NITA EVLINA, THE CORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENTS MASTERY OF THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE AND THEIR ABILITY IN USING IT IN WRITING DIARY ( A CASE OF THE TENTH YEAR STUDENTS OF SMK N 2 TEGAL MAJORING IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2008/2009)

Identitas Mahasiswa - NAMA : NITA EVLINA - NIM : PRODI : Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris - JURUSAN : BAHASA & SASTRA INGGRIS - FAKULTAS : Bahasa dan Seni - an-nur_18 pada domain plasa.com - PEMBIMBING 1 : Drs. Suprapto, M.Hum. - PEMBIMBING 2 : Dra. Indrawati, M.Hum. - TGL UJIAN :

Judul THE CORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENTS MASTERY OF THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE AND THEIR ABILITY IN USING IT IN WRITING DIARY ( A CASE OF THE TENTH YEAR STUDENTS OF SMK N 2 TEGAL MAJORING IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2008/2009)

Abstrak This final project discussed the correlation between students’ mastery of the simple past tense and their ability in using simple past tense in writing diary. This study was intended to describe how students’ mastery of simple past tense correlates to the students’ ability in simple past tense in writing diary. The population and the sample of this study were the tenth year students of SMK N 2 Tegal, in the academic year of 2008/2009. The sample was taken by means of cluster random sampling. I gave the treatment writing diary as a method to correlate students’ mastery of simple past tense and their ability in using simple past tense in writing diary for two cycles. The result of the treatment both pre test and post test were compared into correlation statistics. To collect the primary data, I used students’ writing diary and students’ test of simple past tense, and also questionnaire. The result of the simple past tense and writing test was interpreted quantitatively using t-test and the result of the questionnaire was interpreted using descriptive percentage. The result of the study showed that the correlation between students’ mastery of simple past tense and their ability in using simple past tense in writing diary was significant with the r value 0,836 with index determinant was 83, 6% and α = 5% It meant that writing diary is useful to correlate students’ mastery of simple past tense and the ability in using simple past tense in writing diary. While the questionnaire was interpreted by considering five variables as referred by Heaton’s category; students’ interest, the advantage, students’ achievement, the relevance, and sustainability. The result showed that the writing diary was high, helpful, high, very relevant, and necessary to the mastery of simple past tense.

Kata Kunci correlation, action research, simple past tense, writing diary

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