NARRATIVE TEXT WRITING ABILITY OF THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS AT SMP BUSTANUL MAKMUR GENTENG, BANYUWANGI IN THE 2012/2013 ACADEMIC YEAR

Abstract

This research was descriptive research. It was intended to describe the eighth grade students’ narrative text writing ability and the students’ ability in each aspect of writing. It was conducted at SMP Bustanul Makmur Genteng, Banyuwangi chosen by purposive method. The respondents of this research were taken through proportional random sampling by lottery as many as 25% from the population. Thus, the number of the respondents was 30 students taken proportionally from 118 students that were divided into four classes. The data of this research were collected by conducting narrative text writing test. The test was in the form of essay. The students were asked to write a narrative text that covers three parts, i.e: orientation, complication, and resolution. They were asked to write at least fifteen (15) sentences in four or five paragraphs. The total number of the words used by the students were around 150-200 words. The researcher also gave some clues related to the text. The result of the students’ narrative text writing test showed that the eighth grade students’ narrative text writing ability at SMP Bustanul Makmur in general was categorized as good. The mean score was 78.58, which was higher than the standard score (75). Based on the students’ standard score, it can be known that there were 17 students (58.62%) achieved the standard score and the other (12 students or 41.38%) did not achieve the standard score. xiv Based on the students’ classification score in each aspect of writing, the eighth grade students’ writing ability in the aspect of grammar belonged to fair category (M=73.86). The aspect of vocabulary belonged to good category (M=96.72). In the aspect of organization, the students’ writing ability was in good category (M=90.14). Besides, the students’ writing ability in the aspect of mechanics was in fair category (M=38.62). The students’ writing ability in the aspect of content was in good category (M=93.56). It can be concluded that the most serious problem of the eighth grade students’ narrative text writing ability at SMP Bustanul Makmur was mechanics because the mean score in the aspect mechanics was the lowest than others. The students’ problem in the aspect of mechanics was because they were lack of awareness in applying mechanics. The researcher and the English teacher found that most of them lack of awareness in using capital letter.