The Influence of Clustering Technique Towards

Student’s Ability on Writing Descriptif Text At Seventh Grade of SMPN 3 Cileles

Selvi Nurotaviani1, Titi Puspa2, Eneng Liah Khoiriyah3

123
STKIP Syekh Manshur, Pandeglang, Indonesia
selvyoktaviani5@gmail, com,puspatiti62@gmail.com, nengkhoir03@gmail.com

ABSTRACK
This research focuses influence of clustering technique towards students’ ability on writing
descriptive text, which aimes to get a description about the influence of clustering technique towards
students’ ability on writing descriptive text. () The research methodology is quantitative approach
through quasi-experimental design. The technique of collecting data is test exactly pretest and post-
test The test is combination between two types of test that is multiple choice cloze test and writing
descriptive text. The result of the research showed that there are differences between pretest result
(before treatment) and post-test result (after treatment). It can be seen on Mean of pretest is 37,96,
Median of pretest 37,51 and Modus is 35,20 while mean of post-test is 65,37, Median of post-test is
70,59 and Modus is 75,80. Then, it is also known that t score > ttable 8,75718 >2,00958. It means that
there is any influence of clustering technique towards students’ ability on writing descriptive text.The
result concludes that:

Keywords : writing, clustering technique, descriptive text.

INTRODUCTION the student mostly in junior or senior high
school. Langan (2010:12) said that writing
In this globalization era, English
is a process of discovery that involves the
becomes one of the most important
series of steps and those steps are very
languages to be learn. English as one of
often zigzag steps and the writer very
communication’s tool has important
often do not discover just what they want
function in some fields such as education
to write about until their explore their
field. In Indonesia’s education, English
thoughts in writing.
becomes one of primer lesson to be
learnt. In UU RI Number 20 of 2003 about
THEORITICAL RIVIEW
the National Educator System article 37,
1) The Conceptual Description of
1st paragraph stated that the basic and
Writing Descriptive Text
secondary education curriculum must
A. Writting
contain language lessons and one of
1) Definition Of Writing
them is English. It is also explained that
The definitions of writing are
English is an international language that
variously stated by some experts.
is very important in global relations use
According to Langan (2010:10) writing is a
In  English lessons, there are four
process of transfer taught and feelings
skill that has to be mastered by the
from one’s head into words and can be
students. It is stated in Permendikbud
understood by the reader. Mertens
Number 21 of 2016 concerning the
(2010:130) is also said that writing is a
Content Standard it is stated that either in
communicative act and social event
junior high school or senior high school,
between the writer and audience.
four skills that has to be mastered by the
Based on the description above we
student in English Learning that is
know that writing is one of communication
reading, listening, writing and speaking
tools by make a written text to be
skill. Based on the fourth skill that has to
understood by the reader. Not only make
be mastered by the student, writing skill
a written text but in writing also study how
Harmer (2004:3) said that in the context
to express our ideas, concepts and
of education, it is also worth remember
feelings.  Nunan (in Alfulaela, 2018:7) said
that most exam, whether they are testing
that writing is the mental work of inventing
foreign language abilities or other skill,
ideas, thingking about how to express,
often rely on the students' writing
and organizing something into statements
profiency in order to measure their
and paragraphs that will be clear to a
knowledge. It is a proof that writing is very
reader. Pardiyono (2007:2) also said that
important to be learnt by the student.
writing is pour information, messages or
becomes one of the skill which is learnt by
ideas in sentences that must be
grammatically correct and need to be
packaged in a form of text that has been
agreed upon by the convention.
Furthermore Zulaela (in Hidayat, 2019:3)
said that writing is a series of activities
which include activities of ideas, concept,
thought, new opinions derived from the
writer's real experience using good words,
arranged chronologically, using
sentences and good paragraphs so they
can be understood by other people or
readers.
Based on some definitions above,
we can conclude that writing is one of
communication tools to express ideas,
concept and feelings by using good
sentences and paragraph so it can be
understood by the reader or other people.
2) Purposes of Writing
The main purpose of writing is to
communicate indirectly but there are many
purposes of writing. According to Langan
(2010:86) said that there are
common purposes of writing that is to
inform, to persuade and to entertain. 
a) To inform means that writer who
arewriting to inform want to provide
facts that will explain or
something to readers.
b) To persuade means that writer who
are writing to persuade may give
facts, but their main goal is to argue
or prove a point to readers.
c) To entertain means that writers write
to entertain in various ways, through
fiction and nonfiction.
In addition, Hartig (In Iman, 2013:13)
is also said that there are seven purpose
of writing that is assignment purpose,
altruistic purpose, persuasive purpose,
informational purpose, self-expressive
purpose, creative purpose and problem-
solving purpose.
Based on the description above, it
clear can be conclude that writing has some
own purposes and it depends to what is
the writer purpose.
3) Process of Writing
In writing, there are some steps that must
be passed to make a good writing. Langan
(2010:2) said that there are three steps of
writing that is (a) pre-writing, (b) revising
and (c) editing. 
a) Pre-writing
According to Langan (2010:17) said that
pre-writing is the first step of writing to
help the students think about and develop
the topics and get words on the paper by
using some techniques. There is some
three
technique that is (1) free writing, (2)
questioning, (3) making a list, (4)
clustering and (5) prepare a scratch
outline.  These techniques will help the
student to build their idea because they
teach
have made a concept to be developed
being a good paragraph.
b) Revising
Langan (p.27-19) said that revising means
that you rewrite a paragraph or paper,
building upon what has already been done
in order to make it stronger.
c) Editing
Langan (p.29) said that editing is a
process to check a paper for mistakes in
grammar, punctuation usage, and spelling.
Furthermore, Brown and Hood (1993:6)
said that there are three process of writing
that is preparing to write, drafting and
revising. Preparing to write means that we
prepare what will do or what will write.
Drafting is a stage where we really begin
to write and to gets words onto paper.
Revising is the last process to check what
we’ve written and also check the content
and purpose are clear and appropriate for
our reader.
4) Basic of Effective or Good
Writing
Writing is an ability that has to be
mastered by the student so the purpose of
learning can be achieved properly. But in
learning writing, the students sometime
feel difficult to make a good writing so it is
needed to attend some basic of effective
or good writing.
Langan (2010:78) said that there are
four basic to make an effective writing or a
good writing. These basic are a) Unity
means that all the details on our paper
related to the single point expressed in the
topic sentence or related to main point; b)
Support provides spesific examples that
illustrate the main point of a paragraph; c)
Coherence means that the supporting
ideas and sentences in a composition
must be organized in a consistent way and
sentence skill; and d) Sentence skill is
the last basic of effective or good writing to
identify, fix and avoid  some types of
mistakes in writing such as errors in
grammar, punctuation, sentence structure,
mechanic, and even formatting. 
Those are some basic of effective or
good writing and by attend to these basic,
we will produce a good writing that easy to
be understood by the reader.
5) Writing Assesment
In learning writing, there are some
aspect that must to be attend by the
teacher to asses the result of students’
writing. According to Weigle (2002:116),
there are four aspect to asses the result of
students’ writing that is content,
organization, vocabulary, language use
and mechanic. These aspect will be tool
for the writer in assessing the result of
students’ writing descriptive text.
B. Text
1) Definition Of Text
There are varios definition of text which is
stated by the expert. Pardiyono (2007:1)
said that text is context of language in use
which is devided into spoken text or
written text. In addition, Knapp and
Watkins (2005:29) also said that a text is
any completed act of communication such
as a greeting between friends in the street,
a television advertisement, a novel, or a
film and so on and as far as speech and
writing are concerned, a text stands alone
as an act of communication 
Based on the definition above, it can be
conclude that text is a context of language
in spoken text or written text. In written
text, it has strong relation with writing
genre.
 2) Textual Device and Watkins (2005:37) said that in  text is
Pardiyono (2007:20) said that there focused to the language processes we
are two textual device that is cohesion and use to construct product, while genre is
coherent.  focused to the social context and relations
a. Cohesion related to the use of in which text are produced
appropriate grammatical patterns, Genre and Text Types
substitution, elliptical construction, (Lee, 2001:40)
preposition, conjunction to relate Genre Text Types
among the clause within Recipe Procedure
Personal Letter Anecdot
paragraphs, and references. Advertisement Description
b. Coherent related to the flow, Police Report Description
Student Essay Exposition
thoughts through the use of Formal Letter Exposition
transition signals to establish News Item Recount
Biology Text Book Report
interrelation among the sentences Film Review Review
and paragraph
According to (Pardiyono, 2007:14),
there are 9 types that is descriptive text,
Furthermore,  Zemach and
recount text, narrative text, procedural
Rumisek (2003:32) said that a). Coherent
text, explanation text, discussion text,
means that the ideas is arranged are clear
exposition text, news item text and report
and logical so the reader will be easy to
text.
understand the main point or the writer’s
a. Descriptive text
purpose; b). cohesive are words and
Descriptive text is type of text to
phrase that connect sentences together,
describe an object. It has two generic
creating a smooth flow ideas. Cohesive
structure that is identification and
device means that we use various
description.
grammatical device to help the reader
b. Recount text
understand what is being reffered.
It is another type of text to inform
Based on the opinion above, we
past activities. It has three generic
can conclude that there are two textual
structure that is orientation, record of
device that must to be attend so the
events and re-orientation. 
message or the purpose of our text can be
c. Narrative text
understood by the reader.
It is type of text to tell problematic
3) Text Types
past event in order to amuse or
In English learning writing, there
entertain and even think. It has four
are genre and text type. It is often meant
generic structure that is orientation,
as similiar definition but exactly it has
different definition. According to Knapp
 sequence of events, resolution and c. Descriptive Text
coda.  1. Definition of Descriptive Text
d. Procedural text Descriptive text is one of material
It is type of text to describing the in English learning in junior high school. It
steps to accomplish for things or jobs is usually include in English Syllabus that
done. It has topic, sequence of text, must to be achieved by the student. 
and closing (optional). Pardiyono (2007:35) said that
e. Explanation text descriptive text is kind of text to describe
It is type of text to explain a things and person. It means that
process of formation. It has general descriptive text is a text to describe or give
statement about a particular topic to description about something (things,
be explained and sequence of animals, plants, place) someone (person).
explanation that describe a process of Furthermore, Dirgeyasa (2016:56) stated
formation. that descriptive etimologically is derived
f. Discussion text  from the word describe. It means to draw,
It is type of text to offer view points to illustrate or to picture object, place and
related to some socio-economic person in order to visual appearance of
problems. It has general statement/ the object described. In line with this,
topic, arguments for, argument Wardiman et.al (2008:115) said that a
againts, and recommendation. descriptive text is kind of text to describe
g. Exposition text the features of someone, something or
It is type of text to expose certain place. 
arguments or opinion. It has thesis Based on the description above, it
statement, arguments and reiteration can be concluded that descriptive text is a
h. News item text type of text to describe something,
It is type of text to Inform someone or place by using sense of the
newworthy events of the day and writer with a purpose to persuade the
other natural phenomenal. It has title, reader.  
summary of events, background of 2. Purposes of Descriptive Text
events and source. In learning writing genre or kinds of
i. Report text text, of course it has own purpose.
It is type of text to provide Pardiyono (2007:34) said that descriptive
information about natural or non- text is a type of written text which has
natural phenomena.  It has tittle, specific function exactly to give description
general statement or general about an object (human or non human).
classification and descriptio Furthermore, Dirgeyasa (2016:57) said
that descriptive text has social purpose.
This purpose primerly is to describe a The common grammatical patterns of
person, place or thing in such a way that is descriptive text include:
formed in the reader’s mind. He also said 1. It uses present tense and present
that the purpose of descriptive text is to perfect tense
make our reader see, feel and hear what 2. It uses adjective to describe or
we have seen, felt and heard. Another illustrate the condition of the
opinion is stated by wardiman Wardiman topic/theme described
et.al (2008:100) that the purpose of 3. It uses passive sentence
descriptive text as social purpose that 4. It uses attribute and identifying
giving a description a particular person, process
place or thing.  5. The related vocabulary ussages 
Based on the statement above, it In general, the related vocabulary
can be concluded that the purpose of ussages of descriptive text in commons
descriptive text is communicative/social are:
purpose which tell the reader about 1. It tends to use verb such as
description of something and there are seems, looks, sound, etc.
three things on descriptive text that is tell 2. It uses ephitets and classifier
object or place, human or person and nominal group
idea. 3. It tend to focus on spesific
3. Linguistic Features participant
On writing descriptive text, there Those are some linguistic feature
are some linguistic features that must to that must to be included in writing
be attended by the writer or the student. It descriptive text so we can make a good
will help the student to make a good descriptive text and the purpose of
decriptive text. According to Pardiyono learning will be achieved.
(2007: 44-55) said that linguistic features 4. Generic Structure and Text Elements
of descriptive text are (1) Phrase of Descriptive Text
formation, (2) Tense, (3) Conjunction, (4) According to Wardiman et.al
Sentence as the skeleton, (5) Impersonal (2008: 100) said that there are two generic
‘It’, pronoun ‘It’ and Introductory ‘There’, structures that must to be included in
and (6) Passive voice.  writing descriptive text that is (a)
Furthemore, Dirgeyasa (2016:59- Identification is used to identify
60) state that linguistic features of phenomenon to be described and (b)
descriptive text as follows: Description is used to describe parts,
a. The relevant grammatical qualities and characteristic. Furthermore,
patterns Pardiyono (2007:36) also said that there
are two generic structures of descriptive
text that is (a) identification is part of  Verbs; be (is, are),
descriptive text which gives a statement have, linking verbs
about the topic of the text and (b) (seems, looks,
description give the detail descriptions sounds, like)
about the object. The generic structure  Adjective use to
and text elements will be explained on the describe or illustrate
table as follow: the condition of
Text Elements and Generic Structure of object. 
Descriptive Text
(Pardiyono, 2007:36-37) 2. The Conceptual Description of
Clustering Technique
Text Function
a. Definition of Clustering
Element
Identification a. Is statement that Technique
describe about the According to Langan (2010:22)
object will be clustering is also known as diagramming
described.  or mapping is a technique by using lines,
b. Statement must boxes, arrows, and circles to show
interesting, can relationships among the ideas and details
influence the reader that occur to you. Furthermore, Zemach
so they are and Rumisek (2003:8) said that clustering
interested to read or mapping is a technique by use a whole
the complete text.  of paper and write a topic in the middle,
c. Adjective use or with circle around it and connect the circle
degree of with lines. Phar and Santi also (In
comparison will Eramona and Hafizh, 2014:75) state that
help a lot to make in clustering, the student write the topic in
descriptive text.  the center of a piece of paper, the write
Description d. Giving description
ideas suggested around it, connecting this
about the objects such
topic with this lines, follow the same
as: location, mean of
procedure with their subtopics.
transport, people,
From the definition above, the
weather, size, etc.
writer concludes that clustering is making
d. Grammatical
a visual map or new association that
Patterns:
allows thinking more creatively and to
 Present tense,
begin without clear ideas. Clustering can
present perfect
be useful for any kind of writing. The writer
tense
uses it in the early stages of planning an
essay in order to find sub topic in a topic connecting lines to show how they
to organize information. relate as well.
b. The Advantages of Clustering Model of Clustering
Technique (Langan, 2010: 23)
Langan (2010:23) said that the
advantages clustering technique are (1)
helping generate material and (2) can
organize ideas and detail. Furthermore,
Zemach and Rumisek (2003:8) said that
the advantages of clustering or mapping
can easily see the relationship between
ideas. Eramona and Hafizh (2014:75) also
said that there are some advantages of
clustering technique in writing learning that
are (1) Can motivate the students to write,
(2) the students can generate their ideas d. Relevant Research
and (3) They will be interested in learning
There are some previous studies
writing.
which has related to variable which is
Those are some advantages we
observed by the writer. First research was
will get if we use clustering technique in
conducted by Nindy Fitriani entitled “Using
learning writing.
Clustering Technique In Teaching Writing
c. The Steps in writing Descriptive
Recount Text (A classroom action
Text by Using Clustering
research at tenth grade in SMAN 1
Technique
Gresik)”, Sunan Ampel State Islamic
Langan (2010: 22) said that when you
University of Surabaya. The result of her
want to use clustering technique, you can
research was by using clustering
use some steps below:
technique, the students’ ability on writing
1. Begin by stating your subject in a
recount text improved. It can be proved
few words in the center of a blank
from the increasing score in writing
sheet of paper. 
recount text. In addition, there is a postive
2. Then, as ideas and details occur to
response from the students and English
you, put them in boxes or circles
teacher about implementing the action.
around the subject and draw lines
For about 70% or 21 students agree that
to connect them to each other and
clustering technique develops their idea in
to the subject. 
writing recount text.
3. Put minor ideas or details in
smaller boxes or circles, and use
 The second research was The objective in this research is to
conducted by Anisa entitled “The get a description about the influence of
Effectiveness of Clustering Techique on clustering technique towards students’
Students’ Writing Ability of Descriptive ability on writing descriptive text at
Text (A Quasi-Experimental Study at seventh grade of SMPN 3 Cileles.
Seventh Grade Students of MTs Islamiyah The writer conducted the research
Ciputat in Academik Year 2016/2017”, at SMPN 3 Satap Cileles which is located
Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic University of at Jl. Raya Cileles – Bojongmanik Km. 05
Jakarta. The result of her research was Kp. Dukuh Ds. Cileles Kec. Cileles Kab.
any improvement of students’ mean score Lebak, Post Code 42353. And the writer
after used clustering technique and after conducted the research on September
the score of students’ were analyzed by 23rd till October 14th 2019. Time of the
using ttest formula, it can be proved that research is appropriated to the schedule
clustering technique was effective towards of English learning at SMPN 3 Cileles.
students’ ability on writing descriptive text The writer used test as data
because tscore > ttable 2.515>1.684. collecting technique. Test was done on
pre-test (before treatment) and post-test
RESEARCH METHOD (after treatment). The criteria of
The methodology of the research asessment were made by the writer and
was used by the writer is quasi paying attention to existing theories. And
experimental Design. Sugiyono (2018: 77) for the Test Analysis Requirements There
said that quasi experimental is the design are three test analysis requirements that
used because in reality it is difficult to get has to fulfilled before the analysis data is
a control group used for research. done so the analysis data can be done
Furthermore, he also said that quasi has a well both for the purposes of prediction or
control group, but not entirely can control the need for hypothesis testing. The test
external variables that affect the conduct analysis requirements are normality test,
of experiments. homogeneity test and linearity test.
Design of the research was used
by the writer is one group pretest – RESULT AND DISCUSION
posttest design. Hatch and Farhady said A. Result of the Research
(1982: 20) said that in one group pretest- 1. Result of Research Instrument
posttest design, there is only one Testing
experimental group (without controlled
Research instrument testing
group) which is choosen randomly and
was done to observe about the validity
given pretest before treatment and
posttest after treatment. 
and reliability of instrument of the Based on the result of hypothesis
research and the result as follows: testing done above, it was known that tscore

a. Validity > ttable 8,6249>2,00958. It means that there

In this research, to observe the is any inluence of clustering technique

validity of instrument, the writer used point towards students’ ability on writing

biserial formula. The writer made 40 items descriptive text. It means that clustering

of multiple choice cloze test and be technique can help students in learning

calculated by using point biserial formula writing process exactly writing descriptive

the result of valid item test is used for pre- text. They can generate their ideas when

test. Based on the Microsoft Excel they write descriptive text and they can

calculation, the result is: also make a concept what they will write

The Result of Instrument Validity when they use this technique. By using
clustering technique, they will not doubt
Classification Total Item Number
1, 2, 3, 6, 10, what they will write about because they
11, 13, 14, 15, have made a concept before they start to
16, 17, 18, 19, write by using this technique. It means
Valid 25
20, 21, 23, 24, that, clustering technique is very useful for
26, 27, 29, 30, the students in learning writing process of
32, 34, 35, 37 descriptive text. 
4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12,
CONCLUSION
22, 25, 28, 31,
Invalid 15 Clustering technique can help the
33, 36, 38, 39,
students on writing descriptive text
40
because they can generate their ideas and
b. Reliability
make a concept before they start to write.
In this research, the writer used
This conclusion is based on the
KR-20 formula to observe the reliability of
differences between pretest and post-test
the test. If rscore > rtable, it means that the
result. In pretest, it is gained mean 37,96,
data is reliable.
median 37,52 and modus 35,20. While in
The result of Instrument Reliability
post-test, it is gained mean 65,37, median
N rscore rtable Kind of Reliability
51 0,76 0,28 Enough Reliable 70,59 and modus 75,80.  Based on the
In the table 4.2, the reliability result of pretest and post-test, it can be
testing was done on significant level α = conclude that there are differences
0,05. Based on the table above, it is between students’ score of pretest (before
gotten rscore = 0,76 and rtable = 0,28. It can treatment) and students’ score of post-test
be concluded that rscore > rtable that is 0,76 > (after treatment). 
0,28 so the item of test is enough reliable. It also can be conclude that there
2. Research Discussion is any influence of clustering technique
towards students’ ability on writing Farhady, Hosein., Evelyn Hatch. (1982)
descriptive text. This statement is based Research Design and Statistic.
on the result of hypothesis testing by using New York: Newbury House.
ttest formula with significant level α = 0,05 Ferdian, Fariz. (2015) “Pengaruh
and degree of freedem (df) = 49, it can be Metode Pembelajaran Science
known that tscore > ttable 8,6249>2,00958. It Literacy circle terhadap belajar
means that H0 is rejected and Ha is fisika siswa di SMA Sejahtera 1
accepted. It is a proof that clustering Depok (Penelitian pada Fakultas
technique is one of technique that can be Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan
used to help students in learning writing Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof.
process. Dr. Hamka, Jakarta).” Skripsi
Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof.
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Istitution Document
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