CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURES

This chapter presents: (1) the method of the research, (2) the operational

definitions, (3) the population and sample, (4) the technique for collecting the data,

and (5) the technique for analyzing the data.

3.1 Method of the Research

This research is a correlational study. According to Tuckman (1978: 148) cited

in Bangun (2006), a correlational study involves the collection of two or more sets of

data from a group of subjects with the attempt to determine the subsequent

relationship between those sets of data. In this research, the writer would find out

whether or not there was a significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery

and the translation ability of the eleventh grade students of SMA Negeri 11

Palembang.

3.2 Operational Definitions

The title of this research is “The Correlation between the Vocabulary Mastery

and Translation Ability of the Eleventh-Grade Students of SMA Negeri 11

Palembang”. To avoid misinterpretation, some terms used in the title were

operationally defined: correlation, vocabulary mastery and translation ability.

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Correlation means a mutual relationship or connection in which one thing affects or

depends on another (Hornby, 1995: 261). Vocabulary refers to the total number of

words in a language (Hornby, 1995: 1331). The word mastery means a complete

knowledge or great skill (Hornby, 1995: 721). Therefore, vocabulary mastery means

the knowledge or skill of using the words in a language. Translation is a process of

transferring a text in the source language into an equivalent text in the target language

(Rachmadie; Suryawinata & Effendi, 1988: 2). Translation ability in this study refers

to the ability of the students in transferring English texts into Indonesian. Therefore,

the title of this research means the relationship between the students’ knowledge or

skill of using the words in the language and their ability to transfer English texts into

Indonesian.

3.3 Population and Sample

3.3.1Population of the Study

Population is the total of all objects or individuals that have specific, obvious

and complete characteristics which will be observed (Hasan, 1999: 83). Arikunto

(2002: 108) defines population as a set (collection) of all elements possessing one or

more attributes of interest. The population of this study was all the eleventh-grade

students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang in the academic year 2006/2007 with a total

number of 282 students. Table 1 shows the population of the study.

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Table 1
The Population of the Study
NUMBER OF
NO CLASS
STUDENTS
1. XI IPA 1 41
2. XI IPA 2 40
3. XI IPA 3 41
4. XI IPS 1 39
5. XI IPS 2 40
6. XI IPS 3 40
7. XI IPS 4 41
TOTAL 282
Source: SMA Negeri 11 Palembang. Academic Year 2006/2007.

3.3.2Sample of the Study

According to Wallen and Fraenkel (1991: 340), sample is the group of

subjects on which information is obtained. Arikunto (2002: 109) states that sample is

a small portion of the population selected for observation and analysis. In this study,

the writer selected two classes out of seven classes to be the sample of the study by

using convenience sampling method. Convenience sampling method is a method of

sampling in which the selection is based on groups of individuals who are

(conveniently) available for the study (Wallen and Fraenkel, 1991: 137). In this case,

the writer chose class XI IPA 1 and XI IPA 2 as the sample of the study because the

two classes were available at the time of data collection. Table 2 shows the sample of

the study.
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Table 2
The Sample of the Study
NUMBER OF
NO CLASS
STUDENTS
1. XI IPA 1 41
2. XI IPA 2 40
TOTAL 81

3.4 Technique for Collecting the Data

The writer collected the data in this research by using tests: the vocabulary

test and the translation test. According to Arikunto (2002: 198), a test is used to

measure one’s ability in a particular subject. The vocabulary test was administered to

find out the students’ vocabulary mastery. The test consists of 50 multiple-choice

items. The translation test was administered to find out the students’ ability in

translating English texts into Indonesian. In the translation test, the students were

asked to translate a text consisting of 5 paragraphs from English into Indonesian.

Before the tests were administered to the sample students, the tests had been

tried out to 41 non-sample students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang (class XI IPA 3) to

find out the reliability of each test.

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3.4.1Validity of the Tests

According to McMillan (1992: 100), validity is the judgment of the

appropriateness of a measure for the specific inferences/decisions that result from the

scores generated by the measure. In this study, the writer estimated the content

validity of the tests. Content validity refers to the extent to which the test items or

questions in the instrument are representative of some appropriate universe domain of

content (Brown, 1991: 233). In order to estimate content validity, a tester must decide

whether the test is a representative sample of the content whatever the test was

designed to measure (Brown, 1991: 233). In this case, the writer devised the test

items in accordance with the table of specifications of each test. Appendix A 1 is the

specifications table of the vocabulary test and Appendix B1 is the specifications table

of the translation test.

3.4.2Reliability of the Tests

According to Wallen and Fraenkel (1991: 85), reliability refers to the

consistency of the information obtained. Brown (1991: 192) states that the degree to

which a test is consistent or reliable can be estimated by calculating its reliability

coefficient. In this study, the writer estimated the internal-consistency reliability of

the vocabulary test. Internal consistency reliability is a measure of the degree to

which the items or parts of a test are homogeneous or consistent with each other

(Richards, et al, 1990: 146). To estimate the reliability coefficient of the vocabulary

test, the writer used the Cronbach Alpha formula. For the translation test, the writer
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estimated the intrarater reliability. According to Brown (1991: 203), intrarater

reliability may be necessary in language testing situations where raters make

judgments on students’ productive skills (speaking and writing) as in composition,

oral interview, or role-play situations. To find out the intrarater reliability, a test is

administered twice to the students on two separate occasions and then the two sets of

scores are correlated. The obtained correlation coefficient is considered as the

reliability coefficient of the test.

Based on the calculation through the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social

Science) computer program in Appendix D, the reliability coefficient of the

vocabulary test was 0.8633. Based on the calculation in Appendix F, the reliability

coefficient of the translation test was 0.9794. According to Wallen and Fraenkel

(1991: 99), for research purposes, a rule of thumb is that reliability should be at least

0.70 and preferably higher. Since the reliability coefficient of each test was higher

than 0.70, both the tests were considered reliable.

3.5 Technique for Analyzing the Data

To score the translation test, the writer used the system of Deduction of Marks

by International Australian Authority of Translator and Interpreters or NAATI (1987:

161-162) cited in Rosnawati (1998). The system of Deduction of Mark is as follows:

General Errors

Errors consisting of incorrect rendering of the original, which seriously distort

its meaning and affect the explicit or implicit meaning of the whole sentence
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or paragraph, should be penalized by the deduction of between 3 or 5 marks or

even more, depending on the gravity of the error in the context and the

proportion of the passage distorted.

Isolated Errors

Errors which represent incorrect rendering of the original but are limited to a

single word or phrase and do not distort the wider meaning of the text. Such

errors should be penalized by the deduction of between ½ and 2 marks,

depending on the seriousness of the error. Errors of spelling and punctuation,

infelicities of style, idiomatic, deficiencies in grammar which do not lead to

wider distortions of meaning, would be fall into the category of isolated

errors.

Repetitive Errors

An error which is repeated throughout the text should not be penalized more

than three times, unless it causes a different type of distortion.

If the candidate provides alternative translation of a word, phrase or sentence,

the first version given should be marked in accordance with the general

marking scheme and another version should be ignored.

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The mark deducted for errors will be modified by the examiner’s overall

judgment of the quality of the translation. In this context, a maximum of 5

marks may be added to or deducted from a candidate’s marks. This

discretionary mark should be clearly indicated at the end of the passage.

In order to be consistent in deducting the student’s scores for the errors they

made, the writer used the following criteria:

(a) An incorrect rendering of a single word was deducted by 1 point.

(b) An incorrect rendering of a single phrase was deducted by 2 points.

(c) An incorrect rendering of a single sentence was deducted by 3 points.

(d) Errors out of the criteria were deducted by ½ point.

The following is an example of the result of the writer’s analysis of a student’s

translation.

General Errors

5 =5

Isolated Errors

1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, ½, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, ½, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, ½,

½, = 37

Repetitive Errors

½, ½ = 1

Total = 5 + 37 + 1 = 43

The student’s raw score = - 43

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Since the entire score is 100, the student’s score would be:

= the entire score – the raw score

= 100 – 43

= 57

The writer’s overall assessment of the quality of the student’s translation was 54. This

score was obtained from 57 – 3 = 54. The writer deducted 3 points because the

student’s translation a bit changes the meaning of the original one.

To find out whether or not there was a significant correlation between the

vocabulary mastery and the translation ability of the eleventh grade students of SMA

Negeri 11 Palembang, the writer used the Pearson Product Moment Correlation

Coefficient formula, as follows (Brown, 1991: 155):

rxy =
∑ ( y − y )( x − x )
N .Sy.Sx

where: rxy = Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient

Y = each student’s score on Test Y
Y = mean on Test Y
Sy = standard deviation on Test Y
X = each student’s score on Test X
X = mean on Test X
Sx = standard deviation on Test X
N = the number of students who took the two tests
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The following table shows the degree of correlation coefficients (Sugiyono, 2001)

cited in Camelia (2005: 26)

Table 3

The Degree of Correlation Coefficients

Coefficient Interval Degree of Correlation

0.00 – 0.199 Very Weak
0.20 – 0.399 Weak
0.40 – 0.599 Fair
0.60 – 0.799 Strong
0.80 – 1.000 Very Strong