The particular dialect or language that a person chooses to use on any occasion is called a code 1778 Copyright © 2022 The Author IDEAS is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 License Issued by English study program of IAIN Palopo IDEAS Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) Volume 10, Number 2, December 2022 pp. 1778 - 1786 Analysis of the Students' Persuasive Paragraph Writing Ability at University Juwita Crestiani M1, Opik Dwi Indah2, Hermini3 1juwitacrestiani@uncp.ac.id, d 2wiindahopik@gmail.com 3miniparjas@gmail.com 1,2,3Palopo Cokroaminoto University, Indonesia Received: 2022-10-01 Accepted: 2022-12-31 DOI: 10.24256/ideas.v10i2.3243 Abstract This research deals with analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university. The population of this research is the third semester students of Primary School Teacher Education Study Program of Palopo Cokroaminoto University in academic year 2022/2023. The total number of populations was 200 students. The researcher applied the purposive sampling technique and there are 35 students as sample. Writing test is the instrument of this research. Based on the findings and discussion in the previous chapter, the researcher concludes analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university was good classification by the mean score in value range 75-87. It can be supported by the students’ content mean score was 83.66. The students’ organization mean score was 81.83. The students’ vocabulary mean score was 81.83. The students’ language use mean score was 81.06. The students’ mechanics mean score was 80.00. Therefore, analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university was good classification. Keywords: Analysis; Persuasive Paragraph; Writing. Introduction English is a means of crucial communication and occupies the most important position in the world and it is used all over the world. English is the most important language and used all over the world and also it is used as the means of communication to convey information. Therefore, English must be taught in Indonesia. It makes people especially for Indonesian learners have to learn English because they will make communication not only through orally but also through writing. Wello, B et all in Rahman (1999:3) added that English as a foreign language can be learned most effectively when it is used as the medium to convey informational content of interest and relevance to the learners. On the other hand, communication through writing is really needed real http://u.lipi.go.id/1457703302 mailto:juwitacrestiani@uncp.ac.id mailto:d%202wiindahopik@gmail.com mailto:miniparjas@gmail.com IDEAS, Vol. 10, No. 2, December 2022 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 1779 proficiency from the writer to make the reader can understand easily. Harmer in Imran (2011:10) defines writing is a productive skill which involves though and emotion. It is a medium of communication. Writing cannot be mastered at one but it needs practice. The practice may include imitating or copying words and sentences from the giving ideas or expressing free ideas based on the writers’ knowledge, experience and point of view. While Lindblom in Imran (2011:10) states that writing as a way of learning to focus our mind on important matters and learning about them. By writing activity, a person can find the solution of difficult problem, master the fact and even by writing a person can also communicate through the way that is impossible. In addition, writing should be mastered by students. However, learn English is not easy and also is not difficult. There are four skills in English that has to be mastered by students namely speaking, listening and reading, writing. Writing becomes the most important skill should be mastered by the students because through writing, the student can share the ideas, opinion to the others and has a lot of time to think about what they want convey through writing. In writing something surely must has good ability. Good ability in writing is much needed and has a lot of advantages for all people in the world because through writing, they can send information to the others. Therefore, students need the good ability in writing in order to the people can understand our writing. The ability to write only students can get if write diligently and regularly. According to Donovan in Karim (2013:24) there are some characteristics of good writing, they are: Clarity and focus: in good writing, everything makes sense and reader does not get lost or have to read passages to figure out what is going on. Focused writing sticks with the plot or core idea without running off on too many tangents. Organization: a well-organized piece of writing is not only clear; it is presented in a way that is logical and aesthetically pleasing. Language (word choice): we writers can never underestimate or fail to appreciate our most valuable tools- words. Good writing includes smart word choices and well-crafted sentences. Grammar and style: many writers would wish this one away, but for a piece of writing to be considered good (let alone great), it has to follow the rules of grammar (and break those rules only when there is a good reason). Credibility or believability: nothing says bad writing like getting the facts wrong or misrepresenting oneself. In fiction, the story must be believable (even if it’s impossible), and in nonfiction, accurate research can make or break a writer. Through writing, the students can produce good writing because they have a lot of time to think and acquire ideas but in fact mastering writing especially finding idea is not easy and need to think hardly. A lot of problem make students cannot master writing. They still confuse and also lack of interest and motivation in writing, so they difficult acquire ideas, has difficult in developing supporting sentence and produce good writing. Besides that, they also think that writing is difficult. So, they are still low in writing. In addition, one of difficulties in writing process according to Harmer (2004) as Juwita Crestiani M, Opik Dwi Indah, Hermini Analysis of the Students' Persuasive Paragraph Writing Ability at University 1780 an organization problem where it is caused by students’ cognitive inadequacy of language of language forms, structure, and grammar which play an important role in effective communication in writing. While Latupeirissa and Sayd (2019), most students in Indonesia make errors in the use of group verbs, the use of prepositions, the use of articles and also conjunction. Another opinion by Napitupulu (2017) that the students’ writing difficulties lies in the inappropriate choice of words and the use of the wrong word structure due to the students tend rely on their mother tongue in expressing their ideas which have no similarities in structure and context in English. Based on the explanation above, the researcher is interested to analysis of The Students' Persuasive Paragraph Writing Ability at The Third Semester of Palopo Cokroaminoto University. Method This research applied quantitative method. It aimed to analysis of The Students' Persuasive Paragraph Writing Ability at The Third Semester of Palopo Cokroaminoto University. The population of this research is the third semester students of Primary School Teacher Education Study Program in Palopo Cokroaminoto University in academic year 2022/2023. The total number of populations was 200 students. The researcher applied the purposive sampling technique and there are 35 students as sample. Writing test is the instrument of this research. Results The raw score of the students’ writing ability are elaborated emphasizing on the five components of writing: content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanics. The range scores were classified into five levels adapted from scoring classification by Jacobs HL, et. Al. (1981:91), namely ‘very good’, ‘good’, ‘average’, ‘poor’, and ‘very poor’. The frequency and rate percentage of the students’ writing ability in five components are presented as follows: 1) Content Table 4.1 The frequency and rate percentage of the students’ writing ability on content of writing component Score Classification Frequency Percentage (%) 88 - 100 Very good 2 6.6 % 75 - 87 Good 28 93.4 % 61 - 74 Average 0 0 47 - 60 Poor 0 0 IDEAS, Vol. 10, No. 2, December 2022 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 1781 34 - 46 Very poor 0 0 Total 30 100 The result of data analysis for the content component above showed that none of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor” classification, 2 (6.6%) students acquired “very good” classification, 28 (93.4%) students acquired “good” classification. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score and standard deviation are presented in following table: Table 4.2 The mean score and standard deviation of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability in content Mean Score Standard Deviation 83.66 4.36 The mean score was 83.66 which was categorized as “good” classification. 2) Organization Table 4.3. The frequency and rate percentage of the students’ writing ability on organization of writing component Score Classification Frequency Percentage (%) 88 – 100 Very good 1 3.3 % 75 – 87 Good 29 96.7 % 61 – 74 Average 0 0 47 – 60 Poor 0 0 34 – 46 Very poor 0 0 Total 30 100 Based on the table above for organization, none of the students acquired “very poor”, “poor” and “average” in organization component, 1 (3.3%) students acquired “very good” classification, 29 (96.7%) acquired “good”. None of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor”. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability is presented in following table: Table 4.4 the mean score and standard deviation of the students’ writing ability in organization Juwita Crestiani M, Opik Dwi Indah, Hermini Analysis of the Students' Persuasive Paragraph Writing Ability at University 1782 Mean Score Standard Deviation 81.83 4.25 The mean score in organization was 81.83 which was categorized as “good” classification. 3) Vocabulary Table 4.5 the frequency and rate percentage of the students’ writing ability on vocabulary of writing component Score Classification Frequency Percentage (%) 88 –100 Very good 1 3.3 % 75 – 87 Good 29 96.6 % 61 – 74 Average 0 0 47 – 60 Poor 0 0 34 – 46 Very poor 0 0 Total 30 100 The data in table 1 above showed there was 1 (3.3%) students acquired “very good” classification, 29 (96.6%) students acquired “good” classification and none of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor” classification. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score and standard deviation of vocabulary are presented in following table: Table 4.6 the mean score and standard deviation of the students’ writing ability in vocabulary Mean Score Standard Deviation 81.33 4.34 The mean score in vocabulary was 81.33 which were categorized as “good” classification. 4) Language Use Table 4.7 the frequency and rate percentage of the students’ writing ability on language use of writing component Score Classification Frequency Percentage (%) 88 – 100 Very good 1 3.3 % IDEAS, Vol. 10, No. 2, December 2022 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 1783 75 – 87 Good 29 96.6 % 61 – 74 Average 0 0 47 – 60 Poor 0 0 34 – 46 Very poor 0 0 Total 30 100 Based on the table above, there was 1 (3.3 %) students acquired “very good”, 29 (96.6 %) students acquired “good” and none of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor”. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score and standard deviation of language use is presented in following table: Table 4.8 The mean score and standard deviation of the students’ writing ability in language use Mean Score Standard Deviation 81.06 3.47 The mean score in was 81.06 which were categorized as “good” classification. 5) Mechanics Table 4.9 the frequency and rate percentage of the students’ writing ability on mechanics of writing component Score Classification Frequency Percentage (%) 88 - 100 Very good 1 3.3 % 75 - 87 Good 28 93.3 % 61 - 74 Average 0 0 47 - 60 Poor 1 3.3 % 34 - 46 Very poor 0 0 Total 30 100 Based on the table above, there was 1 (3.3 %) students acquired “very good” classification, 28 (93.3 %) students acquired “good” classification, 1 (3.3 %) students acquired “poor” classification. None of the students acquired “average” and “very poor” classification. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score and standard deviation of mechanics is presented in following table: Juwita Crestiani M, Opik Dwi Indah, Hermini Analysis of the Students' Persuasive Paragraph Writing Ability at University 1784 Table 4.10 the mean score and standard deviation of the students’ writing ability in mechanics Mean Score Standard Deviation 80.00 5.25 The mean score was 80.00 which was categorized as “good” classification. Based on the analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university in good classification. It was supported by the mean score in value range 75-87. The result of data analysis for the content component above in table 4.1 showed that none of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor” classification, 2 (6.6%) students acquired “very good” classification, 28 (93.4%) students acquired “good” classification. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score was 83.66 “good classification and standard deviation was 4.36. Based on the table above for organization in table 4.3, none of the students acquired “very poor”, “poor” and “average” in organization component, 1 (3.3%) students acquired “very good” classification, 29 (96.7%) acquired “good”. None of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor”. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score was 81.83 good classification and standard deviation was 4.25. The data in table 4.5 above for vocabulary showed there was 1 (3.3%) students acquired “very good” classification, 29 (96.6%) students acquired “good” classification and none of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor” classification. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score was 81.83 good classification and standard deviation of vocabulary was 4.34. The table 4.7 above for language use, there was 1 (3.3 %) students acquired “very good”, 29 (96.6 %) students acquired “good” and none of the students acquired “average”, “poor” and “very poor”. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score was 81.06 good classification and standard deviation of language use was 3.47. The table above 4.9 above for mechanics, there was 1 (3.3 %) students acquired “very good” classification, 28 (93.3 %) students acquired “good” classification, 1 (3.3 %) students acquired “poor” classification. None of the students acquired “average” and “very poor” classification. After calculating the result of the students’ writing ability, the mean score was 80.00 good classification and standard deviation of mechanics was 5.25. Based on the explanation above, analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university was good classification by the mean score in value range 75-87. It can be supported by the students’ content mean score was 83.66. The students’ organization mean IDEAS, Vol. 10, No. 2, December 2022 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 1785 score was 81.83. The students’ vocabulary mean score was 81.83. The students’ language use mean score was 81.06. The students’ mechanics mean score was 80.00. Therefore, analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university was good classification. This is relevance with a research that has been conducted by Azimi (2022) which entitled an analysis on students’ skill in paragraph writing at English Language Education of FKIP UIR that found that the students’ skill in paragraph writing was good. Conclusion Based on the data analysis, the researcher concludes analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university was good classification by the mean score in value range 75-87. It can be supported by the students’ content mean score was 83.66. The students’ organization mean score was 81.83. The students’ vocabulary mean score was 81.83. The students’ language use mean score was 81.06. The students’ mechanics mean score was 80.00. Therefore, analysis of the students' persuasive paragraph writing ability at the third semester of Palopo cokroaminoto university was good classification. References Abd. Rahman.2010. The Application of Collaborative Dictogloss Technique in Increasing The Students’ Writing Skill. A Thesis of State University of Makassar. Donovan, Mellisa.2012. Eight Characteristics of Good Writing. www.writingforward.com/better-writing/characteristics-of-good- writing.posted on January 12, 2019. 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