The Effectiveness of Mind Mapping Strategy in Writing Descriptive Texts for 8 Graders

Abstract

The study aims at finding the effectivess of using mind mapping as a prewriting strategy in order to help the students in writing descriptive texts, and to uncover the aspects of effectiveness addressed by the students after the treatment of mind mapping strategy. The participants were 64 Eighth-graders of State 1 Junior High School (SMPN 1) Banyubiru, Indonesia. This research used a mixed method of quantitative study particularly quasi experimental with questionnaire and interview techniques. This study used Independent samples t-test in order to analyze and compare the statistical result showed significant difference of progress shown by the experimental class as compared to the control class. It indicated that mind mapping was effective to help the students write the descriptive text. Furthermore, the result of questionnaires and interviews showed thet most of the students give positive responses toward the use of mind mapping strategy in writing descriptive text. In particular, mind mapping facilitated the students to organize their idea, plan students' writing, deal with the writing elements, write enjoyably, understand the writing content and improve their writing content and improve their writing achievement.