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THE EFFECT OF USING FOUR SQUARE WRITING METHOD ON

STUDENTS WRITING SKILL

Juitania1, Hanif Pujiati

2, Yanti Suryanti

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ABSTRAK

Skripsi yang berjudul The Effect of Using Four Square Writing Method on Students Writing Skill ini bertujuan untuk meneliti apakah four square writing dapat mempengaruhi kemampuan menulis siswa dalam menulis teks analytical exposition. Penelitian ini dilakukan terhadap siswa

kelas XI SMA PLUS PGRI Cibinong. Peneliti menggunakan proportional random sampling

dengan menggunakan dua kelas dari jurusan IPS dan mengambil 70 siswa sebagai sampel

penelitian. Dalam melaksanakan penelitiannya, peneliti menggunakan metode true experimental

dan model pre-test post-test control group. Kelompok pertama dalam penelitian ini dijadikan

sebagai kelompok eksperimen yang diajar dengan menggunakan metode four square writing dan

kelompok kedua sebagai kelompok kontrol diajar dengan menggunakan mind mapping. Pada awal

proses penelitian, peneliti memberikan pre test pada kedua kelompok; kelompok eksperimen dan

kontrol, dilanjutkan dengan memberikan empat kali perlakuan terhadap kedua kelompok dan

memberikan post test untuk kedua kelompok pada akhir proses penelitian. Peneliti memberikan tes

menulis teks analytical exposition untuk mengukur kemampuan menulis siswa. Data hasil

penelitian dianalisa dengan menggunakan rumus t-test dan peneliti mendapatkan 5.60, dengan

derajat kebebasan 68, nilai tabel distribusi t pada signifikan t0.05 sebesar 2.39 dan t0.01 sebesar 1.67.

Karena hasil perhitungan dengan menggunakan t-hitung lebih besar daripada t-tabel (5.60 > 2.39 >

1.67), maka hipotesis alternatif diterima. Jadi dapat disimpulkan bahwa penerapan metode four

square writing dapat mempengaruhi kemampuan menulis siswa dalam menulis teks analytical

exposition dalam segi content, vocabulary, dan language use.

Kata kunci: Metode Four Square Writing, Kemampuan Menulis, Data Hasil Penelitian

ABSTRACT

The research entitled The Effect of Using Four Square Writing Method on Students Writing Skill has an aim at investigating whether four square writing method can affect students writing skill in writing analytical exposition text. The research was conducted to the eleventh grade

students of SMA PLUS PGRI Cibinong. In conducting the research, the researcher uses

proportional random sampling by taking two classes majoring social studies; she takes 70 students

as the sample. The researcher applies true experimental method and uses pre-test post-test control

group as the design. The first group as experimental group taught by four square writing method

and the second group as control group taught by mind mapping. She gave pre test to both

experimental and control groups at the beginning, four times treatments and post test at the end of

the term. The researcher gave analytical exposition writing test to measure students writing skill. The data were analyzed using t-test formula. From the calculation, she finds that the t-test value is

5.60, the value of the degree of freedom (df) is 68, and the list of value in t 0.05 level of significant

is 2.39 and in t 0.01 of significant is 1.67. Since t-calculated is higher than t-table (5.60 > 2.39 >

1.67), it means that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted. So, it can be concluded that the use

of four square writing method affects students writing skill of analytical exposition text in term of content, vocabulary, and language use.

Keywords: Four Square Writing Method, Writing skill, Data analyzing

1Student of English Education Study Program FKIP UNPAK

2Lecturer of English Education Study Program FKIP UNPAK

3Lecturer of English Education Study Program FKIP UNPAK

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I. INTRODUCTION

The students often face some problems such as they feel confused to produce a good

paragraph and assume that writing is boring, because sometimes they are not able to continue

writing their ideas in the middle of their writing process. They are caused by the uninteresting

teaching activity given by the teacher. In this case, the teacher should be able to create the

creative activity and enjoyable situation in the classroom to attract and increase students motivation in learning writing. Four square writing is one of methods that can solve the

students problems. In this case the researcher intends to prove the effect of using four square writing methods on students writing skill. She will investigate how four square writing can be used to support the learning process effectively. Therefore, she assumes that four square

writing can build the students motivation up to love writing. Four square is a simple graphic organizer to guide students to organize their thought or plan before they write a complete

paragraph that consists of main idea, supporting details, and conclusion. So, four square

writing is useful to solve students problem in writing.

Based on the background of the research, the question is formulated as follows:

Does four square writing method affect the students writing skill?

Writing is a basic language skill, just as important as listening speaking, and reading.

Moreover, it has an important role in teaching English, and it is one of productive skills in

which students are able to produce language themselves.

According to Brown (2001:335)

...writing has produced writing pedagogy that focuses students on how generate ideas,

how to organize them coherently, how to use discourse markers and rhetorical

conventions to put them cohesively into a written text, how to revise text for clearer

meaning, how to edit text for appropriate grammar, and how to produce a final product.

It means that writing is an activity which takes time to explore the ideas or thoughts into

words and compose them into a good writing. The students have to follow the whole of

writing process in order to create the meaningful writing.

II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A. The Aim of the Research

The aim of the research is to investigate the effect of using four square writing method on

students writing skill

B. Time of the Research The research is conducted at SMA PLUS PGRI Cibinong and it is done for six meetings.

It is started on December 3rd

, 2012 and finished on January 18th

, 2013.

C. Population and Sample In this research, the researcher takes the 11

th grade students of SMA PLUS PGRI

Cibinong as the population. The total number of students is 458 students; which is divided

into ten classes. She uses proportional random sampling by taking 15% of the population

so she gets as many as 70 students as the sample and they are put into two groups and she

takes two classes of IPS major.

D. Research Method and Design The researcher uses True Experimental method in conducting the research, and takes

two groups as her sample. The first group is experimental group given four square writing

treatment, and the second group is control given mind mapping treatment. For the design

the researcher applies Pre-test Post-test Control Group design to prove four square writing

method can affect students writing skill.

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The design is as follows:

G1 O1 X O2 G1 = group 1, G2 = group 2,

G2 O1 X O2 O1 = pre-test, O2 = post-test, X = Treatments

There are two groups in the research; G1 is experimental group that is given four

times treatments by using four square writing techniques. G2 is control group that is given

four times treatments by using mind mapping. There are two tests; pre test and post test. First, the researcher gives pre test to both of groups; the students have to write an analytical exposition text in collecting data of students writing skill before giving the treatments. Second, she gives treatments to both experimental and control groups, and

after that both of groups are given the post test to write an analytical exposition text. Furthermore, the researcher uses the ESL (English Second Language) composition profile

taken from Reid (1993: 236 237) for assessing the students writing. Finally, the researcher calculates the result of pre-test and post-test scores by using T-test formula,

and compares the result of test both experimental group and control group test to prove

whether there is significant effect of using four square writing on students writing skill.

III. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION A. The Nature of Writing

1. Definition of Writing

Writing is a basic language skill, just as important as listening speaking, and reading.

Writing has an important role in teaching English, it is one of productive skills in which

students are able to produce language themselves. Students have to explore their ideas and

compose them into visible as writing product. Moreover, Irmscher (1987:20) says, We need more words to select from, more combinations, and more strategies. It means that writing requires a mature ability in thinking to use language; in writing the students are

forced to choose the appropriate word and using the correct structure for organizing the

ideas into paragraph.

According to Irmscher (1987:20) writing is a greater challenge to the imagination than talking. It means that writing is more effective to increase students creativity in figuring out their thought than speaking. So, in writing the students must be able to focus

on the process of writing that leads to the final written product. The students have to

develop their ideas and transform their thoughts into words, and also they have to consider

about coherent organization before they produce the final product.

It can be concluded that writing is an activity which takes time to explore the ideas or

thoughts into words and compose them into a good writing. The students have to follow the

whole of writing process in order to create the meaningful writing.

2. The Process of Writing

The process of writing consists of stages that represent the way the writers

composing a written text. There are some stages in producing a good writing text.

According to Harmer (2004:2) there are four main elements, namely:

Planning Drafting Editing Final draft

3. The Purpose of Writing

Understanding the connection between the writer and the audience is essential for

good writing, because the writer has many different reasons, purposes, and audiences. Reid

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(1994: 2) concludes that a good writer must be able to indentify for whom he or she is

writing, in order to the purpose of paragraph will become clearer and the communication

with the audience will be more successful. So, understanding the connection between the

writer and the audience is essential for creating a good writing. As Reid (1994:2) mentions

there are three purposes of writing, as follows:

a. To inform: It means that the writers give the information about what the writers write about to the readers.

b. To explain. It means that writers interpret about something to the readers clearly. c. To amuse the audience. It means that the writers hold the readers attention pleasantly,

and feel entertained through reading the writing.

According to Harmer (2004:4), ...writing is used for a wide variety of purposes it is produced in many different forms. It means that there are many kind of text types in writing, and every text types has their own communicative purpose.

Kemper et al (1994:62) mention there are four kinds of paragraph, they are:

a. Descriptive

A descriptive paragraph describes a person, a place, a thing, or an idea. When the

writers write descriptive paragraph, they should use words that help their readers see,

hear, smell, taste, and feel what they are describing. The writers should tell their readers

what colors things are, how big things are, what things sound like, etc. The readers should

feel as if they are right there with the writers.

b. Narrative In narrative paragraph, the writers tell a story by sharing the details of an experience.

A narrative paragraph should pull the readers into the story and keep them wondering

what will happen next. It is important to conclude a lot of colourful details to make the

experience come alive.

c. Persuasive A persuasive paragraph gives the writers opinion on the topic and tries to get the

reader to agree with it. When the writers write a persuasive paragraph, the writers should

give facts and examples to back up their opinions.

d. Expository The main purpose of an expository paragraph is to give information about topic. It

may explain ideas, give directions, or show how to do something. An expository

paragraph uses transition words (such as first, second, and most importantly). These

words help guide the reader through the explanation.

Expository paragraph is also called exposition text which has a purpose to give

information about something happen to the readers. According to Legget et al (1988:334),

the purpose of exposition is to inform, to explain, to clarify to make readers know or understand something about a subject. Based on the definition above there are two kinds of exposition text; hortatory exposition text and analytical exposition text.

e. Analytical Exposition Exposition text is a text that gives point of view about topic and information or

persuades the reader or listener about phenomenon as Sudarwati (2007:116) says,

Exposition text is to persuade by presenting arguments and to analyze or explain how and why. Analytical exposition has some stages; thesis, arguments, reiteration.

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1. Thesis : Introduce topic and indicate the authors point of view which lead to the outlines about the main arguments to be presented.

2. Arguments : This part called as body of the text. It is divided into two parts, they are point and elaboration. In point, the writer restates the main

arguments. Whereas, elaboration is presented to develop and

support each point or argument.

3. Reiteration : In this part the writer restates and wraps up the information which has been presented in the body of the text.

Table 2.1

The Example of Analytical Exposition Text

Cars should be banned

Cars should be banned in the city. As we all know, cars create pollution, and

cause a lot of road deaths and other accidents.

Thesis

Firstly, cars, as we all know contribution to the most of the pollution in the

world. Cars emit a deadly gas that causes illness such as bronchitis, lung cancer,

and triggers off asthma. Some of these illnesses are so bad that people can die from them.

Argument 1

Secondly, the city is very busy. Pedestrians wander everywhere and cars

commonly hit pedestrians in the city, which causes them to die. Cars today are

our roads biggest killers.

Argument 2

Thirdly, cars are very noisy. If you live in the city, you may find it hard to sleep

at night, or concentrate on your homework, and especially talk to someone.

Argument 3

In conclusion, cars should be banned from the city for the reason listed.

Reiteration

Source: Board of Studies New South Wales, English K-6 Modules (2001:254)

A. Four Square Writing Four square writing is used for teaching basic writing skills that is applicable across grade

levels and curriculum areas. It is a simplified graphic organizer for teaching writing to students

in school. It can be applied for the narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive paragraph

and essay of writing.

Four square writing is prewriting and organizational skills taught by using a graphic

organizer consisting of four outside squares. This visual and kinesthetic aid help students to

focus on their writing, provide details, and enhance word choice. The topic or topic sentence

goes into centre of the organizer, while three supporting ideas or sentences go into three of the

outside squares. Finally, a wrap up sentence concludes the final box of the organizer. Students can learn to write properly structured paragraphs with a topic sentence and

conclusion at a very early stage, and the four square is used throughout the grade school years.

Students can write well developed compositions of five or more paragraphs, complete with introductory and concluding paragraph.

Four square writing has some characteristics, as follows:

1. Using step by step approach Step by step approach is used to make the learning systematic in order to the

students make composition well structured, four square writing can be published by the writing processes, they are:

a. Brainstorming : generating ideas

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b. Organizing : four square writing c. Drafting : rough or first draft d. Revising : revision of content and style e. Editing :editing for surface features, punctuation, spelling,

capitals

2. Using graphic organizer A graphic organizer is a way of structuring information or arranging important

aspects of a concept or top into a pattern using labels. The squares are numbered 1 5. The visual organizers help students to conceptualize, understand, and structure a piece of

written successfully. It also makes students not to feel bored.

Figure 2.1

Four Square Writing Organizer

IV. RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION A. Research Finding

The researcher analyzed the data to find out the result of pre-test and post-test from

the effect of four square writing method on students writing skill. T-test formula is used for analyzing the data. In experimental group, the pre-test and post-test are presented as

X1 and X2, while in control group, the pre-test and post-test are presented as Y1 and Y2.

1. Pre-test and Post-test of the Experimental Group

Table 4.1 shows the result of the pre-test and post-test who are taught by four square

writing.

Table 4.1

Pre-test and Post-test of Experimental Group (X)

Respondent Pre-test Post-test X2 X1 X2

1 40,5 69 28,5 812,25

2 39 62,5 23,5 552,25

3 45,5 65,75 20,25 410,06

4 39 62,25 23,25 552,25

5 40 62,25 22,25 4950,06

Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3

Paragraph 4

Paragraph 5 (concluding paragraph)

Paragraph 1

(topic sentence become introductory paragraph)

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6 39 70 31 961

7 53 74,5 14,5 210,25

8 40 60 20 400

9 45 67 22 484

10 55 67,25 12,25 150,06

11 59,5 64,5 5 25

12 39 60,5 21,5 462,25

13 53 74,25 21,25 451,56

14 45,5 66,75 21,25 451,56

15 69,5 70 0,5 0,25

16 49,5 65,5 16 256

17 50,5 69,5 19 361

18 58 67,25 9,25 85,56

19 50 64,5 14,5 210,25

20 42,5 62,5 20 400

21 60 73 13 169

22 48,5 62,5 14 196

23 51 67,75 16,75 280,56

24 49,5 68 18,5 342,25

25 43,5 66,75 23,25 540,56

26 56 70,25 14,25 203,06

27 50,5 61,5 11 121

28 37 63,75 26,75 715,56

29 37 60,5 23,5 552,25

30 52,5 68 15,5 240,25

31 44,5 57,5 13 169

32 49,5 65,5 16 256

8

33 37 66,25 29,25 855,56

34 37 68,5 31,5 992,25

35 37 61,5 24,5 600,25

N = 35 1643,5 2307 656,5 2=18419,16

2. Pre-test and Post-test of Control Group Table 4.2 shows the result of the pre-test and post-test who are taught by mind

mapping.

Table 4.2

Pre-test and Post Test Control Group (Y)

Respondent Pre-test Post-test Y2-Y1 Y2

1 42 55 3 9

2 48 65 23 529

3 58,5 60 1,5 2,25

4 62 64 2 4

56 42,5 58 15,5 240,25

7 57,5 60 2,5 6,25

8 42 50 8 64

9 49,5 55,5 6 36

10 55,5 60 0,5 0,25

11 45 55,5 10,5 110,25

12 55,5 60 0,5 0,25

13 43 48,5 5,5 30,25

14 54,5 55 0,5 0,25

15 39,5 45 5,5 30,25

16 49,5 55 0,5 0,25

17 53,5 57 3,5 12,25

18 50 55 5 25

19 52,5 54 1,5 2,25

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20 48,5 55 6,5 42,25

21 71,5 72 0,5 0,25

22 57,5 58 0,5 0,25

23 56 61,5 5,5 30,25

24 52,5 58 5,5 30,25

25 56 60 4 16

26 59 61,5 2,5 6,25

27 61 65 4 16

28 43 45,5 2,5 6,25

29 51,5 52 0,5 0,25

30 49,5 52 2,5 6,25

31 46 55 9 36

32 43 45 2 4

33 39,5 56 16,5 272,25

34 43,5 55 11,5 132,25

35 56,5 60 3,5 12,25

=1735 1924 172 2 =1713

The researcher used T-test formula to compare the two means between experimental

and control groups. Before processing the data into formula, she had to get the mean and

standard deviation of X and Y and after that she put into the T-test formula, as follows:

[

] [

]

M: mean of each group

N: number of the subject

X: deviation of each score from X2 and X1

Y: deviation of each score from Y2 and Y1

Then, this is the data calculation.

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3. Mean After collecting the data the researcher calculated the mean score of

experimental and control group. Mx is coded as the experimental group, and My is

coded as control group as follows:

Mx =

= 18.75 My =

= 4.91

4. Standard Deviation The standard deviation is calculated by symbolizing the experimental group as x2 and control group as y2 as follows:

( )

= 18419.16 ( )

= 18419.16

= 18419.16 12317.81 = 6101.35

( )

= 1713 ( )

= 1713

= 1713 845.25 = 867.75

5. T- test Value After the researcher got the mean and standard deviation of experimental and

control group, she put in the t- test formula. The calculation is as follows:

[

] [

]

18.7 4.91

[ ] [

]

[ ] [

]

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6. Hypothesis Testing

To get the value of the t- table, the researcher finds the degrees of freedom by using

the following formula. The calculation is:

df = ( ) = ( ) 8

B. DISCUSSION From the calculation above, the researcher finds that the result of the t-test formula

is 5.60. The value of the degree of freedom (df) is 68. the value in t 0.05 level of

significance t table is 2.39, and in t 0.01 of significance is 1.67. It can be concluded that t-

calculated is higher than t-table (5.60 > 2.39 > 1.67). It means that there is a significant

effect of using four square writing method on students writing skill. In conducting the research, the researcher found some problems. The problems came

from both the teacher and the students. While the researcher was conducting the research

there were many students who denied and complained if they are asked to write an

analytical exposition text, and the teacher together with the students who sat in the back

row made side conversation in the middle of learning process. Those problems were

inhibited the implementation of the four square writing method. Hence, there are one step

of the four square writing method which could not be applied properly in the research.

Nevertheless, all those steps of four square writing method could still affect students writing skill to write analytical exposition text in term of content, vocabulary, and

language use in English Second Language (ESL) of composition profile. So, by applying

the four square writing method make the students are used to writing a text

systematically.

V. CONCLUSION After conducting the research about The Effect of Using Four Square Writing Method

on Students Writing Skill, the researcher concludes that teaching writing through four square writing has a positive effect on students writing skill to write a text. It is seen by the result of t- calculated (5.60) which is higher than t-table value of t 0.05 2.36 and t 0.01 1.66 with

df 68. Thus, alternative hypothesis is accepted.

The result of the research shows that the students who are taught by four square writing

get better score than who are taught by mind mapping. It can be concluded that four square

writing method has been successfully enough implemented as an interesting method to teach

writing, and it could affect students writing skill in term of content, vocabulary and language use in English Second Language (ESL) of composition profile. Through four square writing

the students feel fun and the class atmosphere is more attractive because before the students

started to write, the teacher gave brainstorming to lead their mind to the topic which wanted

to learn. So there is good interaction between student and the teacher. Therefore, four square

writing is able to be one of the new alternative method to make the students love to write.

The goal of the research is to increase writing skill through step by step. In this case,

writing is one of difficult skill because the students have to combine 5 elements of writing;

content, vocabulary, language use, organization, and mechanic. If the students combine and

apply all those elements well, they can improve their writing skill.

VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arikunto, Suharsimi. 2006. Prosedur Penelitian:Suatu Pendekatan Praktek. Bandung:

Pustaka Jaya.

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Brown, H Douglas. 2000. Principle of Language Learning and Teaching 4th edition,

Englewood cliff. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regent.

Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principle: an Interactive Approach to Language

Pedagogy (Second Edition). New York: Longman.

Emzir. 2008. Metodologi Penelitian Pendidikan: Kuantitatif dan Kualitatif. Jakarta: PT Raja

Grafindo Persada.

Gould, Gould and Mary F. Burke. (2010). Four Square Writing Method. Dayton: A Lorenz

Company.

Gallo, Joseph D., Rink, Henry W. 1968. Shaping College Writing. New York: Harcourt,

Brace and World Inc.

Harmer, Jeremy. 2004. How to Teach Writing. Saffron Waldon, Essex: Pearson Education

Limited.

Irmscher, William F. 1987. Teaching Expository Writing. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart, and

Winston Inc.

Kemper, Dave, Ruth Nathan, and Patrick Sebranek. 1984. Writers Express. Winconsin:

Write Source Educational Publishing House.

Legget, Glenn, David C. Mead, and Melinda G. Kramer. 1988. Handbook for Writers (Tenth

Edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.

NN. 2001. English K-6 Modules. Sydney New South Wales: Board of Studies New South

Wales.

Orr, Janet K. (1999). Growing Up with English. Newyork: United States Department of

States.

Reid, Joy M. 1994. The Process of Paragraph Writing (Second Edition). New Jersey:

Prentice Hall Regents.

VII. BIOGRAPHY

Juitania was born on July, 4th

1990 in Jakarta. She started her study when she was six years

old in 1st Elementary School (SDN 05 Gunung Putri, Bogor) and graduated in 2002. She

continued her study to SMPN 1 Citeureup, In 2005 she continued her study to SMA PLUS

PGRI Cibinong. After finishing her study in 2008, she decided to continue her study to

Pakuan University, Bogor. She majors at English Education Study Program, Faculty of

Teachers Training and Educational Sciences, Pakuan University. She started to conduct the

research on August, 2013 and on February, 9th

2013 she graduates as a Bachelor of

Education.