AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS WRITING ABILITY IN

FORMING IRREGULAR VERB AT THE EIGHT

GRADE OF SMP NEGERI 2 PADANGSIDIMPUAN

Tittle of Thesis Seminar

IAIN P.SIDIMPUAN, 25 Sept 2014
Raja Inal Siregar

A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

English is a universal language, an internasional language, it must

be learned by most of people to do business, students exchange,
and tourism. So thats why it should not be a problem for students
in studying English (include forming Irreguler Verb) at the class.
Some students of SMP Negeri 2 Padangsidimpuan find the
difficult in forming irreguler verb /IV ( include my sister who
studies there).
Above the second reason, the researcher want to know how good
students of SMP Negeri 2 Padangsidimpuan s ability in forming
irreguler verb is.
Maybe, from this research. We know if students of SMP Negeri 2
ability in forming irreguler verb is good or not. Then, what is the
solution or suggestion to do and to solve the problem?

B. THE FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM

1. How is students writing ability in forming irregular verb at
the eight grade of SMP Negeri 2 Padangsidimpuan?

2. What are students at the eight grade of SMP Negeri 2

Padangsidimpuan problems in forming irregular verb?
3. How does teacher solve students problem in forming
irregular verb?

C. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To identify the ability of the students in forming irregular verb

2. To recognize the students at the eight grade of SMP Negeri 2

Padangsidimpuan problems in forming irregular verb or not.
3. To find out how teacher solves the problems of the students in
forming irregular verb.

D. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research will do for all redaers especially for:
1.Teachers, it can inform the teacher whether the students
are able to form irregular verb or not, and also the problem
that students face in forming irregular verb. So that the
teacher can make good method and way for teaching
English especially for irregular verb.
2.Students, it can inform their ability in forming irregular
verb, so they can improve their ability when they think they
are not able enough in forming irregular verb

experimental research
the researcher selects participants
and divides them into two or more
groups having similar characteristics
and, then, applies the treatment(s) to
the groups and measures the effects
upon the groups

Conducting an experimental study

1. select the problem
2. select participants and instrument
3. selection and execution of a
research plan
4. data analysis and formulation of
conclusions

Types of experimental comparison

1. comparison of two different approaches
(A versus B)
2. comparison of an existing approach
to a new approach (A and ~ A)
3. comparison of differing
amounts of a single approach
(A and a or a and A)

where:
A experimental (treatment) group
B control (no treatment,
nonmanipulated) group

Variable...
a concept (e.g., intelligence, height,
aptitude) that can assume any one of
a range of values

Research variables...
Independent
an activity of characteristic believed
to make a difference with respect to
some behavior
(syn.) experimental variable, active
variable, cause, treatment

Dependent
the change or difference occurring a
a result of the independent variable
(syn.) criterion variable, assigned
variable, effect, outcome, posttest

Confounding
the fact that the effects of the
independent variable may intertwine
with extraneous variables, such that
it is difficult to determine the unique
effects of each variable
(syn.) criterion variable, assigned
variable, effect, outcome, posttest

Group experimental designs

1. single-variable
2. factorial

single-variable designs
involve one manipulated independent
variable
pre-experimental
quasi-experimental
true experimental

types of pre-experimental designs

one-shot case study
X O
a single group exposed to a
treatment ( X ) and then
posttested ( O )

one-group pretest-posttest design

O X O
a single group is pretested ( O ),
exposed to a treatment ( X ) and,
then, is posttested ( O )

static group comparison

X1 O
X2 O
involves at least two groups ( X ), one
receiving a new, or experimental
treatment ( X1 ) and another receiving a
traditional, or control treatment ( X2 )
and, then, are posttested ( O )

types of quasi-experimental designs

nonequivalent control group
design
O X O
random assignment of intact groups
that are pretested ( O ), exposed to a
treatment ( X ) and then posttested
(O)

time-series design
O O O O X O O O O
a single group is pretested ( O )
repeatedly until pretest scores are
stable, exposed to a treatment ( X )
and, then, is repeatedly posttested
(O)

counterbalanced design
X1 O X2 O X3 O
X3 O X1 O X2 O
X2 O X3 O X1 O
all of the groups receive all
treatments but in a different order;
the number of groups and
treatments must be equal

types of true experimental designs

pretest-posttest control group design

R O X1 O
R O X2 O

at least two groups are formed by

random assignment ( R ),
administered a pretest ( O ), receive
different treatments ( X1, X2 ), are
administered a posttest, and posttest
scores are compared to determine
effectiveness of treatments

posttest-only control group design

R
X1 O
R
X2 O

at least two groups are formed by

random assignment ( R ), receive
different treatments ( X1, X2 ), are
administered a posttest, and posttest
scores are compared to determine
effectiveness of treatments

Solomon four-group design

R O X1 O
R O X2 O
R
X1 O
R
X2 O

four groups are formed by random

assignment ( R ) of participants, two
groups are pretested ( O ) and two are not,
one pretested and one unpretested group
receive the experimental treatments ( X1,
X2 ), each group is are administered a
posttest on the dependent variable, and
posttest scores are compared to
determine effectiveness of treatments

factorial designs
involve two or more independent
variables with at least one
independent variable being
manipulated by the researcher

examples of factorial designs

two-by-two factorial design (four cells)
2 X 2
two types of factors (e.g., method of
instruction) each of which has two
levels (e.g., traditional vs. innovative)

A 2 X 2 factorial design

Dependent Variable

manipulated

Independent Variable
A
B

Group #1

Group #2

Group #3

Group #4

not manipulated

Cells

A 2 X 2 factorial design

A
No interaction
between factors

A 2 X 2 factorial design

No interaction
between factors

A 2 X 2 factorial design
A
Interacting
factors

A 2 X 2 factorial design
B
Interacting
factors

two-by-three factorial design (six cells)

2 X 3

two types of factors (e.g., motivation;

interest) each of which has three levels
(e.g., high, medium, low)

Single-subject experimental designs

1. A B A withdrawal
2. multiple baseline designs
3. alternating treatments designs

simple A B design
baseline measurements ( O ) are
repeatedly made until stability is
established, then the treatment ( X ) is
introduced and an appropriate number
of measurements ( O ) are made during
treatment implementation

simple A B design
O O O

X O X O X

baseline
phase

treatment
phase

A B A withdrawal designs
baseline measurements ( O ) are repeatedly
made until stability is established, then the
treatment ( X ) is introduced and an
appropriate number of measurements ( O )
are made during treatment implementation,
followed by an appropriate number of
baseline measurements ( O ) to determine
stability of treatment ( X )

A B A withdrawal designs
O O O

X O X O X

O O O

baseline
phase

treatment
phase

baseline
phase

multiple-baseline designs
used when a return to baseline
conditions is difficult or impossible
since treatment effects oftentimes do
not disappear when a treatment is
removed

multiple refers to the study of more

than one behavior, participant, or
setting

instead of collecting baseline data on

one specific behavior, data are
collected on: (1) several behaviors for
one participant, (2) one behavior for
several participants, or (3) one
behavior and one participant in several
settings

then, over a period of time, the

treatment is systematically applied to
each behavior (or participant, or
setting) one at a time until all
behaviors (or participants or settings)
have been exposed to the treatment

multiple baseline design

Example: one treatment for three behaviors in three settings

A
behavior 1
behavior 2
behavior 3

O O OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
O O O O O
OXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
O O O O O
O O O
OXOXOXO

the baseline remains

the same

setting #1
setting #2
setting #3

while the treatment

is applied at other
settings

alternating treatments design

the relatively rapid and random
alternation of treatments ( T1 T2 Tn )
for a single subject but not
necessarily within fixed intervals of
time
T1 - T2 - T1 - T1 - T2 - T1 - T1 - T2

The concept of validity

the experiment tests the variable(s)
that it purports to test

Threats to validity
internal: factors other than the
independent variable that affect the
dependent variable
external: factors that affect the
generalizability of the study to groups
and settings beyond those of the
experiment

Threats to internal validity

1. history
2. maturation
3. testing
4. instrumentation
5. statistical regression
6. differential selection of participants
7. mortality
8. selection-maturation interaction

history
the occurrence of events that are not
part of the experimental treatment
but that occur during the study and
affect the dependent variable

maturation
the physical, intellectual, and
emotional changes that occur
naturally in a studys participants
over a period of time

testing
refers to improved scores on a
posttest as a result of having taken a
pretest

instrumentation
the unreliability or lack of
consistency in measuring
instruments that can result in an
invalid assessment of performance

statistical regression
the tendency of participants who
score highest on a test to score
lower on a second, similar test and
vice versa

differential selection of participants

the outcome when already formed
groups are compared raising the
possibility that the groups were
different before a study even begins

mortality
the case in which participants drop
out of a study which changes the
characteristics of the groups and
may significantly affect the studys
results

selection-maturation interaction
if already-formed groups are used in
a study, one group may profit more
(or less) from a treatment or have an
initial advantage because of
maturation, history, or testing factors

Threats to external validity

1. pretest-treatment interaction
2. selection-treatment interaction
3. multiple treatment interference
4. specificity of variables
5. treatment diffusion
6. experimenter effects
7. reactive effects

pretest-treatment interaction
the situation when participants
respond or react differently to a
treatment because they have been
pretested

multiple-treatment interference
the situation when the same
participants receive more than one
treatment in succession

selection-treatment interference
the situation when participants are
not randomly selected for treatments

specificity of variables
the situation when a study is
conducted with (1) a specific kind of
participant; (2) is based on a
particular operational definition of
the independent variable; (3) uses
specific dependent variables; (4)
transpires at a specific time; and, (5)
under a specific set of circumstances

treatment diffusion
the situation when different treatment
groups communicate with and learn
from each other

experimenter effects
the situation when the researchers
present potential threats to the
external validity of their own studies

reactive arrangements
the situation when a number of
factors associated with the way in
which a study is conducted interacts
with or shapes the feelings and
attitudes of the participants involved

Types of reactive arrangements

Hawthorne effect: any situation in
which participants behavior is
affected not by the treatment per se
but by their knowledge of participating
in a study
compensatory rivalry: the control
group is informed that they will be the
control group for a new, experimental
study (John Henry effect)

placebo effect: the situation in which

half of the participants receive no
treatment but believe they are
novelty effect: the situation in which
participant interest, motivation, or
engagement increases simply because
they are doing something different

Controlling for extraneous

(confounding) variables
1. randomization
2. matching
3. comparing homogeneous
groups or subgroups
4. using participants as their own
controls
5. analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)

randomization
the process of selecting and
assigning participants in such a way
that all individuals in the defined
population have an equal and
independent chance of being
selected for the sample

matching
a technique for equating groups on
one or more variables, usually the
ones highly related to performance
on the dependent variable (e.g.,
pairwise matching)

comparing homogeneous groups or

subgroups
a technique to control an extraneous
variable by comparing groups that
are similar with respect to that
variable (e.g., stratified sampling)

using participants as their own controls

exposing a single group to different
treatments one treatment at a time

analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)

a statistical method for equating
randomly formed groups on one or
more variables by adjusting scores
on a dependent variable for initial
differences on some other variable

Data analysis and interpretation

for single-subject research

a visual inspection and analysis of
graphical presentations of results
focuses upon: adequacy of the
design; an assessment of treatment
effectiveness (clinical vs. statistical
significance)

Mini-Quiz

True and false

experimental researcher is the only
type of research that can test
hypotheses to establish cause-andeffect relationships
True

True and false

the manipulation of the independent
variable is the one characteristic that
differentiates correlational research
from other types of research
False

True and false

an experimental study is guided by
at least one hypothesis that states
an expected causal relationship
between two variables
True

True and false

the experiment in an experimental
study is conducted to conform or
disconfirm the research problem
False

True and false

experimental research has both
random selection and assignment
whereas causal-comparative
research has random selection not
assignment
True

True and false

it is correct to state that a control
group always receives no treatment
in experimental studies
False

True and false

in an experimental study, the
researcher makes every effort to
ensure that the two groups start as
equivalently as possible on all
variables except the independent
variable
True

True and false

in an experimental study, the
researcher collects data on the
independent variable from the
groups to determine whether there is
a significant difference between their
performances
False

True and false

in an experimental study, the
researcher endeavors to make the
groups as similar as possible so that
the only major difference between
them is the treatment variable(s)
manipulated by the researcher
True

True and false

even though experimental research
is the only type of research that can
truly establish cause-effect
relationships, it is not universally
appropriate for all research
problems or studies
True

True and false

an experiment is valid if results
obtained are due only to the control
variable and if they are generalizable
to individuals or contexts beyond the
experimental setting
False

True and false

internal validity focuses upon
threats or rival explanations that
influence the outcomes of an
experimental study but are not part
of the independent variable
True

True and false

if a studys results cannot be
replicated in other settings by other
researchers, then the study has low
external reliability
False

True and false

to conduct a valid experiment, all the
researcher has to do is to maximize
internal and external validity
False

True and false

true experimental designs control for
all sources of internal and external
validity
False

True and false

the more narrowed and controlled
a research situation is, the less
realistic and generalizable it
becomes
True

True and false

a study that is not internally valid
is worthless
True

True and false

the longer a study lasts, the more
likely it is that history will be a
threat to the studys internal
validity
True

True and false

the way a researcher controls for
selection-maturation interaction is
to select a design that controls for
potential problems or to make
every effort to determine if
selection-maturation interaction is
operating in the study
True

True and false

pretest-treatment interaction
makes a studys results
generalizable only to other
pretested groups
True

True and false

the seriousness of pretest-treatment
interaction threat is dependent upon
the research participants, the nature
of the independent and dependent
variables, and the duration of the
study
True

True and false

even if intact groups are randomly
selected, the possibility exists that
the experimental group is in some
important way different from the
control group and/or from the larger
population
True

True and false

selection-treatment interaction is an
uncontrolled variable in research
designs involving randomization
True

True and false

it is possible to know what a
researcher means by the terms
assigned to variables without clear
operationalized descriptions
False

True and false

good designs control for many
sources of invalidity, poor designs
control few
True

True and false

ANCOVA is used to correct or
adjust posttest scores for initial
pretest differences
True

True and false

ANCOVA is assumes that the
relationship between the
independent and covariate variables
is curvilinear
False

True and false

a researcher should not totally
accept or reject a research design
because of how it controls (or fails to
control) for sources of invalidity
True

True and false

a researcher should decide which
research design is most appropriate
not only by the controls provided but
also by the nature of the study and
the setting in which it is to be
conducted
True

True and false

in a static-group comparison design,
each group serves as a control or
comparison group for the other
group(s)
True

True and false

in a counterbalanced design, the
average performance of the groups
on each treatment are calculated and
compared
True

True and false

in a true experimental designs,
participants should be randomly
selected or randomly assigned
False

True and false

in the pretest-posttest control group
design, if groups are essentially the
same on the dependent variable at
the start of a study, a t-test can be
used for analysis; if not, ANCOVA is
used
True

True and false

the more dissimilar the intact groups
in a study are, the stronger the study
is
False

True and false

when describing and symbolizing
factorial designs, the control variable
is placed first
False

True and false

the purpose of a factorial design is to
determine whether the effects of an
independent variable are
generalizable across all levels or are
specific to particular variables
True

True and false

factorial designs are very effective
for testing research hypotheses
that cannot be tested with a singlevariable design
True

True and false

for all types of research, the more
a studys results are replicated, the
less confidence there is in the
procedures that produced those
results
False

Fill in the blank

the two main ways that researchers
equate groups participating in
experimental research
simple random sampling
stratified random sampling

Fill in the blank

the researcher decides what
treatment(s) will constitute the
independent variable and which
group will get which treatment
manipulation

Fill in the blank

the researchers efforts to remove
the influence of any extraneous
variable that might affect scores on
the dependent variable
control

Fill in the blank

the researchers concern with
threats or factors other than the
independent variable that affect the
dependent variable
internal validity

Fill in the blank

the researchers concern with the
extent to which the study results
can be generalized to groups and
settings beyond those of the
experiment
external validity

Fill in the blank

a threat to validity involving the
tendency for scores to more
toward a average or expected
score
statistical regression

Fill in the blank

a threat to internal validity that may
be overcome by testing for initial
equivalence between groups
differential selection of participants

Fill in the blank

the population from which a
researcher endeavors to extract a
sample
target population

Fill in the blank

the actual population from which a
researcher extracts a sample
accessible population

Fill in the blank

the influences on the part of the
experimenter over which the
experimenter has no direct control
but may affect study procedures
passive experimenter effects
experimenter personal-attributes effects

Fill in the blank

the situation in which a
researcher's expectation of the
study affect the researchers
behavior and the researcher
outcomes
active experimenter effect
experimenter bias effect

Fill in the blank

an external variable that effects
the independent variable and
intertwines with other extraneous
variables such that it is difficult
to determine the unique effects
of each
confounding variable

Fill in the blank

the term referring to a design that
has more than one independent
variable
factor(ial)

Fill in the blank

a study to compare the achievement
of two groups: one group taught in
an anxiety-producing environment
and one group taught in an anxietyreducing environment
experimental

Fill in the blank

the nonmanipulated variable in a
factorial design
control variable

Fill in the blank

a second study conducted by a
different investigator, with different
participants, behaviors, and settings
systematic replication

Fill in the blank

additional studies that add
confidence to the procedures that
produced those results
replication

Fill in the blank

a second study involving the
development of treatment packages,
composed of two or more
interventions that have been found
to be effective individually, designed
for persons with complex behavior
disorders
clinical replication

Fill in the blank

a second study conducted on a
number of participants with the
same problem, location, or time
simultaneous replication

This module has focused on...

experimental studies
...which test hypotheses to establish
cause-and-effect relationships

The next module will focus on...

descriptive statistics
the set of mathematical
procedures for describing,
synthesizing, analyzing, and
interpreting quantitative data