ASSESSING RECOUNT PARAGRAPH WRITING ABIL

THESIS ASSESSING RECOUNT PARAGRAPH WRITING ABILITY AT THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF

SMPN 1 KUTA UTARA IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016 THROUGH PICTURE SERIES NI PUTU CINTYA DEWI ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION MAHASARASWATI DENPASAR UNIVERSITY DENPASAR 2016

THESIS ASSESSING RECOUNT PARAGRAPH WRITING ABILITY AT THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF

SMPN 1 KUTA UTARA IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016 THROUGH PICTURE SERIES

NI PUTU CINTYA DEWI NPM. 12.8.03.5.1.31.2.5.4772

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION MAHASARASWATI DENPASAR UNIVERSITY DENPASAR 2016

PRE – REQUISITE TITLE ASSESSING RECOUNT PARAGRAPH WRITING ABILITY AT THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SMPN 1 KUTA UTARA IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016 THROUGH PICTURE SERIES

Thesis As Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Education Study Program Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Mahasaraswati Denpasar University

NI PUTU CINTYA DEWI NPM. 12.8.03.5.1.31.2.5.4772

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION MAHASARASWATI DENPASAR UNIVERSITY DENPASAR 2016

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

First of all, the researcher would like to express her gratitude toward the Almighty God, Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, for His everlasting blessing so this thesis entitled “Assessing Recount Paragraph Writing Ability of the Eighth Grade Students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in Academic Year 2015/2016 through Picture Series” on the due date.

Furthermore, she would like to express her sincere gratitude to her first and second advisor: Dr. Drs. I Made Sukamerta, M.Pd. and I Made Wardana, S.Pd., M.Pd.who have already guided, shared their ideas for improvement of this thesis and motivated the researcher during the thesis writing.

Next, the researcher would like to say thanks to the Headmaster of SMPN

1 Kuta Utara, Drs. I Made Gita and the English teacher, Made Wahyundari Kartini, SS. For their kind permission, cooperation and support during the process of data collection, so that the research could be finished as expected. In addition, a special acknowledgement is also forwarded to her dear students of the eighth grade of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara as their kind participation during the process of gathering the data needed for this research.

Moreover, she is deeply thankful to her parent, brother, and fiancé for their prayer, love, motivation, and priceless sacrifice to finish this scientific writing. Finally, the researcher gives her gratitude to her friends in Mahasaraswati Denpasar University especially for Puji Astuti, Martha Dewi, Febi Mutiara and Deviari Dharma who always support and help each other in writing this thesis.

The researcher realizes that this thesis is not perfect. Therefore, the critics and suggestions are invited for development of this thesis. Thus, she really hopes this thesis may be useful for those who want to research at the same field.

Denpasar, February 1 st , 2016

The Researcher,

ABSTRACT

Dewi, N.P.C. (2016). Assessing Recount Paragraph Writing Ability of the Eighth Grade Students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in Academic Year 2015/2016 through Picture Series. The First Advisor: Dr. Drs. I Made Sukamerta, M.Pd. and the Second Advisor: I Ketut Wardana, S.Pd., M.Hum.

The researcher is interested in undertaking the study which dealt with assessing recount paragraph writing ability through picture series of the eighth grade students. This present study was intended to figure out the degree of recount paragraph writing ability at the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 which is assessed by picture series. The samples under study were the eighth grade students which comprised of 40 students. They were

19 males and 21 females. They were determined by means of quota random sampling method with lottery technique. The research instruments used to collect data were in form of productive test ; in this case, recount paragraph by picture series test. The obtained data were analyzed by using norm-reference measures of five values. The result of the data analysis showed that: (1) 2 samples of 5% of 40 samples understudy got excellent achievement of recount paragraph writing skill, (2) 11 samples of 27.50% of 40 samples understudy got good achievement of recount paragraph writing skill, (3) 12 samples of 30% of 40 samples understudy got sufficient achievement of recount paragraph writing skill, (4) 12 samples of 30 % of 40 samples understudy got insufficient achievement of recount paragraph writing skill, (5) 3 samples of 7.50% of 40 samples understudy got poor achievement of recount paragraph writing skill. To sum up , this research finding can be remarked as sufficient acquisition which meant that some samples under study were able to write recount paragraph writing based on picture series.

Keyword: assessing, recount paragraph, writing ability and picture series.

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 Scoring Rubric for Recount Paragraph Writing test ........................... 20 Table 3.2

Writing Test Spesification .................................................................. 23 Table 4.1

Score Showing the Achievement of Recount Paragraph Writing Ability of the Eighth Grade Student of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in Academic Year 2015/2016 ................................................................. 27

Table 4.2 2 The Computation of the Estimated Squared Mean Deviation (D ) .... 30 Table 4.3

The Conversion of the Subjects’ Raw Score in Recount Paragraph Achievement on the Basic Norm- Reference Measure of Five Values ................................................................................................. 33

LIST OF GRAPH

Graphich 4.1 Summary of the Finding ..................................................................... 35

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Writing is an important form of communication in daily life. As many kind of written communication forms, we write diary, memo, letter, email, instruction, note, and many more. Moreover, this language skill also influences student’s competence in high school and college. Through writing we can express our ideas, feeling, and also opinion in form of printed or writing papers. It is called productive skill because the study is to produce something in a real form which is writing. It is more complex and difficult to be learned than listening, speaking and also reading. Related to above statement, Ontario (2005:1.3) states that writing is a powerful instrument for students to express their thought, feeling, and judgment about what they have read, seen, or experienced. As students continue developing an understanding of their writing process; there are five components of writing; language use, mechanical skill, treatment of content, stylistic skills, and judgement skills, therefore they are able to express themselves more confidently and effectively. Oshima & Hogue (2007:15) state that when started to writing something, the writer has already been thinking about what to say and how to say it. Then after we have finished writing, we read over what we have written and make changes and corrections.

According to Zemach and Islam (2005:iv), writing is one of the most difficult skills to be mastered both in a first language and a second language. It is because the students need to write their idea in a correct grammar. Besides that, they have to pay attention about their spelling. It is widely admitted that writing is

recognized as complex skill to learn and acquire. The students must be concerned with many aspects in order to produce a good paragraph depends on its’ purpose. Ontario (2005:1.10) states that writing is a complex process that involves a range of skills and tasks. Students need to become disciplined thinkers in order to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. They have to learn how to select and organize their ideas, keeping in mind the purpose of which they are writing and the audience they are addressing. They also need to learn to use standard written form and other conventions of language. Including many difficulties that have explained above, writing skills is very useful in our daily life because it helps us to increase our speed in learning something and also it is used to keep our knowledge and one of the ways to transfer our thought to other people. So that writing skill is important to be mastered.

As we know that writing encompasses many aspects but in the present study, the researcher focuses on the recount paragraph writing ability because there are problems faced by students in constructing recount paragraph. Recount paragraph is important to be mastered by the student to explain their experience into a written paragraph. In writing recount paragraph, the students must be able to write their experience, write their story by using some aspects of writing and they also must be able to arrange their ideas into a good paragraph in order the readers can get the point of the paragraph.

Regarding the importance of writing recount paragraph, in the fact, most of the students in junior high school still have some difficulties in writing recount paragraph. In addition in junior high school, the students learn recount paragraph at the first time. One of the cases was founded in SMPN 1 Kuta Utara at the eighth grade students. The problems that faced by the students are in generating Regarding the importance of writing recount paragraph, in the fact, most of the students in junior high school still have some difficulties in writing recount paragraph. In addition in junior high school, the students learn recount paragraph at the first time. One of the cases was founded in SMPN 1 Kuta Utara at the eighth grade students. The problems that faced by the students are in generating

To ensure the students’ ability in writing recount paragraph; moreover the researcher has to be focus in assesing writing skill, especially in writing recount paragraph. In this present study, the researcher is interested in assessing recount paragraph written by the eighth grade student at SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 through picture series. The researcher beliefs that picture series can stimulate the students’ creativity in order to write recount paragraph by their own words. In addition, the researcher try to find out the problems that faced by the student in composing a recount paragraph and to find out what is the students’ achievement in writing recount paragraph.

1.2 Research Problem

According to the background of the research problem above, the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara still have problems in writing recount paragraph. As explained, the problems that were faced by the students in SMPN 1 Kuta Utara are they cannot generate idea into a good recount paragraph, their lack of vocabularies cause the students use repetition words and it can influence the quality of their writing and also their understanding about the general structure of According to the background of the research problem above, the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara still have problems in writing recount paragraph. As explained, the problems that were faced by the students in SMPN 1 Kuta Utara are they cannot generate idea into a good recount paragraph, their lack of vocabularies cause the students use repetition words and it can influence the quality of their writing and also their understanding about the general structure of

1.3 Objective of the Study

Objective of the study is the goal of which a researcher does a plan to be achieved in this research. According to the problem above, the objective of this present study is to figure out the degree of recount paragraph writing ability at the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 which is assessed by picture series.

1.4 Limitation of the Study

The discussion of writing ability is too broad and complex of any single coverage study. In addition to avoid the misleading of the topic the researcher focused on assessing recount paragraph ability skill at the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 through picture series. Here, the study is only limited to recount paragraph which consists of orientation, events and re-orientation. The test in this present study would be picture series test.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study is concerned with assessing recount paragraph writing ability by picture series. The finding of this present study is expected to provide information and feedback to English teacher of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara. The result of this study The study is concerned with assessing recount paragraph writing ability by picture series. The finding of this present study is expected to provide information and feedback to English teacher of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara. The result of this study

Theoretically, the findings of the present investigation are really expected to contribute relevant theory and support the theories of empirical outcomes of existing writing theory, especially recount paragraph writing in term of paragraph composition. This study in assessing recount paragraph writing enriched the previous study that has been published before. In addition, the result of this present study placed in the library, so that also can be used by other researcher to advance them in finding the empirical review for their study.

Practically, the results of the present study are useful for the students and the teachers. For the students, the findings of the present study hopefully increase the students’ ability in writing recount paragraph. Besides, for the English teachers, these results can give them informative feedback which could be used as indicator in showing writing score and to show their relative success in teaching writing even it also can be tools where the teachers have to use a better technique in teaching recount paragraph writing. Moreover, they can use the established findings to make a new technique in teaching learning process, so it can make the students easier to learn recount paragraph.

1.6 Definition of the Key Term

In line with the title of this study, there are some key terms, which need to

be operationally defined in order to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation concerning the key terms used in the present study; the researcher defines them practically as follow:

1. Assessing Recount Paragraph Writing Ability Recount writing ability is operationally defined as the ability of eight grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016. The ability of student in making recount paragraph that is consists of orientation, events and re-orientation. The paragraph consists of eighth to twelve sentences base on four to six picture series with an appropriate title.

2. Picture series Picture series test is a test that is used to measure the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 in writing recount by making paragraph base on the picture series that is provided by the researcher. There are five different series of picture that they can choose one of the series. The series of picture are expected to make students easier in making their own words to describe the sequence of event base on the picture.

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Review

In this chapter, the researcher is concerned with implementation of picture series technique. Theoretical review can be defined as literature based statement which is relevant to the topic discussed. The research is expected to contribute practical significance on the basics and conducted some relevant theoretical constructs and empirical evidences in order to get the best result at last. Furthermore, the theoretical statements are important in this presents study as theoretical framework that allows the readers to understand the foundation of research problem. As a result, the description of this part includes (1) theory of writing, (2) the purpose of writing, (3) the significance of writing, (4) the recount paragraph, and (5) writing assessment.

2.1.1 Theory of Writing

As we know that writing is one of the four skills that should be learned and mastered in language learning. It presents the language sound through visual symbol. Most writing activity which is indirectly communication such as putting letters, symbol, or word on the paper. We can use writing to record our thought and feeling. Besides, writing can use for entertaining likes, novel, articles, newspaper, magazines, and comic. Furthermore, writing is a complex process in which the process of putting the idea, organized, used correct punctuation and grammatical in piece of paper to build a good sentence in a paragraph. Writing is essential features of learning a language because it provides a very good means of As we know that writing is one of the four skills that should be learned and mastered in language learning. It presents the language sound through visual symbol. Most writing activity which is indirectly communication such as putting letters, symbol, or word on the paper. We can use writing to record our thought and feeling. Besides, writing can use for entertaining likes, novel, articles, newspaper, magazines, and comic. Furthermore, writing is a complex process in which the process of putting the idea, organized, used correct punctuation and grammatical in piece of paper to build a good sentence in a paragraph. Writing is essential features of learning a language because it provides a very good means of

According to Ontario (2005:1.6) writing is a form of communication and contains a meaningful message. Absolutely as one way of communication form, writing can transfer our thought and information to other more effectively. By writing, we can share what we have to convey to others not only effectively but also clear and understandable. In writing, we have to keep the channel of the communication open through our own efforts and to ensure, both through our choice of sentence structure and by the way our sentences are linked together and sequenced, that the text we produce can be interpreted by the addressers.

Moreover, Hyland (2004:28) state that writing is the process whereby a person selects, develops, arranges, and expresses ideas in units of discourses. Again, writing is process with a series of steps. The process of writing must through steps of finding the ideas, putting the ideas into sentences, organizing the sentences into paragraph, and revising the paragraph. All of those steps are the way to get good writing result by doing continuously practices and exercises.

Ontario (2005:1.3) states that writing is a powerful instrument for student to express their thought feeling, and judgment about what they have read, seen, or experienced by committing it to paper. Committing the idea into paper is the only one way to make our thinking visible to the world. Besides, writing is most likely to encourage thinking and learning when the students see writing as a process. It proves that all the needs in composing good writing come from the students themselves. They can put all the ideas become good topic in paragraph.

Based on the description of the study above, this study tends to apply the conception which is claimed by Ontario (2005:1.3), that writing is a powerful instrument for students to express their thought, feeling, and judgment about what they have read, seen, or experienced by committing it into papers. This statement is appropriate with the indicator of the study that the present study is intended to assess the ability of the student of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 in writing recount paragraph through picture series.

2.1.2 The Purpose of Writing

We always write for a reason, whether we are conscious or not. Many purpose of writing usually related to writers need or can be the readers need. Kane (2000:6) states that the three common purposes of writing are to inform, to persuade, and to entertain the reader. To inform is to give information about the subject. To persuade is to convince the readers to agree with the writers’ point of view of the subject. The last is to entertain, to amuse and delight; to appeal the readers’ sense and imagination. So, based on the above statement it may conclude that writing has some benefit purpose for the readers. Moreover; this purpose should be balanced with the proportionate writing.

Related to learning process, writing helps students to learn how to be a good writer, because when they are writing: (a) writing reinforces the grammatical structure, idiom, and vocabulary that we have been teaching to the students; (b) when the students write they also have chance adventurous with the language, to go beyond what they have just lead to say take risk; (c) when they write, the necessary very involved with a new language; the effort to express ideas and constant use of eye, hand, and brain is unique way to reinforce learning.

In terms of explanation above, it indicates that writing has very important goal. According to Wardiman et al. (2008:61), goals of writing recount paragraph is to entertaining or informing the readers. So, related to the present study the researcher try to assess the ability of writing recount paragraph written by the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara.

2.1.3 The Significance of Writing

At this era, the ability to write has become an indispensable skill in our global literate community. Writing skill, at least at rudimentary level is necessary condition for achieving employment in many walks of life. In the field of the second language teaching, only half century ago experts were saying that writing was primarily a features and conventions, we also fully understand the difficulty

of learning to write well in any language, even in our native language. Every student in developing countries learnt the rudiments of writing in their native language, but very few learn to express themselves clearly with logical, well-developed organization, that accomplished an intended purpose. And we expect second language learners to write coherent essays with artfully chosen rhetorical and discourse devices. With such a monumental goal, the job of teaching writing has occupied the attention of papers, books, articles, and even separate professional journal exclusively devoted to writing a second language (Brown, 2004:218).

The learners of English have many reasons for comprehending writing skill. Many learners need to write to carry out functional tasks in their daily life such as filling out form, taking a message, or writing an email message. Other may need writing skill to succeed in academic study.

2.1.4 Recount Paragraph

Recount is used to share writers’ experiences or retells sequence of events for the purpose of informing, entertaining, or reflecting. A paragraph is related statement that the writers develop about a subject. As quoted on Wardiman et al. (2008:61) states that a recount paragraph is a paragraph that tells the reader about one story, activity or action. The purpose of recount paragraph is to give the audience a description of what happened and when it happened. There are two kind of recount base on the purpose; factual recount for evaluating the writer’s significance in some ways and literary recount for entertaining the reader that commonly includes the writer’s experience (Hyland, 2004:124). The goal is to provide the reader or the audience with a description of what occurred and when it occurred. Moreover, Anderson and Anderson (2003:48) argue that recount paragraph is a paragraph which allows the writer to tell a series of events that happen on the past time. Those series of events were told chronologically in sequence.

The characteristics of recount paragraph are using past tenses, focusing on specific participants and focusing on temporal sequence. It is also supported by Knapp and Watkins (2005:228) recount most closely resemble the grammar of speech and basically has sequence of events temporally, and also use a predominance of action verbs and temporal connectives. A recount paragraph has

a generic structure such as: Orientation, Event, and Reorientation. As stated by Knapp and Watkins (2005:223), every story, no matter how simple, needs an orientation. In addition, orientation provides the setting and introduces participants in the paragraph such as, who, where, and when the event take place. Event is retelling the events in chronological order or logical sequence, usually in a generic structure such as: Orientation, Event, and Reorientation. As stated by Knapp and Watkins (2005:223), every story, no matter how simple, needs an orientation. In addition, orientation provides the setting and introduces participants in the paragraph such as, who, where, and when the event take place. Event is retelling the events in chronological order or logical sequence, usually in

2.1.5 Pictures Series

In this present study, the researcher conducted the test by using picture series in writing recount paragraph. Picture is very common thing that we can find everywhere, in the street, school, office and other public places or even in our home. It is very common media that we always enjoy and discuss in order to transfer the message to addresses; moreover, picture is a media or symbol that is used to communicate between the writer and the intended addresses. Either the use of picture or the message that is transferred through picture is depends on the addresses, situation and place where the picture is putted. The picture series can also be used to create a conduction situation or context in the classroom. As state by Brown (2004:226) that t he main advantage of using picture series is in detaching the almost ubiquitous reading and writing connection and offer instead a nonverbal means to stimulate written response.

(Brown, 2004:180) also states that the use of picture series is to stimulate for a longer story or picture series task, the objective of which is to elicit a story in

a sequence of events. According to Byrne (1993:46), writing about pictures especially intended to stimulate the imagination and self expression. The students may have different way in interpreting the same picture which is showed. In this present study, the researcher use series of picture to assess the students’ ability in a sequence of events. According to Byrne (1993:46), writing about pictures especially intended to stimulate the imagination and self expression. The students may have different way in interpreting the same picture which is showed. In this present study, the researcher use series of picture to assess the students’ ability in

2.1.6 Writing Assessment

Assessment is an ongoing process that encompasses a much wider domain (Brown, 2004:4). Whenever a student responds to a question, offer a comment, or tries out new word or structure, the teacher subconsciously make an assessment of the students’ performance. In addition, assessment is the most important aspect for students or for teacher. The writing assessment is given to give the feedback to the students after compiling the recount paragraph; moreover, English teachers need to assess what they already thought to their students so that, they know to what extent the previously formulated instructional objective have been achieved by their students.

Assessing writing includes some subjective judgment from the teachers. Therefore, it is necessary to design the writing assessment by using rubric score and so on. Barkaoui (2007:104) states that designing and implementing a writing assessment is an interactive process that should include consideration about scoring procedures from the every beginning. On ongoing assessment of writing is integral to the effective teaching of writing to students with learning disabilities. Curriculum-based assessment can be used to assess the writing process and product and should take into account purpose well. A writing assessment often use direct test as the most commonly testing method in second language.

Besides, Harmer (2008:363-364) states that writing is a valuable in a classroom as the second language learner seek to gain competence and to functionalize productive skills. Moreover, writing is recognized objective among most language teachers, and such as, it should be emphasized in the classroom. Furthermore, writing also helps to solidify the students’ grasp of vocabulary, and structure, and complements the other language skill. Writing test involves at least two basic components: one or more writing task, or instructions that tell test takers what to write, and means of evaluating the writing samples that to their students so that they know to what extent the students have achieved the previously formulated instructional objective.

According to Brown (2004:243), classroom evaluation of learning is the best served through analytic scoring. In analytic scoring script are rated on several aspects of writing or criteria rather than given a single score. Analytical scoring is usually based on a scale of 0 – 100 with each aspect receiving a portion of the total points. In the line of the study, a rubric is used for each writing task to provide an effective means of assessing the particular type of students’ performance and to provide information to students on how to improve their work. However, to assess the writing ability, the scoring rubric that used by the researcher is as proposed by Oshima and Hogue (2007:195), such as: format (5 points), punctuation and mechanics (5 points), content (5 points), organization (35 points), and grammar and sentence structure (35 points).

2.2 Empirical Review

Each study should have a combination of previous studies on the same material. It aims to find out whether the current research has already been done Each study should have a combination of previous studies on the same material. It aims to find out whether the current research has already been done

First research was conducted by Anak Agung Ayu Ratnadi which has a title “Assessing Recount Paragraph Writing Ability of the Eleventh Grade Students of SMAN 1 Abiansemal in Academic Year 2014/2015”. The objective of this research was to assess the students’ ability in writing recount paragraph tested by using recount paragraph composition test. The result of the study showed the students’ ability in recount paragraph writing by eleventh grade students of SMAN 1 Abiansemal in academic year 2014/2015 was still bellow expectation.

The second research was conducted by I Wayan Januarta which has title “Assessing Paragraph Writing Ability of the Tenth Grade Students of SMAN 1 Abiansemal in Academic Year 2014/2015”. The objective of this research was to assess the students’ ability in writing recount paragraph by using recount paragraph composition test. The result, this research found could be remarked as good acquisition which meant that most of the samples under the study were able to write recount paragraph.

Those two researches above have been carried out well by the researchers; besides, the instrument used was already appropriate in which complementing the criterion of valid and reliable research instrument. However, the instrument was still needed to be developed. Both of researchers only provided some topics Those two researches above have been carried out well by the researchers; besides, the instrument used was already appropriate in which complementing the criterion of valid and reliable research instrument. However, the instrument was still needed to be developed. Both of researchers only provided some topics

The major difference between the two researchers and this present research is in its writing ability. Those two studies were conducted in senior high school; however, the present study conducted in junior high school. The researcher wants to know the ability of junior high school students’ in writing recount paragraph which relevant to the syllabus. In addition, this present study use picture series test which assumed can stimuli the students’ idea in composing recount paragraph. So that the students not only imagine what event they write in composing recount paragraph but they can retell the event according to the series of picture provided.

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD

3.1 Research Design

Research design encompasses the applied methods and procedures to conduct a scientific research. Research methods can be useful to effectively evaluate an educational program or its participants in the most objective way. In this present study, the researcher used an ex post facto research design with descriptive analysis. Cohen (2005: 205) writes than an ex post facto research is a method of teasing out possible antecedents of event that have happened and cannot be engineered or manipulated by the investigator. Inferences about relation among variable are therefore made, without direct intervention, from contaminant variation of independent or dependent variables.

Ary et al. (2010: 332), mention that the designation ex post, from latin for “after the fact” indicates that ex post facto research is conducted after the variation in the variable of interest has already been determined in the natural course of events. The statement shows that the ex post facto research design guides “us” to analyze the dependent variable in the study that was caused by the dependent variable. In addition, this method is sometimes called causal comparative because its purpose is to investigate cause and effect relationship between independent and dependent statement.

The present study deals with assessing recount paragraph writing ability of the eight grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 which is assessed by picture series used ex-post facto research design. They have been learning and acquiring the material before the study done. This means the researcher cannot manipulate this research variable.

The researcher collected the data by giving written test to the eighth grade student of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016. After collecting the data from the sample, the researcher put the data into some tables. These data in the table were used to show the students’ ability in writing recount paragraph.

3.2 Population and Sample

Population is generally large collection odd individuals or object that is the main focus of a scientific query. A population is a group to which the results of the study are intended to apply. Kothari (2004: 14) states that, population is all the items under consideration in any field of inquiry. Regarding to the limit of time and place to take all populations’ data, so that the researcher decided to take some sample as the representative of all population of eight grade students in SMPN 1 Kuta Utara.

Sample is a group of people drawn from a population. Dawson (2002:47) states that researchers overcome this problem by choosing a smaller, more manageable number of people to take part in their research. This is called sampling. Cohen et al. (2007:100) states that, a smaller group or subset of the total population in such a way that the knowledge gained is representative of the total population (however defined) under study. This smaller group or subject is the sample. Kothari (2004:152) states that, sampling may be defined as the selection of some part of an aggregate or totality in the basis of which on judgment or interface about the aggregate or totality is made. Otherwise, it is the process of obtaining information about an entire population by examining only part of it. To determine the sample, the researcher selected a few people from the population for the study purpose.

Random sampling techniques give equal opportunity for the entire population to be selected and included as the sample. The use of random sampling method suggested that all population have the same independent probability to be chosen and included as the sample of the study. According to Cohen et al. (2007:110), in simple random sampling, each member of the population under the study has an equal chance of being selected and the probability of a member of the population, i.e. each selection is entirely independent of the next. The method involves selecting at random from a list of the population (a sampling frame) the required number of subjects for the sample.

The population of the study was the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016 which consisted of 9 classes of 324 students. The researcher took 40 students as the samples which were chosen by using lottery system. It is because this method is still regarded as the best method of drawing representative samples of homogeneous populations. The use of random sampling method with lottery system suggests that all the population have the same opportunity to be selected and included as the samples of the study. The process were the researcher made 40 rolls of paper according to the number of the students’ attendance list, 4 students took four rolls of paper and whose numbers taken by those students would be used as the sample of this study. The samples of the study were 40 samples altogether, regarded as representative enough in assessing recount paragraph writing ability.

3.3 Research Instrument

Research instrument is a tools used for collecting the data which is required by researcher to answer the research problem. The research instrument in

form of productive test was recount writing by picture series test. The preparation and construction of valid and reliable research instrument was an important step of any scientific study. The data required for the present study collected by administering research instrument to the subject under the study. According to Brown (2004:3), productive skill of writing allows us to see the process and it gives permanent product, in the form of written piece. Related to the statement above, the research instrument of this present study was in form of productive tests. In this case the productive test was picture series test. In this test the researcher prepared three different picture series; two picture series with six pictures and one picture series with four pictures that were related to each other. The reason is to avoid cheating that may happen during the test. Moreover; by giving choice, the test was more interesting and the students could choose the most favourite one to make recount paragraph by their own words. The students had to construct the recount paragraph that was related to the series of pictures. To assess the writing ability, the scoring rubric that was used by the researcher was adopted from Oshima and Hogue (2007:195) as follow:

Table 3.1 The Scoring Rubric

Component

Maximum Actual Score

Score Format – 5 points There is a title

1 The title is centered

1 The first line is intended

1 There are margins on both side

1 The work is tidy

5 Punctuation and Mechanics – 5 Points

Total

There is period after every sentence

1 Commas are use correctly

2 Capitalization and other punctuations are used correctly

1 The spelling are correct

5 Content – 20 Points The paragraph fits the assignment

Total

5 The paragraph is interesting to read

5 The paragraph shows the writer original ideas

20 Organization – 40 points Giving necessary background information such as, who,

Total

10 when, where, what, and why

Giving events in chronological order or logical sequence

20 in form of past tense.

Giving a personal comment, opinion or summarizing the

10 paragraph.

40 Grammar & Space Structure Estimate a grammar and sentence structure score.

Validity and reliability are characteristics of a good researcher instrument. The discussion of validity and reliability of the research instrument is presented in the following discussion.

3.3.1 Validity

Validity is the degree to which test measures what test is supposed to measure or which test is intended so the purpose can be used successfully. In a research, which always depends on measurement, the validity of the instrument has to be considered. In other word, validity is the central concept in testing and assessment; the validation of the instrument comes from the figure of expert in that position and it calls expertise judgment. Brown (2004:22) argues that validity Validity is the degree to which test measures what test is supposed to measure or which test is intended so the purpose can be used successfully. In a research, which always depends on measurement, the validity of the instrument has to be considered. In other word, validity is the central concept in testing and assessment; the validation of the instrument comes from the figure of expert in that position and it calls expertise judgment. Brown (2004:22) argues that validity

There are types of validity: content validity, face validity, and construct validity which become the creation of a good test in the present study. According to Brown (2004:22), content validity test actually the samples of subject matter about which conclusions are to be drawn, and if it requires the test taker to perform the behaviour that is being measured, it can claim content related to evidence validity. The test also must has a good face validity in order to the samples were able to understand the test and the items of the test must arranged well; therefore, it would be attractive. Test can be said to have good face validity if the test look right to the experts. (Connaway et al., 2010:62). This mean the determination of the face validity also involves some degree of subjective judgment of preference. In order to have good face validity, the paragraph writing test should have construct validity. Construct refers to related theories and principle which had been adopted as basic to construct the research instrument. Cohen et al. (2005:132) argue that it is achieved by ensuring that performance on the test is fairly explained by particular appropriate construct or concepts.

The researcher prepared the test used to measure the achievement recount paragraph writing skill. The test that was prepared by the researcher was believed The researcher prepared the test used to measure the achievement recount paragraph writing skill. The test that was prepared by the researcher was believed

Table 3.2 Table of Writing Test Specification

Instrument The eight grade Written

Indicator Technique

Form

Performance 1. Choose 1 of 3 picture students of SMPN 1

series bellow! Kuta Utara are able

Test

Test

2. Make a good recount to recognize the

paragraph which is generic structure of

consist of Orientation, recount paragraph

Event and Reorientation! such as, Orientation,

3. Give the appropriate title Event and Re-

base on the picture! Orientation.

4. The paragraph consists of 8 – 12 sentences.

3.3.2 Reliability

Reliability is very important characteristic to have a good test. Reliability test are consistent and dependable (Brown, 2004:20). This statement suggests if you give the same test to the same or matched students on two different occasions, the test should field similar result. Moreover, brown mentions the reliability is affected by some factors: (1) administration procedure and conditions, (2) the clarity of the rubrics concerning the various skills are expected to perform by the tester, and (3) the scoring method. The samples under the study require to writes recount paragraph based on the picture series provided.

In addition, Cohen et al. (2007:146) states reliability is the essentially a synonym for consistency and explicability overtime, over instruments and over groups of respondents. It is concerned with precision and accuracy; some features,

e.g. height, can be measured precisely, whilst others, e.g. musical ability, cannot.

Write scoring method is considered as the important factor effecting reliability (Alderson and Bachman, 2002:108). The test which used as research instrument should be reliable because the reliability is the requirement of a good test. Thus, a good test must be reliable and valid.

3.4 Data collection

The data collected by administering research instrument that consist of three picture series item of Recount paragraph writing test to 40 samples of the eight grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016. To write the paragraph, the sample was given 40 minutes. The researcher gave three series of picture and the student have to write 8 – 12 sentences based on the picture and also give the title that appropriate with the theme of the picture series. According to Zemach and Islam (2005:9), paragraph is a group of 6-12 sentences about one topic. Every sentence in a strong paragraph is about the same topic. All sentences explain the wants about that topic. The total scores indicating the samples considered as the data collection for this research. The generic structure of recount paragraph are; orientation, events and reorientation.

3.5 Data Analysis

In order to answer the research question under the study; therefore, the obtained data analyzed after the data collected in the form of scores. Otherwise, In order to answer the research question under the study; therefore, the obtained data analyzed after the data collected in the form of scores. Otherwise,

The process of data analysis discussed as follow:

1. The raw scores arranged to find frequency distribution of all score.

2. The mean obtain by counting up all the scores and then those divided by the number of sample. It is better known as the average figure. In statistic, it more often call the arithmetic mean and it was symbolized by “M”. The formula for getting the mean was as follows:

ΣX M=

Where: M = Mean Σ x = Sum of total scores N = Number of the samples

3. The next step was to find out the standard deviation (SD). The standard deviation is another way of showing the spread out and this give a fuller description of test scores and the range that simply describe the gap between the highest and the lowest marks and ignores the information provide by all remaining score. To find out the standard deviation (SD) by using this following formula:

∑D2 SD = N

Where:

SD = Standard Deviation = Square Deviation of each score from the mean N = Number of samples taking test

4. After the mean score and standard deviation were found out by using the formula above, the researcher converted each score using norm references measure with standard five. On the other hand, each score was classified according to the following category as follows: ≥M + 1.5 SD = A/ Excellent >M + 0.5 SD = B/ Good >M - 0.5 SD = C/Sufficient >M – 1.5 SD = D/Insufficient <M – 1.5 SD = E/poor

CHAPTER IV FINDING & DISCUSSION

4.1 Finding

The finding refers to the description of data or information which the researcher had got as a result of the investigation. The data obtained were the form of recount paragraph writing which was used picture series test, in terms of its composition; format, punctuation & mechanic, content, organization, and grammar. It was analyzed by using norm-reference measure of five standard values, showing excellent, good, sufficient, insufficient and poor achievement of recount paragraph writing. In addition, the samples in this present study were the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara. The required data needed could be tabulated in the table as follow:

Table 4.1

Scores Showing the Achievement of Recount Paragraph Writing Ability of the Eight Grade Students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in Academic Year 2015/2016

Punctuation Grand NO Format

Content Organization Grammar & Mechanics

Total

15 4 20 38 17 84

25 5 18 36 18 82

35 4 18 37 17 81

45 5 17 35 19 81

55 5 16 35 18 79

65 5 18 37 14 79

74 5 17 37 15 78

85 4 18 36 15 78

95 5 18 34 15 77

10 4

5 16 34 17 76

11 5

4 16 33 17 75

12 4

3 15 34 19 75

13 4

4 16 33 18 75

14 4

2 16 37 15 74

The data presented in the table above showed the achievement of recount paragraph writing ability of the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 Kuta Utara in academic year 2015/2016. On the other hand, the result above was analyzed by using norm-reference measure of five standard values, showing; excellent, good, sufficient, insufficient and poor achievement of recount paragraph. The formula of norm – reference measure of five standard values, which were used to compute the standard score showing the subject’s recount paragraph achievement run as the following:

1. ≥M + 1.5 SD = A/Excellent Achievement

2. >M + 0.5 SD = B/Good Achievement

3. >M - 0.5 SD = C/Sufficient Achievement

4. >M – 1.5 SD = D/Insufficient Achievement

5. <M – 1.5 SD = E/Poor Achievement Before the raw scores obtained from the samples could be compute by

using the above formulas, the mean (M) and the standard deviation (SD) of the raw scores should be figured out first. The computations below were the ones which concerned about the computation of mean and standard deviation.

In this present study, the researcher used 40 samples. After getting the sum of the total scores ( ∑x) which was 2.824, the next step was to find out the mean score. Mean score was obtained by counting of all scores of the samples and then they were divided by the number of the samples in this present study. Mean score was symbolized by “M” and the total of sample was symbolized by (N). Moreover, the formula of mean score was figured out as follows: