IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN WRITING SHORT FUNCTIONAL TEXT THROUGH INSIDE-OUTSIDE CIRCLES TECHNIQUE (An Experimental Study at the Grade X of SMK Negeri 8 Semarang in the Academic Year 2010/2011) a final project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Pendidikan in English by Armi Sanytasari 2201407036 ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY 2011 APPROVAL This final project has been approved by the board of examiners of the English Department of Faculty of Languages and Arts Semarang State University on March 14, 2011 Board of Examiners 1. Chairperson Drs. Jan Mujiyanto, M.Hum NIP 195312131983031002 2. Secretary Dr. Dwi Anggani LB, M.Pd NIP 195901141989012001 3. First Examiner Dr. Dwi Rukmini, M.Pd NIP 195104151976032001 4. Second Examiner as Second Advisor Drs. Suprapto, M.Hum. NIP 195311291982031002 5. Third Examiner as First Advisor Sri Wahyuni, S.Pd., M.Pd. NIP 197104082006042001 Approved by The Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Arts Prof. Dr. Rustono NIP 195801271983031003 ii PERNYATAAN Dengan ini saya, Nama : Armi Sanytasari NIM : 2201407036 Prodi/ Jurusan : Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris/ Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris Fakultas : Bahasa dan Seni Universitas Negeri Semarang Menyatakan dengan sesungguhnya bahwa skripsi/ final project yang berjudul: IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN WRITING SHORT FUNCTIONAL TEXT THROUGH INSIDE - OUTSIDE CIRCLES TECHNIQUE Saya tulis dalam rangka memenuhi salah satu syarat untuk memperoleh gelar sarjana ini benar-benar merupakan karya sendiri yang saya hasilkan setelah melalui penelitian, bimbingan diskusi dan pemaparan / ujian. Semua kutipan baik yang langsung maupun tidak langsung maupun sumber yang lainnya, ditulis dengan cara sebagaimana yang lazim dalam penulisan karya ilmiah. Dengan demikian, walaupun tim penguji dan pembimbing penulisan skripsi ini membubuhkan tanda tangan sebagai tanda keabsahannya, seluruh isi karya ilmiah ini tetap menjadi tanggung jawab saya sendiri. Jika kemudian ditemukan ketidakberesan, saya bersedia menerima akibatnya. Demikian, harap pernyataan ini digunakan seperlunya. Semarang, Maret 2011 Yang membuat pernyataan Armi Sanytasari NIM 2201407036 iii Verily along with the difficulties there’s relief (Al Insyirah: 5) Be patient and keep fighting To My beloved Mother, Father, and Younger Brother. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Almighty Allah SWT, for his blessing, strength, and encouragement leading to the completion of this final project. Secondly, I would like to deliver my sincerest gratitude to Sri Wahyuni, S.Pd., M.Pd., as my first advisor, who has patiently and kindly given valuable and continuous guidance, advice, as well as encouragement in making and completing this final project. My sincere gratitude to Drs. Suprapto, M.Hum. as my second advisor, who has read carefully for its improvement and guided me to finish it. Without their help, I would never been able to complete this final project. My honor goes to all lecturers at the English Department of UNNES for all guidance and lecture during my study here. My thanks also go to the headmaster of SMK N 8 Semarang, all teachers and students of X RPL (Rekayasa Perangkat Lunak) 1 and 2 in the academic year 2010/2011 who help and cooperate in finishing my research. My endless love and gratitude are addressed to my beloved mother Kusrikanti and father Sutarto for their never ending support and prayers. For my younger bother Dinar Hendra Putra who inspires me a lot and all my relatives who always support me. I also would say more thanks to all of my friends in Wisma Anita 3, my best friends, and all friends in English Department 07’ for their help and support. v ABSTRACT Sanytasari, Armi. 2011. Improving the Students Ability in Writing Short Functional Text through Inside-Outside Circles Technique. (An Experimental Study at the Grade X of SMK Negeri 8 Semarang in the Academic Year 2010/2011). Final project. English Department. Faculty of Languages and Arts. Semarang State University. First Advisor: Sri Wahyuni, S.Pd., M.Pd., Second Advisor: Drs. Suprapto, M.Hum. Key words: Writing, Short Functional Text, Inside-Outside Circles Technique. The students of vocational high school are supposed to master invitation. Meanwhile, English teachers use lecturing technique which is not appropriate with school-based curriculum (KTSP). The objective of this study is to know how significant the use of inside-outside circles technique in improving the students’ ability in writing short functional text is. The design used is true experimental design (pre test-post test control group design). The population was the tenth grade students of SMK Negeri 8 Semarang in the academic year 2010/2011. They consist of X RPL (Rekayasa Perangkat Lunak) 1, X RPL 2 and X RPL 3, X PS (Perawatan Sosial) 1, X PS 2 and X PS 3, X MM (Multimedia) 1, X MM 2 and X MM3 and X TKJ (Teknik Komputer Jaringan). The sampling technique is cluster random sampling. Thus, the number of sample was 72 students that consisted of 36 students of X RPL 2 who were taught by using inside-outside circle technique and 36 students of X RPL 1 who were taught by lecturing technique. Before conducting the research, the writer held a try-out test to the try-out class to get the validity, reliability, item of difficulty and item discrimination of the test instrument. Then, the writer began the research by giving a pre test, treatment, and a post test to both groups. The result of the test was analyzed by using t-test formula to know the difference in the students’ writing result of short functional text between the group that was taught by using inside-outside circles technique and that that was not. The result shows the pre test mean of the control group was 16.22 while test mean of the control group was 17.78. Whereas, the pre test mean of the experiment group was 16.89 while the post test mean of the experiment group was 19.16. In case of index of difficulty between control and experimental group in the pre test shows that the t-test (1.867) is higher than t-table (1.668) while in the post test shows that t-test (4.351) is higher than t-table (1.668). Whereas, in terms of index of improvement between pre test and post test in the control group shows that the t-test (6.5) is higher than t-table (1.691) while in the experimental group shows that the t-test (10.229) is higher than t-table (1.691). Thus, it is obtained from the computation that the result of the t-test of the difference pre test post test between experimental and control group is 2.171. Since the t-test (2.171) is higher than t-table (1.668), it means that there is a significant difference in terms writing achievement between the students who were taught by using inside-outside circles technique and those who were taught without using inside- outside circles technique. Furthermore, the writer suggests that English teachers concern better in their technique variety in teaching writing of short functional texts especially invitation. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments ...................................................................................... v Abstract ...................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents ........................................................................................ vii List of Tables ............................................................................................. x List of Figures ............................................................................................. xi List of Appendices ...................................................................................... xii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the Study ...................................................................... 1 1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic ........................................................... 6 1.3 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................... 7 1.4 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................ 7 1.5 Significance of the Study ..................................................................... 7 1.6 Outline of the Report ............................................................................ 8 2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ............................................ 9 2.1 Review of Previous Study .................................................................... 9 2.2 Theoretical Review .............................................................................. 13 2.2.1 . Teaching English as a Foreign Language ........................................... 13 2.2.2 . Teaching Writing ............................................................................... 14 2.2.2.1 Definition of Writing ........................................................................ 14 2.2.2.2 Importance of Writing ..................................................................... 15 2.2.2.3 Types of Writing .............................................................................. 15 2.2.3 Teaching Writing of Invitation in Vocational High School .............. 15 2.2.4 General Concept of Writing ............................................................. 17 2.2.5 Definition of Short Functional Text ................................................. 18 2.2.6 Definition of Invitation .................................................................... 19 2.2.7 Teaching Techniques ....................................................................... 20 2.2.8 Inside Outside Circles Technique .................................................... 20 2.3 Theoretical framework ......................................................................... 23 vii 3. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION ....................................................... 25 3.1 Research Design .................................................................................. 25 3.2 Object of the Study .............................................................................. 26 3.3 Population and Sample ......................................................................... 26 3.4 Research Variables ............................................................................... 27 3.4.1 Dependent Variable ........................................................................... 28 3.4.2 Independent Variable ......................................................................... 28 3.5 Type of Data ....................................................................................... 28 3.6 Instrument for Collecting Data ............................................................. 28 3.7 Procedure of Experiment ...................................................................... 29 3.8 Method of Collecting Data ................................................................... 30 3.8.1 Try Out .............................................................................................. 30 3.8.1.1 Validity ............................................................................................ 30 3.8.1.2 Reliability ........................................................................................ 31 3.8.1.3 The Difficulty of an Item .................................................................. 32 3.8.1.4 Discriminating Power...................................................................... 33 3.8.2 Pre Test ............................................................................................. 33 3.8.3 Treatment .......................................................................................... 34 3.8.4 Post Test ............................................................................................ 35 3.9 Method of Analyzing Data ................................................................... 36 3.9.1 . Scoring Technique ............................................................................. 36 3.9.2 . Classifying the Scores ........................................................................ 38 3.9.3 . T-Test ................................................................................................ 38 4. DISCUSSION ...................................................................................... 40 4.1 First Analysis ....................................................................................... 40 4.1.1 Validity.............................................................................................. 40 4.1.2 Reliability .......................................................................................... 40 4.1.3 Discriminating Power ........................................................................ 41 4.1.4 Difficulty level................................................................................... 41 4.2 Research Finding ................................................................................. 41 4.2.1 The Analysis of the Students Ability in General ................................. 46 viii 4.2.1.1 The Analysis of the Students’ Writing before Treatment (Pre-test) ... 51 4.2.1.2 The Analysis of the Students’ Writing after Treatment (Post-test) .... 52 4.2.2 Discussion ......................................................................................... 52 5. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ................................................. 58 5.1 Conclusion ........................................................................................... 58 5.2 Suggestion ........................................................................................... 58 Bibliography ............................................................................................... 60 Appendices ................................................................................................ 63 ix LIST OF TABLES Table Page 3.1 The Activities of the treatments both Two Groups ................................. 34 3.2 Scoring Technique ............................................................................... 36 3.3 Measurement of the Students Achievement ........................................... 38 x