| dc.description.abstract | The use of punctuation and capitalization in writing is important, because it
make the readers understand the meaning of paragraph correctly. Therefore, it is
important for the students to master them. This study is quantitative research on the
students’ ability in using punctuation and capitalization in descriptive paragraph
writing at the grade VIII of SMPN 13 Jember. The problem of the study is “How is
the students’ ability in using punctuation and capitalization in descriptive paragraph
writing at the grade VIII of SMPN 13 Jember?” The research objective was to
describe the students’ ability in using punctuation and capitalization in descriptive
paragraph writing especially on the use capitalization, full stop, comma, and
quotation mark. In determining the number of participants, the cluster random
sampling was applied after knowing the populations were homogenous. The number
of participants was 42 students (Class B). To collect the data, interview,
documentation, and test were used. The observation was conducted three times; first,
consulting to the English teacher concern with the teaching technique, second was
interrupting the number of the grade VIII participant, third was asking to the English teacher about the problem faced by the students in learning English especially in
teaching punctuation and capitalization. The objective test in the form of completion
was used to collect the primary data dealing with the students’ ability in using
punctuation and capitalization in descriptive paragraph writing in the form of scores.
Interview and documentation were used to obtain the supporting data. The collecting
primary data were analyzed quantitatively by using percentage formula. The results
of data analysis were described to answer the research problem. In details, the
students’ ability in using punctuation and capitalization in descriptive paragraph
writing in the category of poor was six students (14,29%) participants, good was 12
students (28,57%) participants, excellent was six students (14,29%) participants, and
fair was eighteen students (42,85%) participants. Therefore, it is suggested that, the
students’ ability in using punctuation and capitalization in descriptive paragraph
writing needs to be improved by giving poor and fair students remedial teaching and
giving enrichment material to the good and excellent students. | en_US |
