An Analysis of Written Errors of Undergraduate Thesis Conclusions by

ELESP Students of University of Lambung Mangkurat

By:

Suci Arthyara Larasati (1910117320001)

ERROR ANALYSIS A3

English Language Education Study Program

Faculty of Teacher Training and Education

Lambung Mangkurat University

2021
 BACKGROUND

In learning foreign languages, students are expected to master communicative

competence in spoken and written competence in English texts. One of the goals of
teaching English to English language learners is to develop their communicative
competence. Writing is one of the skills that students must master. At the university
level, this skill is very much needed. Students will reach a stage where they have to
write a thesis as one of the requirements for graduating from college. Therefore,
mastering it will help them compose articles, do exams, and make letters.

However, it is generally understood that writing in English is a complex

process for English as a foreign language learners (EFL), errors in writing are an
inescapable element of EFL student writing. Ellis (1997) observes that fossilization of
learners' grammar occurs only in second language (L2) acquisition and not in first
language (L1) learning. Numerous factors contribute to English as a foreign language
learners making errors. Different types of faults were defined in second language
acquisition. The analysis of writers' written performance can be divided into two
categories. First, it is referred to as an intralingual/developmental mistake. According
to Richards (1974), these errors are made by learners and reflect not the structure of
the mother tongue but rather overgeneralizations based on limited exposure to the
target language. Second, Selinkker (1974) identified interlingual/transfer errors as
negative interference from the learner's first language habits.

This condition happens in University students. They ever make an error in

their writing such as interlingual errors and intralingual errors. They take the Bahasa
Indonesia Structure to the English. In the sentence and word level (except
preposition), students made interlingual/transfer error from their first language to
English. Only preposition in word level and mechanics errors were due the
intralingual transfer.

Based on the phenomenon in the field, the researcher would like to find the
interlingual and intralingual interference in the students’ writing. So that the
researcher want to take a research about conclusion section focused on the interlingual
errors and intralingual errors found in writing theses by ELESP Students Lambung
Mangkurat University. In this case, researcher interest to take a research entitled “An
Analysis of Written Errors of Undergraduate Thesis Conclusions by ELESP Students
of University of Lambung Mangkurat.”

This study aims to identify and describe how students make errors
in interlingual and intralingual. It is also intended to draw their attention to the error-
written situation, as it is necessary to identify the areas that need to be addressed to
come up with appropriate solutions.
 SAMPLES

1. Students’ Problems in Learning Speaking Through Online Learning of English

Language Education Study Program Batch 2020 at Lambung Mangkurat
University by Laily Rizky Sofarini

2. The Effectiveness of Using Story Jumper in Teaching Speaking for Second

Semester Students of English Language Education Study Program in
Lambung Mangkurat University Batch 2020 By Muhammad Amin Al Kautsar

3. Strategies for Developing Speaking Skill Used by Students of English

Language Education Study Program Academic Year 2020/2021 by Yulia
Rosalina

The researcher chose these theses because the researcher wants to analyze how
well the students of the English Language Education Study Program of Lambung
Mangkurat University in writing their theses. By analyzing the conclusions section on
their theses. Also, as we know from the background knowledge, they have already
taken Advanced Writing and Academic Writing class in the fourth and fifth
semesters. All those courses emphasize the importance of writing skills and critical
thinking. To pass these courses, students depend heavily on their performance in
writing. They have to submit many written assignments. The researcher summarizes
that they knew how to write correctly. So, that is why the researcher chose them to be
the subjects in this research.
 DATA COLLECTION

To collect the data, the researcher looked for three similar theses to be
investigated. The thesis that was found discussed the same thing, which is about
Speaking Skills of English Language Education Study Program Batch 2020 at
Lambung Mangkurat University. The sample that becomes the research data from
their writing is the 'Conclusion' section. This conclusion section ranges from one to
two and a half pages (300–450 words). There are several steps taken in conducting
error analysis. 'Conclusions' are collected and analyzed to check for various errors.

Table 1. Steps to analyze errors

Steps Definition of steps Examples

Step 1 − Collect data Written data through 3 writing samples

three similar theses (Conclusion) were
collected

Step 2 – Identify errors Different types of errors 1. Wordy sentence

2. Sentence
construction
3. Punctuation
4. Word choice
5. Split infinitive
6. An article usage
problem
7. Sentence
fragment
8. Incorrect
preposition
9. Comma splice

Step 3 – Clasify errors It is an error of word 1. Sentence level

choice? Is it an error in 2. Word level
word level? 3. Mechanics

Step 4 – Quantify errors How many errors of How many errors of

total? each feature occur?

Step 5 – Analyze source Cause of these errors  Intralingual

(developmental
errors)
 Interlingual
(interference
errors)
 Table 2. Error categories

Sentence Word Mechanics

Wordy sentence Word choice Punctuation

Sentence construction Article Comma

Fragment Preposition

Split infinitive

Table 3. Frequency of errors

Type of errors Error categories Frequency Rank order

Wordy sentence 13 1

Sentence level Sentence construction 11 2

Fragment 1 6

Split infinitive 1 6

Word choice 7 3

Word level Article 5 4

Preposition 1 6

Mechanics Punctuation 4 5

Comma 1 6

Total 44

Wordy sentence

The findings show that the most frequent errors were at sentence level
with wordy sentence ranked number one in the list. This problem comprised
13 times found in frequency, which is relatively high compared to other errors.
Wordy sentences contain an excess of unnecessary words that clutter the
writing. Good writing is simple and direct; it employs the simplest word
available to express the same meaning. This clarity is harmed by wordiness.
This caused comprehension difficulties for their readers. The writer has a
desire to produce perfect writing. For them, adding words or sentences to their
writing will make the writing look good. In fact, it often makes the message
they want to convey challenging to understand. We all want to communicate
clearly, but wordy sentence constructions can mask the best of ideas.

In addition, problems with the use of wordy sentences can also be

influenced by the mother tongue, which is crucial in influencing students'
writing errors. Wordy sentences in student writing are generated from the
mother tongue because the use of which is more flexible than English, which
affects writing in English to some extent. Thus, it seems that Indonesian is one
of the causes of the errors found in conclusion.
Example 1

After collecting data and analyzing the results of the research, the
researcher determines conclusions and suggestions. (Conclusion 1)

The phrase “results of the research” is considered a wordy sentence.

So, consider replacing it with “research results.”

Example 2

From the result analysis of measuring from students' post-test scores in

the experimental and control group, ... (Conclusion 2)

The phrase “measuring from” is considered a wordy sentence because

it is unnecessary in this sentence. So, consider removing it.

Example 3

By doing those things, they could become familiar and be able to speak
more fluently. (Conclusion 3)

The phrase “be able to” is considered a wordy sentence because it is

unnecessary in this sentence. So, consider removing it.

Sentence construction

Sentence construction refers to the kind of errors which usually impede

understanding (i.e. incomplete sentence, confusing, ambiguous, unintelligible).
In other words, this type of error focuses on sentence boundary problems
covering both syntactic and semantic problems. The error on sentence
construction was ranked third in Table 3. Eleven times of frequency contained
this type of error. Most of the errors found were confusing or unintelligible
sentences (Example 4) and sometimes it was an incomplete sentence (Example
5).

Example 4

... students are still confused in pronunciation, students often feel

nervous, do not understand the accent, and students also often cannot hear the
voice. (Conclusion 1)

Example 4 was confusing. To avoid a run-on error, the researcher

suggests to make a new sentence for the last sentence.

Clearer

Students also often cannot hear the native speakers’ voices.

Example 5

By considering that video could improve students' speaking skills

during teaching and learning activities, therefore videos are a suitable media
to enhance learning outcomes when this COVID-19 pandemic. (Conclusion 2)
Clearer

By considering that video could improve students' speaking skills

during teaching and learning activities, videos are a suitable medium for
enhancing learning outcomes during this COVID-19 pandemic.

In this example a complete sentence is not used, only a part of sentence.

Therefore, to make it complete, conjunction ‘therefore’ should not be used.

Word choice

Word choice is referred to the lexical error, in which a wrong lexical

item is used instead of the correct one. This rendered the sentence grammatical
and semantically incorrect. The sentence sounds different, weird, or does not
make any sense (Ander &Yıldırım, 2010). In three conclusions, there were
seven instances of word choice error. Word choice was the third most
common error in the corpus, indicating that ELESP students had difficulty
using right or appropriate words, as demonstrated by the examples. Examples
6 and 7 below show incorrect usage of word form.

Example 6

Future researchers can make new research and gain new knowledge
about the problems ... (Conclusion 1)

In this Example, “do” should have been used in place of “make”. This
indicates that the student lack appropriate knowledge of vocabulary forms.
Also, it was found that students sometimes get confused by the word do with
the word make. So, consider replacing one with the other.

Example 7

... requires lecturers to be aware of technology for the students are not
to get bored. (Conclusion 2)

The word “for” should be replaced by “so that” because of the

conjunction “for” is incorrect here. The student is unable to use the
conjunction correctly.

Article

An article is a word that modifies a noun, which is a person, place,

thing, or idea. An article is technically an adjective, any word that modifies a
noun. Adjectives usually modify nouns by describing them, but articles point
out nouns. In writing and conversation, we use two articles to highlight or
refer to a noun or group of nouns: definite and indefinite articles.
 Definite article is the word 'the', and it refers directly to a specific noun
or groups of nouns. Indefinite articles are the words 'a' and 'an'. Each of these
articles is used to refer to a noun, but the noun being referred to is not a
specific person, place, object, or idea. It can be any noun from a group of
nouns.
Example 8

From the research that has been done about differences in speaking
ability between the second-semester students of English Language Education
Study Program in Lambung Mangkurat University ... (Conclusion 2)

This sentence needs definite article “the” to a specific groups of nouns

“English Language Education Study Program in Lambung Mangkurat
University ...”

Example 9

From the questionnaire, we noted that most often used is metacognitive

strategies. (Conclusion)

The definite article the must be used with superlative adjectives. Put
“the” before “most”.

Punctuation

Punctuation is the system of symbols that we use to separate written

sentences and parts of sentences, and to make their meaning clear. Each
symbol is called a "punctuation mark".

Example 10

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation which made it impossible to

conduct research directly or face-to-face, ... (Conclusion 1)

In the sentence above, which introduces a nonrestrictive phrase (bold).

Therefore, it need a comma before which and another one at the end of the
nonrestrictive phrase.

Example 11

So that, the null hypothesis (Ho) was accepted and the alternative
hypothesis (Ha) was rejected. (Conclusion 2)

Missing a comma before the coordinating conjunction “, and” in a

compound sentence.
 DATA ANALYSIS

After data collection, the following error analysis steps specified by Corder
(1974) were followed: First, each Conclusion is examined word by word and
sentence by sentence. Researchers make grouping categories based on all the errors
contained in the writing samples. Second, the researcher counted the number of errors
and ranked them from the most to the least frequent ones. Understandable errors will
be labeled and discussed. After that, the researcher re-examined to determine how
they are connected. The data is presented and grouped into the same unit. Below is a
list of errors from the most frequent to the least.

Table 4. Rank order

Error category Rank order

Wordy sentence 1

Unclear sentence 2

Word choice 3

Article 4

Punctuation 5

Fragment 6

Split infinitive 6

Preposition 6

Comma 6
 DISCUSSION

In the analysis (see Table 3) of sentence level, word level, and mechanics
errors, most errors were found from sentence level. Of the 9 categories of errors
identified, the researcher found that students had the greatest problem in the wordy
sentence. 13 times frequency of wordy sentence was found. The second and third
most frequent errors were found in unclear sentence and word choice. The fourth and
fifth most frequent errors were found in article and punctuation both of which caused
approximately similar frequency of error in word level and mechanics (5 and 4 times
found, respectively). Other types of errors, such as fragment, split infinitive, and
comma were found, too. The preposition wrong usage were also found in the writing.
Therefore, as a suggestion from the researcher to reduce the occurrence of repeated
errors by the authors, it is necessary to correct errors or corrective strategies that are
most likely to be adequate to reduce errors that occur when writing. There are two
possible error treatments, in this case, namely correction and improvement.

"Correction" refers to the process or outcomes of bringing a piece of student

writing to a grammatically correct level. The term "grammar" refers to collecting
basic morphological and syntactic rules that regulate the target language's basic well-
formedness.

Criteria of correction:

 Whenever correction or improvement is performed, careful

consideration must be given to the context in which the corrected or
improved expression occurs.
 Except in circumstances when the meaning of a word is highly vague,
questionable, or distorted, the content or meaning of the expression
shall be preserved.
 The level of utilization and variety of the L2 must also be evaluated.
Any other social or regional variation of English, such as an
underprivileged class's spoken or written language, is generally
unacceptable and should be improved.

"Improvement" refers to the process of elevating the writing to a higher level

so that violations of rhetorical principles, ill-formedness in meaning, violations of
logic, faulty use of words, defects in style, and so on will be addressed.
 CONCLUSION

This research identifies various faults made by ELESP students when writing their
theses conclusions. This study demonstrated several errors caused by interlingual and
intralingual transmission. This study, however, discovered that students' L1 produced
negative transfer at the sentence and word levels (except preposition). When writing an essay
in English, EFL students' primary method is to rely on their mother tongue. This study,
however, would want to emphasize that these errors have promising implications for
language teachers and researchers. Teachers must plan activities for areas in which they need
to improve for instructional objectives. Teachers should keep in mind that overemphasis on
faults can demotivate students. These errors could be used in class to revise instructional
activities. Students should be allowed to learn when they are ready. In the classroom, teachers
should be able to provide corrective feedbacks in a non-threatening way in order to raise
learners’ awareness to correct themselves. Teachers also should be able to model the
complete sentence and lexical use in order to provide students more exposure in using
English.
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