A Descriptive Research: Errors in Writing by the Eleventh Grade Students of SMAN 3 Boyolali in the Academic Year of 2022/2023

Abstract

This research examines errors in writing by eleventh grade students of SMAN 3 Boyolali in the academic year of 2022/2023. The aims of this research are: (1) to describe types of students’ errors in their writing, (2) to determine the percentage of errors in each type of students’ writing error, (3) to describe the most common type of students’ errors in their writing, (4) to describe the least common type of errors made by students in their writing, and (5) to describe the causes that can influence some students’ errors in their writing. This study used a qualitative descriptive method and the data were collected through writing test and questionnaire. The data were analyzed using an error analysis approach, which involves the following steps: collecting the sample, identifying errors, describing and classifying the errors based on the error types, explaining errors, and evaluating errors. The result shows that there are four types of errors: omission, addition, misformation, and misordering. Thus, there are 310 errors in totals. The most common error is omission with the percentage of 53.22% (165 errors). The least common error is misordering with the percentage of 7.74% (24 errors). The causes of errors are: overgeneralization, ignorance of the rules of restriction, incomplete application of rules, and false concepts hypothesized.This study can be utilized by teachers to emphasize how to correct the most frequent errors that students made. Thus, the teacher should develop effective learning strategies in order to improve students’ overall writing skills.