining relative clauses, either the relative pronouns, the grammar/structure of relative clause or the comma(s). Relative pronouns start relative clauses to modify the antecedents. Grammar/structure of relative clauses consists of a relative pronoun followed by a relative clause. Comma(s) are the punctuations needed to differentiate between a defining relative clause and a non-defining relative clause.

29 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the researcher would share about the research method, the research participants, the instrument used in the research, the technique of data gathering, the technique of data analyzing and the procedures of research. In this study, the research used descriptive survey research. The sample was the fifth semester students of English Language Education Study Program. The researcher had four stages to conduct the research. The researcher conducted a production test as the instrument of the research and the data was on the students’ answers of the test. Then, the researcher analyzed the data after scoring the students’ answers in order to find the results of the research.

A. Research Method

The researcher used descriptive survey research to answer the research questions in Chapter I. According to Neuman (2000: 250), survey researchers think the alternative explanations in planning the research, measure variables representing the alternative explanations, and statistically examine the effect to rule out the alternative explanations. In survey research, the researchers plan the survey by thinking the reasons conducting the research, measure the variables of the research then examine the results and their correlation with the reasons of conducting research.

30 Parel, et. al (1978: 10) also state that the sample is only a small group of universe, “carefully chosen in such a way that it is truly representative of the universe.” The results of research among the sample represent the results of the population. They add that the difference between the sample estimates and the population estimates can be minimized by “a proper survey design and an adequate sample size” (Parel, et.al, 1978:10). Design of survey and size of sample become the crucial parts to conduct a survey research.

Survey is a descriptive research because it aims to perform and describe the accurate quantitative of the population (Parel, et.al, 1978:10). In this research, the researcher would like to perform and describe mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program. The sample was the fifth semester students of English language Education Study Program in academic year of 2009/2010. This survey applied two data analysis techniques, quantitative data analysis technique to measure mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program and qualitative data analysis technique to identify and classify the students’ errors occurred in defining and non-defining relative clauses.

B. Research Participants

The sample of this research was the fifth semester students of English Language Education Study Program in academic year of 2009/2010. In addition, since this research discussed describe mastery of defining and non-defining

relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program, the sample of the research should have passed Structure I to Structure IV classes. Moreover, they were participating Structure V class, so that they had learnt English grammar and structure, especially defining and non-defining relative clauses. It means that the students had learnt and known defining and non-defining relative clauses. In this research, the researcher would measure their mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses that they had learnt in four levels of Structure class for four semesters.

In the research, the researcher used cluster sampling to take the research sample. Cluster sampling is a method to select a sample where the population consists of more than one sampling unit (Parel, et.al, 1978:10). Neuman (2000: 209) also adds that a research where the researcher randomly samples clusters and randomly samples the elements among the selected clusters has big advantages. Since the total number of the fifth semester students was about 150 students divided into 4 classes, the researcher took a small group as the representative sample by sampling randomly the students among two randomly selected classes.

The researcher decided to take 40 students of Academic Essay class as the representative sample of the research. Because in Academic Essay class E there were only 20 students who came to the class and some of them were shopper students, the researcher selected randomly 10 students of class E excluding the shopper students as the sample of the research. In addition, because all students in Academic Essay class A came to the class and no one among them were shopper students, the researcher selected randomly 30 students of class A as the sample of

32 the research. The researcher assumed that the portion of sample were representative enough to the whole population of fifth semester students in conducting the research. It was because the sample was taken from two classes of four Academic Essay classes. Students in those two classes represented all students in four classes.

C. Research Instruments

To observe mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program, the researcher applied an instrument to obtain a valid data. The instrument was a test which would examine mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program. Test, measurement, and evaluation are processes to check students’ understanding of all the materials and before continuing learning new materials (Bertrand and Cebula, 1980:3). In addition, test is a method to measure people ability, knowledge or performance (Brown, 2004:3). In this case, the research used this test to check and measure mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program.

The research used essay test to examine students’ mastery of construction defining and non-defining relative clauses. Essay test is a type of test that requires the student to create an explicit answer that the tester or scorer rates without describing her/his ranking scores or producing her/his own answers (Ebel, 1979:95). In this case, the students should write the answers of the questions

correctly, either deciding the correct relative pronouns or deciding whether the sentence included a defining or non-defining relative clause.

The test is a production test that the students should construct complex sentences using relative clauses. It was also identifying test where the students should analyze whether the complex sentence containing a defining or non-defining relative clause before constructing the sentence using relative clause. If the complex sentence contained a defining relative clause, they would not put comma(s) to separate the relative clause from the main clause. On the other hand, if the sentence contained a non-defining relative clause, they would put comma(s) to separate the relative clause from the main clause.

The objective of the test was to examine the students if they were able to correctly construct complex sentences using relative clauses by considering three criteria. Those criteria were correctly identifying defining or non-defining relative clauses by deciding to put comma(s) or not, determining the correct relative pronouns, and constructing relative clauses with the correct structure of relative clause.

In the test, there were two simple sentences on each item and the students should combine those simple sentences into complex sentence using relative clauses. The test consisted of 20 numbers of questions. Ten of them contained defining relative clauses and ten others contained non-defining relative clauses (See Table 3). Those questions were taken from some English grammar books, such as Thomson and Martinet’ A Practical English Grammar and Azar’s Understanding and Using English Grammar.

34 Each of items had 3 points, 1 point for the correct relative pronoun, 1 point for the correct grammar/structure of relative clause, and 1 point for the correct punctuation (comma(s)). Comma(s) is used for identifying whether the complex sentence contained a defining relative clause or non-defining relative clause. Thus, the total points were 60 points. In order to score the students’ achievement, the researcher divided the total points the students achieved by 6. Therefore, the maximum score is 10 scores. If a student did the test without any error, he or she would get the maximum score, 10 scores. The following was the formula of scoring the test.

Each item had 3 points, consisting of :

Every correct relative pronoun : 1 point Every incorrect relative pronoun : 0 Every correct grammar/structure of relative clause : 1 point Every incorrect grammar/structure of relative clause : 0 Every correct punctuation (comma(s)) : 1 point Every incorrect punctuation (comma(s)) : 0 The maximum points : 20x3 points : 60 points The obtained scores:

The maximum scores: 60 points/6: 10 scores

The following is Table 3, which exposes the distribution of defining and non-defining relative clauses. There are ten items containing defining relative clauses and ten other items containing non-defining relative clauses.

the obtained points 6

Table 3. Distribution of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses Relative

Pronouns

Number of Each category Number of Items Defining Relative Clauses Non-Defining Relative Clauses Defining Relative Clauses Non-Defining Relative Clauses 1. Subject: Who/That Who Which/That Which 3 8 13 2,15 1,6,7,9,16,17,20 11 2.Object/Object of Preposition: Who(m)/That/∅ Who(m)/ ∅ Which/That/∅ Which/∅

6 3

4,8,14,19 10,18

5,12 3

In order to conduct an effective test, the tester should consider to the principles of assessment. Bertrand and Cebula (1980: 108) state a good test should have the extremely important characteristics of test, validity and reliability. To meet those important characteristics, the researcher would discuss test validity and test reliability below.

1. Test Validity

Bertrand and Cebula (1980: 111) states that a valid test measures what supposed to measure. It means that the test must really measure what should be measured. They describe three aspects of validity. These were content validity, construct validity and criterion-related validity. Brown (2004:22) adds two more aspects, consequential validity and face validity. It is difficult to conduct a test having all validity aspects, so it is possible that a test only have some of validity aspects but it does not mean that the test is not a valid. In order to check the test’

36 validity, the researcher conducted try-out test in Poetry I class A. In this research, the test had three validity aspects. Those were content validity, construct validity, and face validity.

a. Content Validity

Content validity measures what students had learned before. It refers to “the appropriateness the content of the curriculum being studied” (Bertrand and Cebula, 1980: 112). The test really measures the students’ achievement in studying the materials being learned. Brown (2004:22) defines that a test can claim content validity if the test itself samples the subject matter and requires the test taker to perform behavior being measured. To reach content validity, a test must relate to the subject matter which is given before, represent the materials given before and stimulate the students to perform behavior as the response of their learning experience relating to the test’s purposes.

Since the research was about describe mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by students of the English Language Education Study Program, the test that the researcher conducted could be claimed content validity because the test related to the subject matter. The subject matter here referred to defining and non-defining relative clauses. The students learnt relative clauses for four semesters in four levels of Structure class. The test also represented the materials about defining and non-defining relative clauses given and learnt in four levels of Structure class. In addition, the test measured the students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses which was the test’s purpose.

b.Construct Validity

Construct validity measures the students’ traits or qualities. According to Bertrand and Cebula (1980: 113), construct here means human traits or qualities. In this aspect of validity, problem-solving behavior is a way to train the students’ intelligence and judgment. It refers to that students’ ability to solve their problem indicates their quality of intelligence and judgment. Bertrand and Cebula (1980: 113) state behavior shows both “the existence and the quality of these cognitive powers”. The cognitive powers here refer to intelligence and judgment.

Considering the test’s purpose was to examine if the students master defining and non-defining relative clauses or not, the test used in this research possessed two proofs proving that the test had construct validity. First, the questions on the test were able to stimulate the students to perform their mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by choosing the correct relative pronouns in order to construct the correct sentences using relative clauses.

Second, the test was able to encourage the students to perform their qualities in making decision whether the complex sentence containing a defining or a non-defining relative clause. If the complex sentence contained a defining relative clause, they would not put comma(s) to separate the relative clause from the main clause. On the other hand, if the complex sentence contained a non-defining relative clause, they would put comma(s) to separate the relative clause from the main clause.

Ellis and Barkhuizen (2005:51) cite that learner errors are significant when they serve pedagogical purposes, research purposes, and learning purposes.

38 Pedagogical purposes show what the learners learnt and have not yet understood. In this research, the test was incidental test that the students had not yet known about the test. The test also was not conducted in Structure class, but in Poetry I class for try-out test and Academic Essay class so there was no preparation for the test. Having test without any preparation could minimize making mistakes. It proved that the incorrect answers in the test served pedagogical purposes. The researcher had three reasons to make sure that most of the incorrect answers were errors, not mistakes.

Research purposes provide evidence of language learning process. In the research, the test was conducted in the morning. The students came to the class just to submit their paper and there was no lecture too so the students’ condition was still fresh. This condition could also minimize appearing mistakes in the test. It was an evident that the incorrect answers in the test provided research purposes. Learning purposes show the rules of the target language. In the research, the students had learnt relative clauses in four levels of Structure class for four semesters. Therefore, they should possess sufficient understanding of relative clauses. Learning rules of target language regularly for four semesters were able to minimize occurring mistakes in the test too. It gave an evident that the incorrect answers in the test performed learning purposes.

c. Face Validity

Brown (2004:26) cites Mousavi (2002: 244)’s definition of face validity that face validity means a degree of test’s appearance to measure a person’s knowledge and ability to be measured, based on subjective judgment of the

118 ¾ The antecedent: the woman.

3. Relative pronouns

ƒ A relative pronoun begins the relative clause (Close, 1977: 52).

ƒ It can be the subject of clause, the object of verb in the clause, the object of preposition or a possessive (Close, 1977: 52).

ƒ The following table is the description of relative pronouns according to Close (1977:52).

RELATIVE PRONOUNS Function as

a/an

Defining Relative Clauses Non-Defining Relative Clauses Personal Non-Personal Personal Non-Personal

a. Subject who, that which, that who which

b. Object whom, who, that

which, that who(m) which c. Object of

preposition

to whom, (whom), (who), (that)…to

to which, (which), (that)…to

to whom, who(m)…to

to which, which…to d. Possessive whose whose, of which whose whose, of which

ƒ There are seven relative pronouns: who, that, which, whom, ∅ (omission), whose and of which.

ƒ For examples:

I thanked the womanwhohelped me. ¾ The relative pronoun:

I thanked the woman thathelped me. ¾ The relative pronoun:.

The book which is on the table is mine. ¾ The relative pronoun: which.

The man whom I saw was Mr. Jones ¾ The relative pronoun: whom.

The Movie we saw last night was not very good. ¾ The relative pronoun:∅.

This is the girl whose picture you saw ¾ The relative pronoun: whose.

We have an antique table, the top of which has jade inlay. ¾ The relative pronoun: of which.

4. Relative adverbs

ƒ There are two relative adverbs; where and when. ƒ Where is to modify a noun of place (Azar, 1999: 277). ƒ Where is similar to in which.

ƒ For example: The building where he lives is very old. The building in which he lives is very old. ƒ When is to modify a noun of time (Azar, 1999: 277). ƒ When is similar to on which.

ƒ For example: I cannot forget the day when I met you. I cannot forget the day on which I met you.

5. Defining and non-defining relative clauses

ƒ A defining relative clause explains the person or thing referred (Neuman, 1981:34).

ƒ A defining relative clause is a relative clause to modify a noun by giving some crucial information about the noun modified.

ƒ For example: the man who is standing at the door wants to speak to you personally.

ƒ A non-defining relative clause gives additional information to modify the referred noun (Neuman, 1981:35).

ƒ Non-defining relative clause is a relative clause which modifies a noun with the additional information about the noun modified.

ƒ For example: Mr. James, the English teacher, came late yesterday.

G. EXERCISE

Identify and underline the relative clauses!

1) Nothing that happened could have been foretold. 2) Everyone who heard wondered.

3) People who had heard waited and questioned. 4) Questions which arose were answered.

5) A Dutch captain who has ship sailed nearby reported danger. 6) The captain, whom everyone believed, saw two new craters. 7) The island, on which nobody lived, became very hot.

8) Rumblings came from places in which no one could investigate. 9) Cinders covered the ocean which surrounded Krakatoa. 10) Many people who lived on the island of Java were killed.

Adapted from: Let’s Write English: Revised edition (Wishon & Burks, 1987: 167)

H. GAME

Let’s play the game!

A Short Story

This game is a group game constructing a short story using complex sentences containing defining and non-defining relative clauses. In this game, the students make a group of five. Each student must construct orally a complex sentence using a relative clause. The first student constructs orally a complex sentence using a relative clause. The second student constructs orally a complex sentence using a relative clause related to the previous complex sentence and so on until the fifth student contructs a complex sentence using a relative clause to end the story. The lecturer monitors the groups. In this game, the students are not allowed to make a note.

ix ABSTRACT

Kusumartini, R.Aj Triastuti Dian. 2011. Mastery of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses by Students of the English Language Education Study

Program. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata

Dharma University.

Relative clause is one of crucial English structure that the students should master. In English writing, the students sometimes use relative clauses. We sometimes find and use relative clauses in our daily activities, such as when we are talking to others, when we are reading a book, a newspaper, etc and we are writing a story, a letter, etc.

The students of the English Language Education Study Program learn relative clauses from semester II to semester V. therefore, the students should master relative clause materials such as relative pronouns, antecedents, main clauses, and relative clauses, structure of relative clause, defining and non-defining relative clauses, and punctuation (comma(s)) needed. Also, English Language Education Study Program students as candidates of English teachers have to master defining and non-defining relative clauses, which is an aspect of English structure that they will teach to their students in the future. However, they will face problems in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses.

The research aims to find out English Language Education Study Program students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses. The problems to be evaluated are: (1) How is mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses by studnets of the English Language Education Study Program? and (2) What errors occur in the students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses?

The researcher applied survey research to conduct the research. This research implemented of two data analysis techniques, quantitative to answer the first research question and qualitative to answer the second research question. She took 40 students of the fifth-semester students of English Language Education Study Program, in academic year of 2009/2010 as the representative sample of the research. She selected the sample using Cluster Sampling Technique. The instrument used in the research was an essay test. The test requires the students to produce complex sentences using defining and non-defining relative clauses. The researcher used the test to measure the students’ mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses and to find the students’ errors occurring in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses.

The research findings showed that the students achieved 70.04% of required points. Therefore, they got 7.00 scores. Based on the standard score of Sanata Dharma University, the students who obtained 7.00 scores occupied good level. However, the students still faced some problems in mastering defining and non-defining relative clauses. They made errors in three categories. The first criterion was relative pronouns with percentage 12.52%. The second criterion was

x

grammar/structure of relative clause with percentage 42.14%. The third criterion was the use of punctuation (comma(s)) with percentage 45.34%. After classifying the errors, the researcher found misinformation errors and omission errors in students’ errors of relative pronouns. Then, she obtained misordering errors, addition errors, misinformation errors and omission errors in students’ errors of grammar/structure of relative clause. At the last, she found omission errors and addition errors in students’ errors of the use of punctuation (comma(s)).

Finally, the researcher suggests an alternative teaching strategy to teach defining and non-defining relative clauses. It is expected that the alternative teaching strategy the researcher provided will be useful for the lecturers and for the students. For the lecturers, this alternative teaching strategy aims to improve their teaching strategies to teach defining and non-defining relative clauses. For the students, it aims to improve their mastery of defining and non-defining relative clauses.

xi ABSTRAK

Kusumartini, R.Aj Triastuti Dian. 2011. Mastery of Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses by Students of the English Language Education Study

Program. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas

Sanata Dharma.

Relative clauses merupakan salah satu struktur bahasa Inggris yang penting yang harus dikuasai oleh mahasiswa. Dalam setiap komunilkasi yang menggunakan bahasa Inggris, baik secara lisan maupun tertulis, setiap orang sering menggunakan relative clauses. Kita sering menemukan dan menggunakan relative clauses dalam kegiatan sehari-hari kita, seperti ketika sedang berbicara dengan orang lain, ketika sedang membaca sebuah buku, surat kabar, dan lain-lain yang menggunakan bahasa Inggris, dan ketika sedang menulis sebuah cerita, surat, dan lain-lain dalam bahasa Inggris.

Mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris belajar relative clauses sejak semester II sampai semester V. Sehingga mahasiswa sebaiknya menguasai materi relative clause seperti relative pronouns, antecedents, main clauses dan relative clauses, structure of relative clause, defining and non-defining relative clauses, dan punctuation (comma(s)) yang dibutuhkan. Selain itu, mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris sebagai calon guru Bahasa Inggris sebaiknya menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses, yang merupakan salah satu bagian struktur bahasa Inggris yang akan mereka ajarkan pada siswa-siswi mereka kelak. Bagaimana pun juga, mereka masih bermasalah dalam menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui penguasaan defining and non-defining relative clauses oleh mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Permasalahan yang dievaluasi yaitu: (1) Bagaimana mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahsa Inggris menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses? dan (2) Kesalahan-kesalahan apa yang terjadi pada defining and non-defining relative clauses yang disusun oleh mahasiswa?

Peneliti menerapkan metode penelitian survei untuk melaksanakan penelitian tersebut. Penelitian ini terdiri dari dua teknik analisa data, teknik analisa data kuantitatif untuk menjawab permasalahan penelitian yang pertama dan teknik analisa data kualitatif untuk menjawab permasalahan penelitian yang kedua. Dia mengambil 40 mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris semester lima tahun akademik 2009/2010 sebagai sampel penelitian. Dia memilih sampel dengan menggunakan tehnik sampling cluster. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah tes esai. Tes ini menuntut mahasiswa untuk membuat kalimat majemuk menggunakan defining and non-defining relative clauses. Peneliti menggunakan tes tersebut untuk mengukur penguasaan defining and non-defining relative clauses oleh mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris dan untuk menemukan kesalahan-kesalahan mahasiswa yang terjadi dalam menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses.

xii

Temuan penelitian tersebut menunjukkan bahwa para mahasiswa meraih 70.04% dari poin yang ditentukan. Jadi mereka mendapatkan skor 7.00. Berdasarkan skor standar Universitas Sanata Dharma, mahasiswa yang mendapat skor 7.00 memenuhi level baik. Bagaimanapun juga, para mahasiswa masih menghadapi beberapa masalah dalam menguasai defining and non-defining relative clauses. Mereka membuat kesalahan-kesalahan dalam tiga kategori. Kategori pertama ialah relative pronouns dengan persentase 12.52%. Kategori kedua yakni grammar/structure of relative clause dengan persentase 42.14%. Kategori ketiga yaitu the use of punctuation (comma(s)) dengan persentase

45.34%. Setelah mengklasifikasikan kesalahan-kesalahan, peneliti menemukan

misinformation errors dan omission errors dalam kategori relative pronouns. Kemudian, dia mendapatkan misordering errors, addition errors, misinformation errors dan omission errors dalam kategori grammar/structure of relative clause. Terakhir dia memperoleh omission errors dan addition errors dalam kategori the use of punctuation (comma(s)).

Akhirnya, peneliti menyarankan sebuah strategi alternatif pengajaran untuk mengajarkan defining and non-defining relative clauses. Semoga strategi alternatif pengajaran yang disediakan peneliti tersebut akan berguna bagi para dosen dan juga bagi para mahasiswa. Bagi para dosen, strategi alternatif pengajaran tersebut bertujuan untuk meningkatkan strategi pengajaran mereka dalam mengajar defining and non-defining relative clauses. Bagi para mahasiswa, strategi alternatif pengajaran tersebut bertujuan untuk meningkatkan penguasaan mereka terhadap defining and non-defining relative clauses.