DIFFICULTIES AND QUALITIES IN
WRITING DESCRIPTIVE ESSAYS IN
GRADE 10TH AT SENIOR HIGH
SCHOOL
T. Mira Syahputri
Maya Fahrunnisa
Syafira Syafrina Siregar
Angel May Donna Br Sembiring
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INTRODUCTION
Writing is a process that involves expressing ideas, opinions,
thoughts, and feelings in written form.Writing is an essential
skill for academic success. Writing is not just a skill, it's a
cognitive process that empowers students to think critically,
communicate effectively and achieve academic and
professional excellence however many students found
struggle in writing, with vocabulary, grammar and organizing
their thoughts.
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Graham & Harris (2005), students who do
not master grammar often make mistakes in
sentence construction, making their writing
Nation (2001), vocabulary is the foundation difficult for readers to understand.
of writing ability, because without adequate
vocabulary, students cannot construct
meaningful sentences that are appropriate
to the context of the writing. Hyland (2003) states that a clear text structure
is an important element in writing, as it helps
readers follow the writer's train of thought. It is
not only about expressing ideas in written form,
but writing also requires a deep understanding
of the topic discussed.
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Identify and analyze SHS students' Investigate the differences in
Determine the overall quality
difficulties in writing descriptive the quality of descriptive essays
of descriptive essays written
essays. Specifically, this study aims to written by students from public
by students from public high
find out SHS students' difficulties in and private high schools.
schools compare to those
writing descriptive essays along
content and ideas, organization, written by students from
vocabulary and word choice, language private high schools.
use, formality and objectivity.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Harmer (2004) in his book How to Teach
Writing suggests that the quality of
descriptive essay writing can be measured
Writing Academic English (4th ed.) by Oshima based on several important parameters,
and Hogue (2006), the authors discuss such as coherence and cohesion.
various difficulties that students, particularly
Senior High School. These challenges are
James S. Coleman (1966) in "Equality of
closely related to key aspects of writing, such
Educational Opportunity" emphasizes the
as content and ideas, organization,
interplay between institutional factors
vocabulary and word choice, language use,
(schools), individual factors (motivation), and
formality and objectivity,
external influences (family background and
societal context) in shaping educational
outcomes.
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PREVIOUS STUDY
1. Nasyifa, Nazry, et al. (2023) conducted a 3. Yulianingsih, Sri, et al. (2024), in their study titled
significant investigation titled "Student's Difficulties "An Analysis of Students' Difficulties in Writing
in Writing an Essay Descriptive", the authors analyze Descriptive Texts", examines the challenges
the common structural, grammatical, and related to generic structure and language
descriptive language challenges encountered by features such as tense usage and translation
English education students. issues.
2. Hafizah, Wardah, et al. (2024) carried out a study 4. Hartina, St. et al. (2024) conducted a study titled
titled "High School Students' Difficulties in Writing "Exploring Students' Difficulties and Causes in
Descriptive Text", the authors identify mechanical Writing Descriptive Text", this article investigates
errors as the most common issue affecting students' students' difficulties in following the generic
writing quality, followed by grammar and structure of descriptive texts, using linguistic
vocabulary challenges. features, and applying proper mechanics.
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RESEARCH METHOD
Research Design Research Location The Subject of Research
This research employed a This research was conducted This research involved 10
mixed methods in two senior high schools in Grade students. Consisting of
Medan City that represent 5 students from SMA Negeri 16
approach, combining
public (SMA Negeri 16 Medan) Medan as the public schools
descriptive qualitative
and private educational representative and 5 students
and quantitative research from SMAS Brigjen Katamso
institutions (SMAS Brigjen
methods Medan as the private school
Katamso Medan).
representative.
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Instrument of Data Collection
The study adopted the This study used statistical
This study used a This study employs
Standardized Analytic analysis to process the
checklist analysis essay-based
Rubric for the data that had been
compiled by the questionnaires to collected. The results of
researcher with Evaluation of
obtain more in-depth the essay assessment were
reference to the Academic Writing
data on the analyzed using frequency
standardized based on Jacobs'
differences in the distribution, mean
criteria developed model, which has been calculation, and t-test to
quality of descriptive
by Jacobs to refined by Valdez, to compare the quality of
writing between
identify students' assess the overall writing between students
quality of essays
students from public
difficulties in writing from public and private
written by students. and private schools. schools.
academic essays.
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Technique of Collecting Data
Essay writing test, where students Essay questionnaire, which was
were asked to write a descriptive administered to students to understand
essay based on academic the external factors that influenced their
standards. writing ability.
Observations were made using a Statistical analysis to process the data
writing difficulty checklist. This from the tests and questionnaires. The data
were analyzed using frequency distribution,
checklist was used to record and
mean calculation, and t-test to see the
identify obstacles experienced by difference in writing quality between
students in writing essays. students from public and private schools.
Result & Discussion
UNIVERSITAS Results of Difficulties of SHS students in writing academic
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essays
SHS students face significant challenges in writing
academic essays, categorized into five main areas:
1. Content & Ideas → Difficulty in idea variety (32.1%), lack of topic
depth (17.9%), lack of supporting details (21.4%), and unclear
purpose of writing (25%).
2. Organization → Problems with the use of conjunctions (17.8%),
logical sequence (13.3%), weak essay structure (15.6%), and lack
of fluency of expression (17.8%).
3. Vocabulary → Limited variety of words (45.5%), inappropriate
word usage (31.8%), and difficulty maintaining academic style
(22.7%).
4. Language Use→ Sentence structure errors (22.6%), grammar
(19.4%), and unclear meaning (19.4%).
5. Formalism & Objectivity → Use of first-person pronouns (25%),
informal language (17.9%), and contractions and abbreviations
that detract from the academic impression (10.7%).
UNIVERSITAS Results of Overall Quality of the Academic Essays of SHS
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Students
Overall Quality of the Academic Essays of SHS Students
1. Content & Ideas (2.3 - Poor to Fair): Limited argument
development; 40% rated Poor to Fair, 20% Very Poor.
2.Organization (1.9 - Poor to Fair): Weak structure; 50% Poor to Fair,
30% Very Poor.
3. Vocabulary (2.0 - Poor to Fair): Repetitive word choice; 40% Poor
to Fair, 30% Very Poor.
4. Grammar & Sentence Structure (1.7 - Very Poor): Frequent errors;
50% Poor to Fair, 40% Very Poor.
5. Formality & Objectivity (2.1 - Poor to Fair): Struggles with
academic tone; 50% Poor to Fair, 20% Very Poor.
6. Overall Quality (2.0 - Poor to Fair): No Very Good to Excellent
ratings; most essays below academic standards.
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Results of the difference on the quality of the academic essays of SHS
students in public and private schools
Private school students consistently outperformed public
school students in all areas of academic writing.
The most significant difference was in vocabulary and
word choice (p = 0.049), where private school students
demonstrated a stronger vocabulary range and better
word choice.
The overall writing quality was higher in private schools
(mean difference of 0.56), with the p-value (0.055) very
close to statistical significance.
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External Factor in Influencing Writing Quality
Social Environment
A supportive social environment plays a key role in language
development. 4 private school students have a supportive
environment and often practice English with friends, compared
to 3 public school students. Private school students tend to have
more peers who also study English, creating more opportunities
for practice.
Daily Practice & Exposure
Consistent practice is crucial for language acquisition. 4 private
school students often use English in everyday conversation,
compared to only 2 public school students who practice with
friends. Private school students have more opportunities to use
English in daily life, which enhances their writing skills.
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External Factor in Influencing Writing Quality
Social Environment
A supportive social environment plays a key role in language
development. 4 private school students have a supportive
environment and often practice English with friends, compared
to 3 public school students. Private school students tend to have
more peers who also study English, creating more opportunities
for practice.
Daily Practice & Exposure
Consistent practice is crucial for language acquisition. 4 private
school students often use English in everyday conversation,
compared to only 2 public school students who practice with
friends. Private school students have more opportunities to use
English in daily life, which enhances their writing skills.
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Conclusion
Writing descriptive essays is essential for academic success, yet many Senior High School
(SHS) students face significant challenges. These include generating diverse and relevant
ideas, organizing thoughts logically, selecting appropriate vocabulary, applying correct
grammar, and maintaining formality and objectivity. Weak paragraph structures, unclear
transitions, and a lack of logical flow make their writing difficult to follow. Limited
vocabulary and improper word choices further reduce clarity, while frequent grammar errors
and awkward sentence structures affect readability. Additionally, many students struggle to
adopt an academic tone, often using colloquial expressions, personal pronouns, and
emotional language, which weakens objectivity. These challenges highlight the need for a
more structured and effective approach to writing instruction in SHS education.
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Conclusion
Private school students outperform public school students in all aspects of descriptive
writing, with a significant advantage in vocabulary and word choice. While both groups
struggle with organization, grammar, and formality, public school students make more
frequent and severe errors. These differences stem from external factors such as family
support, motivation, and English exposure. Private school students benefit from a more
English-friendly environment at home and among peers, while public school students rely
more on tutoring and classroom instruction. Higher intrinsic motivation among private school
students, often driven by aspirations for international opportunities, further enhances their
writing proficiency.
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Conclusion
Bridging the writing gap between public and private school students requires targeted
interventions. Schools should provide structured writing instruction, guiding students
through essay development, from brainstorming to revision. Regular writing exercises and
peer reviews can enhance their skills. Increasing English exposure outside the classroom
through clubs, competitions, and immersion programs is also essential. Families play a key
role by fostering an English-friendly environment at home. Additionally, remedial
grammar and vocabulary workshops, along with digital tools like Grammarly and AI-
assisted feedback, can help students improve linguistic accuracy and overall writing
proficiency.
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Documentation
Thank You
