CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter contains the
background of the study, problems of the study, objectives of the study, scope and limitation
of the study, significance of the study,
and definition of the key terms.
1.1 Background of the Study One
of ways to comprehend the text well is being familiar with difficult word. Robinson (1975: 56) said that there are
three ways to be familiar with unfamiliar
words. The reader should do wide reader that can help increase his/her vocabulary, open dictionary, and using context
clues.
To be familiar with unfamiliar
word, we can use all of the ways that explained
above. However, the easiest ways that can be done is using context clues. Sometimes, the readers do not realize
how easy it to guess many unknown words
simply by studying the context clues. This research investigates Context Clues which can helps to deduce the meanings
from context. We must be able to know
words or phrases that follow words or phrases mentioned. And then, we are able to comprehend function of word, word classes,
and meaning of the word. It means that,
finding the meaning can be found through the context clues which is given by the writer which usually in the form
of synonym, contrast, and other form. Context
clue is a pure linguistic study that can be categorized as micro study because this research is a study about
meaning and text. Wiener and Bazerman
(1986:10) state that context clues are hints provided by the words and sentences surrounding the unfamiliar word.
Smith and Schulz (1982: 425) define context
clues are the words surrounding an unknown word often provide clues to its meaning. Spears (2000: 98) states that the
word context refers to the way a word is
used in a particular sentence or passage, while the clues are other words or phrases that help reveal the meaning of a word
we are unsure of. Context clues are divided
into two types. They are the use of syntactic clues and the use of semantic clues (Robinson: 1976). In the other hand,
Spears (2000: 98) divided context clues into
four general types: synonym, antonym, example, and situation clues. So, through the context clues, we can comprehend
reading text easily. We can understand
the text without open dictionary.
The phenomena above have inspired
the researcher to analyze context clues.
There are three reasons why the researcher is interested in this topic. The first reason is to motivate us that the use of
context clues is very important to our reading
skill in order to we can be a good reader. The second reason is to drill our skill in comprehending text using context
clues. Then, the third reason is to break down the implied meaning in reading text so
that we are able to comprehend text briefly.
Based on the reason above, the
researcher chooses reading section in 2009 final examination (UAN) of senior high school.
Final Examination 2009 is chosen because
the amount of students who do not pass the examination is increase almost 3 fold from the years before
(http://cetak.kompas.com). In 2007, the students
that do not pass examination are about 7, 71 %. In 2008, is noted about 8, 07% that do not pass examination and in 2009
the students that do not pass is about
21, 98 %. Furthermore, from the amount of students who do not pass examination, 30 % do not pass because of
English, 28 % in mathematic, 26 % because
of science and 16% students do not pass because of Bahasa Indonesia. In short, English is the biggest caused of
ungraduate students at that time (www.Surabaya
Post.co.id).
After knowing that the biggest
caused students do not pass examination is English, the researcher try to looking for the
problems which is faced by student when
they comprehend English text. Zamroni (2007) found several reading problems faced by student. The problems are
Lack of comprehension skill, lack of vocabulary, and difficult finding the
meaning. Then, Burhanuddin stated in his research that the problems which is faced by
student when they are answer the question
in reading section in final examination are incomplete dialogues/sentences; error recognition; and
failure in reading comprehension.
Thus, in this case, the use of
context clues is needed to help the readers in solving the reader’s problem in comprehending text There are two previous related studies
concerning with the use of context clues.
It was conducted by Kusumarasdyati (1996) entitled “The Use of Context Clues by the Students of English Department of
IKIP (UM) Malang. The purpose of the
research is to investigate kinds of context clues using Robinson theory.
She found kinds of context clues
likes syntactic clues and semantic clues in general in her research. She concluded that
most of questions which is answered by
the students of English Department of IKIP (UM) Malang in final examination using syntactic clues.
Then, another research is
conducted by Saropa, 2009 which focused Context
Clues as a research. She focuses on “Context Clues used in Reading Text of Barron’s TOEFL IBT book”. Her research
was aimed to investigate the kinds of
context clues using Robinson and Spears theory. She found kinds of context clues using Robinson theory that
divided context clues into two. They are Syntactic clues and semantic clues. Then, she
also uses Spears theory that divided
context clues into four. They are synonym, antonym, example and situation clues. She concluded that most of
reading text use semantic cluesstatement of meaning-subsequent statement clues.
This research is different from
the previous research although she uses the same theory. It is because the previous
research focuses on context clues which are
used in reading text of Barron’s TOEFL IBT book which has international standard and higher level of difficulty than
present research. However, in this research
she wants to find the use of context clues in reading section of Final Examination (UAN) which is categorized as
national standard and the vocabulary
used is not too difficult.
Based on the research above, it
has different discussion although in similar field. This research focuses on analyzing reading text in Final
Examination using context clues. As a
student, we need to be aware to some of linguistics phenomena in our society. The researcher needs to be
sensitive that those appear on another form, even
in the form
of comprehending text.
That is why;
this research is important
to be researched because it becomes the starting point to understand one of linguistic phenomena that happen in our
society. Next, the researcher wants to conduct
this research entitled “A Discourse Analysis on Context Clues in Reading Section Used in 2009 Final Examination (UAN)
of Senior High School”.
1.2 Problem of the Study 1. What
are the kinds of Context Clues found in Reading Section used in 2009 Final Examination (UAN) of Senior High
School? 2 How the Context Clues are used
in Reading Section in 2009 Final Examination
(UAN) of Senior High School? 1.3 Objectives of the Study 1. To find kinds of Context Clues in Reading
Section used in 2009 Final Examination
(UAN) of Senior High School? 2. To
describe the way context Clues used in Reading Section in 2009 Final Examination (UAN) of Senior High School? 1.4 Scope and Limitation The researcher limits the research on kinds of
context clues and how are the context
clues used in reading text of 2009 Final Examination of Senior High School by using Spears and
Robinson theory. Spears (2000: 98) states
that context clues divided into four general types: Synonym, Antonym, Example, and Situation. While,
Robinson (1976: 60) divided context
clues into two types: the use of syntactic clues and the use of semantic clues. In this research, the
researcher wants to use both theories to complete each other. There are 2 model tests
in 2009 Final Examination of Senior High
School. They are Listening and reading.
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