Improving students’ writing skill through mind mapping

Abstract

This study is aimed at examining if the use of mind mapping technique can improve students’ writing ability at Secretary Class of LP3I College, Banda Aceh. Writing skill employed in this study is focused on how students are able to generate and organize idea and write well two types of business letters (making inquiry and replying to inquiry letter). Those two types are selected as they are part of the core business letters studied on the subject of Business Correspondence. A classroom action research has been carried out using students’ writing tests. Analytical scoring rubric and descriptive qualitative procedures were used for the analysis. The findings of the study proved that the application of mind mapping technique in writing business letters was effective as the students’ results of writing from cycle onehad improved in cycle two and the students’ understanding of the writing concept got improved as well. The results from students’ writing tests showed that 78% of students (above the determined criteria of success) improved their writing ability. It obviously means that the application of mind mapping technique has given a significant impact on the improvement of students’ writing ability to write business letters.