The Third Year Students’ Ability in Using Mechanics in Writing English Essay at the English Education Department of Bung Hatta University. Thesis. English Department, Bung Hatta University.

Abstrak

The purpose of this research was to describe the third year students’ ability in using mechanics in writing English essay at the English Education Department of Bung Hatta University.The population of this research was the third year students at the English Education Department of Bung Hatta University. To select the sample, the researcher used total sampling and the total of sample was twenty-four (24) students. The data were collected using writing essay test. The researcher used inter-rater method to know by the reliability of the test. The reliability coefficient of the test was 1.00.

The result of this research showed that in general the third year students’ ability at the English Education Department of Bung Hatta University in writing English essay using mechanics was very good. It was proved by the research that 83% students had very good ability.In specific, the third year students’ wrtiting ability to express period was very good. It was proved by the finding that 100% students had very good ability. The third year students’ writing ability to use comma was very good. It was proved by the finding that 87% students had very high ability. The third year students’ ability to use capitalization was good. It was proved by the finding that 58% students had very high ability.

The researcher concluded that the third year students’ ability in using mechanics in writing English essay at the English Education Department of Bung Hatta University was very good. It was supported by the result of data analysis that there were 20 (83%) students who had very good ability. The researcher recommended some suggestion as follows: 1) the students were expected to maintained their ability in writing essay especially in using period. 2) the students were expected to maintain their ability in writing essay in using comma and improve it. 3) the lecturers should explain how to use capitalization in writing essay correctly, and give them more practice to improve their ability in using capitalization.

Keyword: Writing, Ability, Essay, Mechanics