@phdthesis{UNY28841,
            year = {2015},
           month = {December},
          author = {Murbiyani Apsari},
           title = {THE USE OF THINKING MAPS TO IMPROVE THE WRITING SKILL OF GRADE VIII STUDENTS AT SMPN 2 SRANDAKAN IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF 2014/2015},
          school = {Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta},
             url = {http://eprints.uny.ac.id/28841/},
        keywords = {writing skills, Thinking Maps},
        abstract = {This research aims at improving the students? writing skills at Grade VIII of SMP N 2 Srandakan through the use of Thinking Maps in the academic year of 2014/2015.
This research is classified as an action research. It was conducted in two cycles, from May 12th , 2015 to May 26th, 2015 in which each cycle consisted of two meetings. The procedures of the research were reconnaissance, planning, action and observation, and reflection. The subject of the research were 26 students of class VIII B of SMP N 2 Srandakan. The data obtained during the research were in qualitative and quantitative forms. The qualitative data were acquired by interviewing the students and the collaborators, observing the teaching and learning process, and taking pictures of the teaching and learning process. Meanwhile, the quantitative data were collected from the results of students? pre-test and post-test as well as from the texts the students made during the implementation of the actions.
The research showed that the use of Thinking Maps was able to improve the students? writing skills. Based on the qualitative data, the students were able to write a draft of writing as required and were also able to write in more detail and well-organized writing. They were also able to use the appropriate vocabulary, the correct grammar and also spelling, punctuation and capitalization in their writing. Besides, the students? attitude towards teaching and learning process was also improved since Thinking Maps also enhance the students? motivation in writing. Based on the quantitative data, the students? mean score improved. In the pre-test, the students? mean score was 11.37. In the post-test, the score increased into 15.71. The gain score of the mean scores from pre-test to post-test was 4.34.}
}