THE EFFECT OF SQ3R METHOD ON THE STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN

READING COMPREHENSION

Annisa Hutasuhut
Elia Masa Gintings

Abstract

The aim of this study is to discover the effect of applying SQ3R method in
reading comprehension. Experimental research design is used as the research
method. This research took place at MTS AMIN DARUSSALAM MEDAN.
There were 2 classes chosen as the sample with 32 students in each class. The
classes were divided into two groups namely experimental and control group. The
experimental group taught by using SQ3R method and the control group was
taught by using conventional method. The instrument used to collect the data was
a set of multiple choice tests, which divided as pre test and post test. The result of
the research was analyzed by using t-test formula. The result showed that t-test
was higher than t-table ( 3,93 > 2,00 ) at the level of significant 0,05 with degree
of freedom (df) 60. It means that hypothesis alternative (Ha) is accepted which
shows that SQ3R method significantly improves the student’s reading
comprehension.

Key words : reading, descriptive text, SQ3R method, Experimental Research

Design

Introduction

Background of the Study

Reading as one of the four language skills take much portion of

time in teaching and learning process. Grabe and Stoler (2002:9) state that reading

is the ability to draw meaning from the printed page and interpret and this

information appropriately. It means that without comprehending and interpreting

the meaning of the text the reading it self is useless. Able to gain the information

order to improve the knowledge of the readers is the competence of reading.

*Graduate of English Study Department

**Drs. Elia Masa Gintings, M.Hum, as a Supervisor of this thesis

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Nowdays the students can improve their knowledge through medium of reading

such as newspaper, magazine, and journal.

Comprehension is the main goal of reading skill is very important, the

teacher attempts to help the students to be able to read and comprehend the text.

The learner have to be able to discover the meaning which is as the purpose of the

text. The learners read to construct the meaning of the text by analyzing, learning,

and organizing the information that is logic to the learners. To construct the

meaning of the text the readers need to know the main idea of the text. Reading

comprehension involves more than readers responses to the text. It involves many

interactions between readers and what they bring to the text.

In teaching reading skill the teachers have to be able to help the students

to read and comprehend the text. The teacher need to lead the students to know

the purpose of the text, how the sentences are connected each other in order to

comprehend the content of the text. Mostly teachers when they tought reading

skill they asked the students to read the text and answer the question from the text

then, correct it. This teaching method makes the condition of the class bored. The

teacher needs to make the students to be more active in comprehending the text.

Based on the writer’s experience when she was in Teaching Practice

Program (Praktek Program Lapangan/PPL), many students had difficulties to

understand the text well. Most of them had limited knowledge to master reading

skill. They were unable to understand the purpose of the text because they were

unable to comprehend the text and lacked of vocabulary. And for the result the

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students were unable to answer the questions at the end of the chapter and from

the teacher as well. Therefore, they had low score.

The percentage of Grade VIII Students Score in Reading :

Semester KKM Score Students Percentage Mean

1 𝑠𝑡 𝑆𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
75 < 75 28 77.7
2012/2013 51.7
≥ 75 8 22.2
𝑛𝑑
2 𝑆𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
75 < 75 23 63.9
2013/2014 53.3
≥ 75 13 36.11

The writer found that the school where the writer did the practice applied

the traditional method. In doing the traditional method it self the teacher gave

basic knowledge, asked the students to read the text, answered the question from

the text or the teacher, and then corrects the answers. This situation did not give a

good mood in teaching learning activity. The students were not effectively gain

the lesson from the teacher. The students feel bored and the teacher cannot give

some motivations to the students.

In order to make the teaching process interesting and the purpose of the

teaching learning process reached, the teacher need a special technique, strategy

and method. The purpose of using them is to make the students easy to learn and

understand the lesson. Besides making the student easier to comprehend, using a

method in comprehending a text can make the teaching learning process more

effective and make the students more active. There are so many methods to

interact and improve the achievement of students reading comprehension. To

improve the reading skill the writer is going to use SQ3R method.

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 The method SQ3R stands for survey, question, read, recite and review.

The goal of this method is to increase students engagement with the text when

studying content material. It is effectively persuade the students to consume

information in an effort to answer key question to the subject content. It helps the

students to construct the information in their mind, and make it meaningful. In

comprehending the text using SQ3R method the students not only know how to

comprehend but also help the students to be more active and critics in

comprehending a text. In using SQ3R method the students also trained to process

the information deeper. The elements of the method which are survey, question,

read, recite, and review lead to an active learning process.

Research Question

In relation to the background of the study, it is necessary to formulate the

problem of this research as the following “Does SQ3R Method have significant

effect on students’ level reading comprehension?”

A. Reading

Reading is an active cognitive process of interacting with print and

monitoring comprehension to establish meaning (Reinking and scheiner in

Kustaryo,1988:2).Reading is the instantaneous recognition of various written

symbols, simultaneous association of these symbols with existing knowledge and

comprehension of the information and ideas communicated. When a reader

interacts with print, his prior knowledge combine with the pint and the

visual(written)information results in his comprehending the message.

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B. Descriptive Text

Descriptive is one the fundamental function of any language system and

one of the first skill emergent language-users learns to control. It is also one of the

most widely used genres across all of the learning areas. Description enables the

classification of an almost infinite range of experiences, observation, and

interaction into a system that orders them for immediate and future reference,

allows us to know them either objectively, depending on the learning area or

intent of the writer.

C. SQ3R METHOD

SQ3R stands for Survey, Questions, Read, Recite, Review. It is a proven

technique to sharpen textbook reading skill. SQ3R helps make reading purposeful

and meaningful, so that we can use your time most effectively (Stanly, 2005).

According Soedarso (2010: 59-60) in this SQ3R system, before reading

our first survey of reading to get a general idea of what we read. Then by asking

questions to myself that the answer we expect is there in the reading will be easier

to understand the readings, and then by trying to express through their own words

the main points of importance, we will retain and remember it longer.

Advantages of SQ3R Method is in the early stages of learning, the main

aim is often to present and practice a body of lexis, grammatical forms and

language forms and language functions. This serves to give student entry points

into the new language – a simple core to assist in the communication (reception

and expression) of basic concept such a number.

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D. Students’ Achievement in Reading Comprehension

Reading success is crucial to students’ academic achievement. Elementary

Middle, and High School teachers and administrators should all focus on

increasing their students’ achievement in reading comprehension.

There are four aspects analysis must be considered in reading

comprehension a descriptive text, they are : (1) Identification of Main Idea. A

paragraph is a group of sentences related to a particular topic, or central theme.

Every paragraph has a key concept or main idea. The main idea is the most

important piece of information the author wants the readers to know about the

concept of that paragraph. (2) Understanding Details. To get the specific or detail

ideas of reading text, the students may seem to scan the text till they get what they

are searching. Knowing what we want to know and knowing how deeply to study

the material can minimize the time – consumed during the reading process. (3)

Vocabulary in Context. In order to read word the readers must first know them.

Imagine how frustrating it would be to read the text all of the words were

unfamiliar to the readers. Knowing the meanings of words on the text is essential

for reading comprehension. (4) Inference. Inference is the act or process of

deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true

Research Method

This study was conducted by using experimental group and control group.

The experimental group wasthe group which received treatment namely SQ3R

and the control group received conventional method.

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 There are two variables in this study. They were Independent variable and

dependent variable. The Independent variable was SQ3R while the Dependent

variable was the Students’ Reading Comprehension.

The application of the use of pre – test and post – test designed in the two

groups was shown below :

Table 3.1
Experimental Design

Group Test Treatment Test

Experimental Group Pre – Test SQ3R Post – Test
Control Group Pre – Test Conventional Post – Test
(Discussion
Method)

Population and Sample

Best (2002:13) states that a population is any group of individuals that has

one or more characteristics in common interest to the researcher. In this study,

population was the 2013/2014 second year student if MTS Amin Darussalam,

North Sumatera. There are 2 classes. And the total number of students are 32 in

each class.

Arikunto (1992 : 2) states that if the population is in the large numbers, the

sample that can be taken out 10 – 15% or more from the population.

Based on the theory, 25% of the population was taken as the sample of this

research. So the total number of the sample was 64 students, which was randomly

selected by using lottery technique. The sample was divided into two groups with

equal number of students, 32 students of each group and it is randomly selected

also.

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 Research Finding

The results of this research shows that there is a difference of output

between both of groups. Based on the calculation, t-observed (3.93) is higher than

table (2.00) for the degree of freedom (60) at the level of significance (0.05). this

difference took place because of different treatment in both groups. The

experimental group was taught by applying SQ3R Method while control group

was taught without SQ3R Method. This findings shows that hyphothesis of the

study is true. Therefore, it can be concluded that SQ3R Method significantly

affect the students’ reading comprehension.

Conclusion and Suggestion

Conclusion
Based on the data analysis, the writer draws the following conclusions :

1. SQ3R method significantly affect the students’ achievement in

reading comprehension.(t-observed > t-table, p = 0.05)

2. The result of calculation of t-test (3.993) with degree of freedom (df)

= 62 is greater than t-table (2.000) (p = 0.05) which implies that

the alternative hypothesis is accepted. This means that the SQ3R

significantly affect the students’ achievement in reading

comprehension.

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 Suggestion

Based on the conclusion, suggestion are stages as the following :

1. It is advisable that the teachers of English to apply SQ3R method in

teaching reading comprehension as the alternative media in teaching

learning process.

2. It suggested that the students are able to read by using SQ3R method,

to be better in reading and also to enrich the idea of reading.

3. The readers who are interested for futher study related to this research

should explore the knowledge to enlarge their understanding about

how to improve reading comprehension and search another references

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