INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
In today's globalized world, the significance of English cannot be underestimated, as it is extensively utilized across various countries and continents Consequently, English has emerged as the dominant global language, leading to a rapid increase in the demand for English learning.
In Vietnam, the significance of mastering English has led to its early introduction in education Universities and colleges are increasingly providing students with English-language resources and aiming to standardize foreign language proficiency Proficiency in English, particularly in writing, opens numerous career opportunities.
English proficiency is essential for young people seeking high-quality jobs and effective communication in a globalized world In corporate settings, English is the primary language, and employers often prioritize candidates with strong English skills Companies expanding internationally prefer graduates who can understand and communicate in English, making fluency a significant advantage in the job market Students proficient in English can access valuable information from foreign sources, leading to better job opportunities compared to their peers with limited language skills Therefore, learning English is not only necessary but also urgent for career success.
Mastering a foreign language involves developing four essential skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing Each skill has unique characteristics that can present both advantages and challenges for learners Among these, writing is often regarded as the most difficult skill for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners (Richard & Renandya, 2002) While a learner may excel in listening, speaking, or reading, writing remains a productive skill that demands significant effort and various factors for mastery Therefore, writing is a challenging skill that requires dedication and hard work from language learners.
Writing skills are essential for effective communication and play a vital role in social interactions Historically, humans have used symbols to convey thoughts, leading to the development of diverse writing systems that enhance understanding Writing is often regarded as one of humanity's greatest inventions, transforming lives and enabling communication across generations It preserves cultural and historical values, making it crucial in today's information technology-driven world, where face-to-face interactions are rare Proficiency in writing is necessary for success in the digital workspace, allowing individuals to express ideas clearly and pursue career opportunities more effectively Mastering writing skills, especially in English, is therefore of utmost importance.
In Vietnam, the predominant writing teaching method emphasizes the final product over the writing process, leading to challenges for students (Tran, 2007, p 152) As a result, when assigned a topic, students often prioritize completing their work rather than engaging in a thoughtful, iterative writing process.
Vietnamese teachers often struggle to revise their students' writing due to the high volume of papers they must grade In high school classes with over forty students, it becomes challenging for teachers to focus on each individual Consequently, the feedback provided on students' work typically centers around grammar and vocabulary issues (Pham, 2000, as cited in Tran).
Despite years of learning English, students often neglect writing practice, leading to poor results Observations of high school students revealed a lack of attention to writing skills, primarily because these skills are not assessed in mid-term or final exams Consequently, teachers prioritize other areas, particularly grammar, resulting in the gradual neglect of writing This collective disregard from both teachers and students makes low writing proficiency inevitable.
To address the challenges students face in writing, it is essential to identify effective methods for enhancing their writing skills Raimes (1983) highlights that students often struggle not only with vocabulary and grammar in a second language but also with the process of generating and articulating ideas Consequently, it is crucial for writers to be equipped with appropriate techniques to assist them in overcoming these writing challenges.
Writing is often perceived as a challenging skill for learners to practice regularly (Hedge, 1991, p 6), making it essential to provide tools that help them navigate initial writing obstacles Many students struggle with confidence and motivation to express their thoughts, while a limited vocabulary can hinder their ability to craft eloquent sentences Among various methods to enhance writing skills, mind mapping stands out as an effective technique for teaching This approach not only aids students in generating and organizing their ideas but also facilitates the structuring of their writing Mind maps have a long-standing history in education, particularly in topic introduction and idea organization.
In summary, the advantages of mind mapping highlight the necessity for educators to implement this technique in writing classes, aiming to enhance the teaching and learning experience while boosting Vietnamese students' motivation for writing lessons.
Statement of the problem
Students are expected to possess strong English proficiency, particularly in writing skills However, recent trends show that Vietnamese students are not being taught effective writing methods, leading to challenges in completing writing tasks efficiently and a lack of motivation in writing classes This study aims to tackle the issue of low writing ability among students by exploring the mind mapping technique as a potential solution to enhance their writing outcomes.
Aim of the study and research questions
This study explores the effectiveness of the mind mapping technique in improving students' paragraph writing skills and examines their attitudes towards its implementation in the classroom To achieve this objective, the research focuses on two key questions.
1 Does using mind mapping technique have any significant effects on students’ narrative writing?
2 What are students’ perspectives towards the application of mind mapping technique in learning narrative writing?
Significance of the study
Despite extensive research on mind mapping, there is a lack of studies examining its impact on students' narrative paragraph writing in Vietnam This presents a unique opportunity to implement the mind mapping technique and explore its potential benefits for students.
This study highlights the importance of enhancing writing skills, particularly paragraph writing, which is crucial for high school students and beneficial for both students and teachers in the teaching and learning process.
In university, students encounter various writing assignments, making strong writing skills essential Mastery begins with crafting effective paragraphs, serving as the foundation for advancing to essays, theses, and dissertations This study offers teachers innovative methods to enhance their writing instruction, fostering a more engaging classroom environment As students become more involved and enthusiastic about writing, teachers experience greater satisfaction in their roles, ultimately leading to improved teaching and learning outcomes in writing.
This study significantly contributes to the literature on mind mapping in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms, highlighting its benefits in teaching writing, particularly within the Vietnamese context Despite numerous studies on mind mapping, research focusing on its effects in writing instruction remains limited Additionally, exploring students' attitudes towards mind mapping across various levels and contexts is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of its effectiveness.
Organization of the study
This study is structured into five comprehensive chapters Chapter 1 outlines the study's background, problem statement, objectives, research questions, significance, and organization Chapter 2 reviews relevant literature, focusing on the theoretical foundations of mind mapping and previous research Chapter 3 details the research site, participants, methodology, analytical framework, and addresses validity and reliability concerns Chapter 4 presents the findings and discusses the results, while Chapter 5 concludes the study, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses and offering recommendations for future research and application.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The implementation of mind mapping technique in teaching narrative writing
The process approach to writing emerged in the 1980s, shifting focus from a language-based perspective to one that emphasizes the writing process itself This approach encourages writers to engage in all stages of writing, from planning to revising, ultimately leading to the completion of their final product As noted by Applebee (1986), it allows for a deeper understanding of writing as an activity centered on the writer's actions rather than merely the appearance of the finished work, such as organization, spelling, and grammar.
The process approach to writing emphasizes the importance of engaging in all stages of writing rather than solely focusing on the final product In this approach, learners take responsibility for their performance, while teachers act as facilitators, catering to students' needs, expectations, and learning styles Active collaboration between students, teachers, and peers is essential for successfully navigating the writing process However, this approach has drawbacks, such as neglecting the context of writing and promoting a more individualistic cognitive process rather than fostering a social and cultural environment.
Writing as a process consists of three key stages: prewriting, writing, and rewriting, as outlined by Murray (1972) Similarly, Hay and Flower (1981) categorize this process into planning, translating, and reviewing stages The planning stage enables writers to establish goals and devise a strategy to reach them In the translating stage, writers implement their plans to convert information from their memory into written text Finally, the reviewing stage involves proofreading and editing the entire document to ensure clarity and coherence.
Seow (2002) identifies a seven-step process writing model that emphasizes four core stages: planning, drafting, revising, and editing, alongside three additional teacher-imposed stages: responding, evaluating, and post-writing The planning stage involves generating and refining ideas through techniques like brainstorming and WH-Questions During drafting, students create their initial drafts based on their plans without making corrections The responding stage allows for peer and teacher feedback on these drafts In the revising stage, students focus on improving the organization and content of their work The editing stage involves checking for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary To facilitate evaluation, students use a scoring rubric during the evaluation stage Finally, the writing process concludes with post-writing, where students present their polished work to peers and teachers or share it through publishing or portfolios.
Writing is a multi-stage process that generally encompasses three main steps: pre-writing, writing, and post-writing While different authors may label these stages differently, they ultimately convey the same concepts The initial stage involves preparing to write, followed by the drafting phase where the writer creates the first draft Finally, the written work undergoes checking and editing Although there are variations in how authors describe these stages, educators in EFL writing classrooms can adapt these frameworks to suit specific contexts In this study, Seow’s (2002) seven steps will be utilized for teaching writing due to their clear presentation and ease of implementation.
2.3.2 Evaluation of narrative writing text
Numerous authors have identified essential elements of a well-written product Jacobs et al (1981) established five key components for writing assessment: content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanics, each with four proficiency levels ranging from very poor to excellent This framework includes specific descriptors for each level along with a numerical scoring system The scoring ranges for each component are as follows: content (13-30), organization (7-20), vocabulary (7-20), language (5-25), and mechanics (2-5) Hamp-Lyons (1990) noted that this scoring method is currently the most recognized approach for evaluating ESL writing.
Raimes (1983) shows that there are nine aspects of a good writing They are content, the writer’s process, audience, purpose, word choice, organization, mechanics, grammar and syntax
Figure 3: Producing piece of writing (Raimes, 1983)
Heaton (1988) outlines five key aspects of writing in his book: language use, mechanical skills, treatment of content, stylistic skills, and judgment skills Language use focuses on the appropriateness of grammatical and syntactical patterns, while mechanical skills pertain to punctuation and spelling Treatment of content emphasizes the ability to express ideas effectively, and stylistic skills relate to the use of language Lastly, judgment skills assess the organization of ideas To produce high-quality writing, Brown (2001) emphasizes the importance of organization, content, vocabulary, syntax, and mechanics.
Gutierrez, Puello, and Galvis (2015) identified five key criteria for evaluating students' written work: the use of connectors, clarity of ideas, grammar and syntax, vocabulary, and spelling.
The three lists highlight various aspects of writing, including overlapping factors such as grammar and syntax, where grammar is a component of syntax Key elements like the writer's process, audience, and purpose are reflected in the text's organization and content By adhering to an effective writing process that includes generating, drafting, and revising, writers can create well-organized texts If the content is relevant, clear, and engaging, writers can successfully achieve their intended purpose and meet the needs of their audience.
In addition, it can be seen that there are similar aspects, namely Organization, Content, Vocabulary, Syntax and Mechanics in the lists of Jacobs et al (1981), Raimes
(1983), Heaton (1988) and Brown (2001) To sum up, it is believed that a good piece of writing should be evaluated based on these five aspects.
Empirical research
Research indicates that the mind mapping technique positively influences students' writing skills Due to its benefits for student achievement and attitude, mind mapping has become an effective teaching strategy for enhancing writing instruction.
Al Jarf (2009) conducted a study on enhancing writing skills among 86 EFL female freshman students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia The participants were divided into a control group, which received traditional textbook instruction, and an experimental group that utilized a combination of traditional teaching and mind mapping software Initially, there was no significant difference in writing abilities between the two groups However, post-test results indicated that the experimental group, who used the mind mapping software, demonstrated significant improvements in their writing skills.
Laksmono (2015) explored the impact of the Mind Mapping Technique on narrative paragraph writing in a study involving ninth-grade students at SMPK Stella Maris Surabaya Utilizing a nonequivalent group pre-test and post-test design, the research comprised two groups: an experimental group taught with mind mapping and a control group using Semi-Controlled Writing Following three 80-minute treatment sessions, students completed a post-test, with their writing assessed based on content, vocabulary, organization, language use, and overall narrative composition The findings indicated a significant improvement in content, vocabulary, and organization, along with the total narrative composition score However, while there was an effect on language use, it was not statistically significant, as the two-tailed test probability exceeded 0.05.
In a quasi-experimental study by Wijaya (2015) titled “The Effect of Using Mind Mapping on the Writing Comprehension Ability of the Tenth-Grade Students at SMA Tiga Maret Yogyakarta in the Academic Year of 2014/2015,” data was collected through pre-tests and post-tests, with subsequent checks for homogeneity and normality The hypothesis was analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), revealing that there was no significant difference in writing ability between students taught with mind mapping and those taught using conventional methods Consequently, the study concluded that mind mapping did not enhance students’ writing abilities.
A research study titled “Mind Mapping Techniques to Enhance EFL Writing Skill” by Bukhari (2016) investigated the effectiveness of mind mapping in teaching writing to Saudi intermediate learners The study involved a sample of 40 learners and 20 English language teachers from the English Language Institute, and it was conducted in two phases: a survey phase and an experimental phase After an 8-week treatment, the results indicated that learners who were taught using the mind mapping technique showed significant improvements in writing, including cohesion, coherence, content, paragraph structure, and overall length.
Rahmah (2017) studied the effectiveness of the Mind Mapping Technique on eighth-grade students' writing abilities in descriptive text at MTs Negeri 1 Kota Tangerang Selatan during the 2016 academic year.
In a 2017 study utilizing a quantitative quasi-experimental design, researchers examined the effects of the mind mapping technique on eighth grade students' descriptive writing skills The sample consisted of 52 students, with both an experimental and a control class involved A written test served as the primary instrument for pre-test and post-test evaluations, and an analytical scoring rubric was employed to assess the results The findings indicated that the mind mapping technique yielded positive outcomes in enhancing students' abilities to write descriptive texts.
Research indicates that the mind mapping technique effectively enhances students' writing skills, with positive outcomes reported across various studies Notably, Laksmono (2015) demonstrated improvements in content, vocabulary, organization, and overall narrative composition scores; however, language use did not meet expectations, and the study lacked a process approach to writing instruction Furthermore, there is a gap in research regarding the application of mind mapping in narrative paragraph writing within the Vietnamese context To address this, the current study will implement the mind mapping technique alongside a process approach to teach students narrative paragraph writing.
Chapter summary
Chapter 2 has presented the literature review of the thesis including four main parts First, the researcher provided some theory of mind mapping and narrative writing Next, she clarified the reasons and procedure for using mind mapping in teaching narrative writing Ultimately, the empirical studies and the gap of the study were highlighted in the last part.
METHODOLOGY
Research site
This study was conducted over two months at Viet Anh High School in Ho Chi Minh City, from August 14 to October 20, 2017 The school, part of the Major Education Group, offers various English courses for young learners and adults Students at Viet Anh are instructed under two programs: a Vietnamese curriculum and an International English program, which includes IELTS preparation At the time of the study, the school had a total enrollment of 425 students.
In fact, Viet Anh School consists of two campuses, namely VA1, located at 269A Nguyen Trong Tuyen, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District, and VA2, located at No 1, Street
The research was conducted at VA1, located in the Vinh Loc Residential Area of Binh Hung Hoa Ward, Binh Tan District, during the 2017-2018 academic year, where the researcher was assigned to teach English.
Participants
The study involved 40 tenth-grade students from Viet Anh High School, specifically from classes 10A1 and 10C1, which the researcher oversaw Students were selected based on specific criteria.
The researcher's observations and evaluations were conducted while teaching four tenth-grade classes For the study, two classes were selected, as they shared identical learning conditions and utilized the same course materials, ensuring that the students possessed comparable knowledge and backgrounds necessary for participation in the research.
The researcher administered a general test to four groups to select two classes of equivalent levels Consequently, 10A1 was designated as the control group, while 10C1 was chosen as the experimental group.
Both the experimental and control groups received simultaneous instruction from the researcher, ensuring that external factors such as time, study conditions, and examinations did not influence the results.
The personal information of two groups is shown in the table below
The table presents the demographic details of both the experimental group, consisting of 19 students (N = 19), and the control group with 21 students (N = 21) It outlines key factors such as gender, age, duration of English study, and participation in additional English courses during the data collection period.
First of all, in terms of gender, among 19 students in the experimental group, there are 14 males and 5 females In the control group, the number of male students is
Out of 21 students, 14 are male, resulting in 7 female students The percentage of male and female students in both groups is quite similar, although the total number of students varies.
Attending any extra English courses
Secondly, in terms of age, a majority of students in two classes are in the age of
16, only one student from each class is 17 years old
The duration of English study is a significant factor, with all students in both groups having studied the language for over 5 years In the experimental group, 15 out of 19 students have dedicated between 5 to 8 years to learning English, while only 4 students have more extensive experience beyond this period.
Over a period of 8 years, the control group demonstrated that 16 out of 21 students learned English within 5 to 8 years, while 5 students studied for more than 8 years This indicates that the duration of English study is similar for both groups, primarily ranging from 5 to 8 years, suggesting that they began their English education during primary school.
During data collection, most students in both groups did not enroll in any extra courses, as they spent their entire day studying at school Consequently, the researcher did not need to consider the effects of additional courses on the students In summary, the background information indicates that there are no significant differences between the two groups in the four aspects discussed.
A significant majority of students in the experimental group recognized the importance of writing skills, with 98 students affirming that writing is either important (14%) or very important (84%).
Methodology
This section deals with the three parts of the study approach, method, and technique
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the mind mapping technique on enhancing students' narrative paragraph writing skills, while also assessing their attitudes towards its application To achieve these objectives, a quantitative approach was chosen to measure the impact of the treatment on the participants (Yount, 2006).
Creswell (2002) identifies three designs within the quantitative paradigm: experiment, correlation, and description The experimental design includes pre-experimental, true-experimental, and quasi-experimental types (Hatch & Farhady, 1982) Quasi-experimental methods are particularly useful when random sampling is not feasible, making them effective for assessing the impact of educational programs This study focuses on two variables: the independent variable, which is the mind mapping technique, and the dependent variable, students' writing ability, highlighting their cause-and-effect relationship.
The study employed various research instruments, including pre-tests, post-tests, and a questionnaire The intervention involved the use of the mind mapping technique, which was not implemented in the control group.
This study utilizes tests to assess students' writing skills, employing a pre-test to evaluate their abilities prior to the treatment and a post-test to measure the differences in writing achievement between the two groups after the treatment.
The data collection procedure involved selecting two classes at Viet Anh High School, where the researcher served as the teacher To ensure student cooperation, she explained the purpose of her study and its relevance to her thesis for the TESOL course at FELL, USSH Additionally, students were informed about their roles in assisting with the research.
Both groups of students participated in a 30-minute pre-test that involved writing a narrative paragraph, conducted in class on the same day The test took place in the morning, and most students felt at ease while completing it Once finished, all papers were collected and assessed by two raters.
The questions for the pre-test and post-test were taken from the textbook named
The researcher utilized the Smart Time materials, consisting of a student's book and workbook (Evans & Dooley, 2017), for her teaching demonstration following the pre-test phase, marking the beginning of the treatment process.
The effectiveness of this study is significantly influenced by the teaching materials utilized The researcher dedicated considerable time to thoroughly examining the material prior to creating lesson plans for her classes The primary resource employed in this study is Tieng Anh 10 (Hoang et al.).
In Vietnam, the official materials for 10th grade students include "Tieng Anh 10" and "Smart Time" (Evans & Dooley, 2017) These texts were selected as primary resources because "Tieng Anh 10" is a compulsory part of the curriculum, particularly emphasizing narrative writing in its first unit.
In addition, the Smart Time is a new series of books published by Viet Nam Education Publishing House
In the 10th grade curriculum, students have four weekly English periods, with the first three following a compulsory program and one optional period for flexible teaching materials and skills This flexibility allows the researcher to implement the mind mapping technique to enhance writing skills Students benefit from new books and teaching methods, prompting the researcher to carefully select lessons that align with narrative writing Out of nine units in the curriculum, four units were chosen for their relevance, with Unit 1 sourced from Tieng Anh 10 and Units 2, 3, 6, and 9 from Smart Time A summary of these selected materials is provided in Table 3.
The researcher develops lesson plans for both the control and experimental groups, with the control group receiving traditional instruction In contrast, the experimental group is taught to write narrative paragraphs using the mind mapping technique and the process approach The teaching procedures are outlined in detail.
All students received instruction on narrative writing in the 9th grade, which provides them with a foundational understanding of the topic To enhance the effectiveness of this study, the researcher will conduct a lesson on narrative writing to ensure that all participants have a comprehensive grasp of the subject.
Table 3: The summary of selected materials
1 A day in the life of …
• - Narrative and the past simple
• - an email about a visit to a place
• - an informal email about your holiday (TIPS: adjectives; tenses opening / closing remarks; brainstorming)
• - a story (TIPS: sequence words; tenses; adjectives, story cards)
• - a short text on the national weather service in your country
• - a blog comment / email about a festival
• - an email describing a celebration you attended (TIPS: adjectives; recommending; error correction)
• - a short text about a festival in your country
• - narrating an experience and recommending
• - an informal letter your neighborhood (TIPS: word order; brainstorm)
In the initial phase, the researcher guides her students through the lesson content and assigned exercises For the control group, class 10A1, she employs a traditional technique to help students plan their writing by generating ideas through listing Following the lesson, students engage in writing practice, starting with the teacher posing topic-related questions to which students respond in turn The teacher provides feedback and vocabulary support as needed Subsequently, students draft their writing, receive feedback on their drafts, and ultimately submit their final products to the teacher for evaluation.
In the experimental group, class 10C1, students will engage in a seven-step writing process that includes planning, drafting, responding, revising, editing, evaluating, and post-writing The initial step involves generating ideas through the mind mapping technique, as instructed by the researcher.
The mind mapping technique will be introduced to the experimental group to ensure all participants understand what a mind map is and how to create one The researcher will demonstrate the process by presenting a topic on the board and engaging students with questions such as, “What are you going to write?”, “Who is going to read it?”, “What should you include?”, and “How many words should you read?” This interactive approach will help students gain a clear understanding of their task.
Analytical framework
After completing the pre-test, post-test, and questionnaires, the researcher initiated data analysis Quantitative analysis, which offers a statistical and numerical perspective on people's thoughts (Creswell, 1994), will be employed to evaluate the results from these assessments.
Quantitative analysis was employed to evaluate the data from the pre-test and post-test results of both the experimental and control groups The assessments were graded using an analytical scoring rubric, which is detailed in Appendix C.
First, the students’ scores were classified into four categories based on the way of classifying students’ levels of Vietnamese education program
The t-test, as noted by Brown (2001, p 146), is a statistical tool used to compare two means and assess the significance of their difference at a specified probability level To evaluate the differences between two groups, researchers employ the independent samples t-test A difference is deemed not significant if the obtained significance (2-tailed) value exceeds the alpha level of 0.05; conversely, a significance value of 0.05 or lower indicates a statistically significant difference.
To investigate the effects of mind mapping on various writing components, the researcher employed a one-way ANOVA test, also known as single factor analysis of variance This statistical method compares two or more independent groups concerning a dependent variable Ensuring the accuracy of ANOVA requires verifying certain assumptions As outlined by Morgan et al (2004), these assumptions include: (1) independence of observations, meaning one observation's value does not influence another's; (2) equal variances of the dependent variable across groups; and (3) normal distribution of the dependent variable within each group.
This study utilized questionnaires based on a five-point Likert scale, where students' responses were assigned numeric values for ease of computation: Strongly disagree = 1, Disagree = 2, Neutral = 3, Agree = 4, and Strongly agree = 5 The data analysis involved calculating the mean, frequency, and percentage, which were presented in bar charts and tables.
According to Mamhot, Martin and Masangya (2013), the scoring for questionnaire items was established as follows
Table 8: Interpretation of mean scores
The data gathered from the questionnaires will be illustrated using bar charts to represent the mean values, while frequency and percentage will be detailed in tables Each table will analyze the responses for each item across two rows: the first row will display the frequency of student responses, and the second row will present the corresponding percentages.
Issues of validity and reliability
To achieve the research objective, it is crucial to carefully consider the issues of validity and reliability As noted by Bachman (1990, p 160), increasing the reliability of our measures is essential for meeting the necessary condition for validity Therefore, a test score must be reliable to be deemed valid.
Validity, as defined by Gregory (1992), refers to "the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure" (p 117) A measure is considered valid if it accurately assesses the intended concept without the interference of extraneous factors Content validity specifically examines whether the test items genuinely represent the theoretical domain of the construct being measured To achieve this, the items must serve as a representative sample of all potential questions derived from the construct (Crocker & Algina, 1986; DeVellis, 1991; Gregory, 1992).
Reliability refers to the consistency of a survey in measuring its intended variable (Brown, 2001) It is defined as the extent to which an instrument yields the same results under the same conditions and with the same subjects (Wysocki, 2007) An instrument is deemed reliable if it consistently provides the same score for individuals or objects that possess equal values.
In this study, the researcher checked the validity and reliability of the two instruments, namely tests and questionnaires as follows
The validity of the instrument was assessed through content validity, ensuring it effectively defines its measurement goals In this study, the test topics were derived from the textbook used by students, with the pre-test material being part of the 9th-grade curriculum This alignment guarantees the objectives of the test are well-founded.
To ensure test reliability, an analytic scoring rubric was developed to minimize teacher bias in grading student papers This rubric was crafted by identifying the essential elements of quality writing and incorporating indicators that reflect the characteristics of narrative texts.
To ensure the reliability of the test, the researcher employed inter-rater reliability, which measures the consistency of different raters' evaluations The two raters involved in assessing the students' writing were the researcher and an experienced English teacher from Viet Anh High School, who has five years of teaching experience and serves as the group leader of the English department Recognized for her diligence and dependability, she was invited to participate as the first rater Following an informal discussion about the study, the researcher presented the analytical scoring rubric and provided a clear explanation They then collaboratively marked a test paper to ensure mutual understanding of the rubric and effective evaluation techniques.
To ensure the validity of the independent samples t-test, the researcher verified several assumptions regarding the mean score According to Hoang and Chu (2008), a key assumption is that the variances of the two groups' scores must be equal Meeting this assumption allows for a reasonable interpretation of the t-test results, indicating whether the means are significantly different In this study, the researcher employed Levene’s test to assess the equality of variances between the two groups (Hoang & Chu, 2008, p 136).
To enhance the value of questionnaires, it is crucial to verify their reliability meticulously Brown (2001) emphasizes that while raw frequency serves as the fundamental unit of analysis, relying solely on percentages can obscure significant insights; thus, presenting both metrics is advisable Key aspects to consider in Cronbach’s alpha analysis include the Corrected item-total correlation and the impact on Cronbach’s alpha if an item is removed De Vaus (2004) notes that a corrected item-total correlation below 03 indicates a weak correlation, which is important for effective item analysis.
Also, according to Brown (2001, p 173), the value of Cronbach’s Alpha provides
An accurate estimate of internal consistency can be achieved using dichotomous responses, such as right or wrong and yes or no, as well as responses measured on scales like the Likert scale.
In addition, if this value is above 0.7, the reliability of the instruments is considered acceptable (Nunnaly, 1978; Pallant, 2007, p 97).
Chapter summary
Chapter 3 has shown the methodology employed in this study to find out the answers to the two research questions presented in Chapter 1 In this chapter, the researcher provided the description of the research site, participants’ background information, the research methodology, the analytical framework and the issues of validity and reliability.
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Data analysis
After being marked by two raters, the individual scores of the control and the experimental groups can be found in Appendix E
The two tables below show the results of the inter-rater reliability tests for the pre-test and post-test of both groups
Table 9: The correlation coefficient of pre-test
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
M1: Mean score by rater 1 M2: Mean score by rater 2
Table 10: The correlation coefficient of post-test
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
M1: Mean score by rater 1 M2: Mean score by rater 2
The Pearson Correlation values for both the control and experimental groups in the pre-test and post-test were below 0.05, indicating a significant correlation between the two raters in both assessments.
4.1.1.2 Resemblance in the pre-test
To facilitate the comparison of scores between the two groups, the researcher categorized the learners' scores into four distinct levels: excellent, good, average, and poor Each participant's pre-test score was determined by averaging the scores given by the two raters, as detailed in Appendix E.
Table 11: Grouping of pre-test scores
Table 11 illustrates the grade distributions of the control and experimental groups in the pre-test, revealing that neither group had students achieving excellent scores The control group had nearly double the number of students (9) earning good scores compared to the experimental group (5) Notably, a significant portion of students in both groups received average and poor scores, with 12 out of 21 in the control group and 12 out of 19 in the experimental group This indicates that over half of the students in each group fell into these categories Overall, while some students achieved good scores, the majority had average scores, suggesting that both groups exhibited similar writing skill levels at the outset.
The mean score for each group was calculated to provide a clearer perspective The table below presents the descriptive data of the pre-test results for both the control and experimental groups.
Table 12: Group statistics of pre-test
Control Group Pre-test 21 5.7500 1.42056 30999 Experimental Group Pre-test 19 5.5868 1.59912 36686
Table 12 presents the group statistics of the pre-test results, highlighting the mean, standard deviation, and standard error of the mean for both the control and experimental groups The control group achieved an average score of 5.75, with a standard deviation of 1.4 and a standard error of mean of 0.3 In contrast, the experimental group had an average score of 5.58, a standard deviation of 1.6, and a standard error of mean of 0.36 The calculated difference between the means of the two groups is 0.16, indicating a slight disparity.
An independent samples t-test was conducted to ensure there is no significant difference between the average scores of the two groups, with the results presented in the table below.
Table 13: Independent Samples t-test of pre-test scores for control and experimental group
Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means
F Sig t df Sig Mean differences
95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper
The statistical analysis reveals two key components: Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances and the t-test for Equality of Means The significance value in Levene’s Test was 444, which exceeds the alpha level of 05 established at the beginning of the study, indicating that the variances of the data are homogeneous Consequently, the results of the t-test can be deemed reliable.
The analysis of the t-test was conducted under the assumption of equal variances, revealing a t-value of t(38) = 0.342 and a significance level (2-tailed) of 0.734, which exceeds the alpha threshold of 0.05 Consequently, this indicates that there was no significant difference in the mean scores between the control and experimental groups, suggesting that the students' writing proficiency levels were equivalent prior to the treatment.
The pre-test scores for each writing component were calculated as the average of the scores from two raters, detailed in Appendix E To examine the similarities between the two groups regarding their writing components, an ANOVA analysis was conducted, with the results presented in the table below.
Table 14: Mean of pre-test componential scores
The data indicates that the mean scores of students in both the control and experimental groups are nearly identical, highlighting a similarity in their writing component scores.
To compare the learners’ performance, the researcher continued analyzing the Sig value of ANOVA in the table below
Organization score Control group Pre-test 21 1.19 37692
Experimental group Pre-test 19 1.10 34112 Content score Control group Pre-test 21 1.21 25206
Experimental group Pre-test 19 1.13 32234 Syntax score Control group Pre-test 21 1.11 34746
Experimental group Pre-test 19 1.12 32718 Vocabulary score Control group Pre-test 21 1.15 28217
Experimental group Pre-test 19 1.12 33388 Mechanics score Control group Pre-test 21 1.07 38489
Table 15: Descriptive statistics of pre-test componential scores
The analysis of Table 15 indicates that there is no significant difference in writing skills between the two groups across all writing components, as all significance values exceed the alpha level of 0.05.
In order to guarantee the accuracy of ANOVA, the Levene’s test was used and the results were displayed in the table below
Table 16: Test of homogeneity of variances for pre-test componential scores df1 df2 Sig
Table 16 indicates that the writing component scores for both groups are homogeneous, as all Sig values exceed the Alpha level of 0.05 Consequently, the ANOVA results are deemed reliable.
4.1.1.3 Difference in the post-test
The post-test was conducted following the completion of the treatment by the researcher and students Each student's individual score was determined by averaging the scores given by two raters, ensuring inter-rater reliability The results of the post-test scores for both groups are detailed in Appendix E.
Sum of Squares df Mean
Within Groups 4.936 38 130 Content score Between Groups 064 1 064 774 385
Within Groups 4.341 38 114 Vocabulary score Between Groups 005 1 005 058 811
Within Groups 3.599 38 095 Mechanics score Between Groups 002 1 002 013 910
Within Groups 5.409 38 142 students’ scores were classified into four groups The bar chart below shows the results of this grouping
Table 17: Grouping of post-test scores
Table 17 reveals a significant disparity in grades between the two groups The post-test results indicate that five students in the experimental group achieved excellent scores, whereas none in the control group did Additionally, 33% of the control group and 32% of the experimental group received good scores, with seven and six students respectively Notably, 66.7% of the control group and 42% of the experimental group scored average or poor marks In summary, most students in the control group received average scores, while a higher number in the experimental group attained good grades.
To evaluate the significance of the differences in means between the two groups following the treatment, a t-test was conducted, with the findings presented in Table 18 and Table 19.
Table 18: Group statistics of post-test results
Total score Control Group Pre-test 21 6.1929 84117 18356
Table 19: Independent Samples t-test of post-test in control group and experimental group
Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means
95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper
Discussion of the findings
4.2.1 The improvement of learners’ performance before and after treatment
This study aims to investigate the impact of the mind mapping technique on students' narrative writing skills To assess its effectiveness, the researcher analyzed pre-test and post-test results The pre-test results confirmed the homogeneity of students' writing abilities prior to the intervention, while the post-test results were utilized to evaluate the effects of the mind mapping technique following the treatment.
The data analysis indicates a similarity in writing skills between the control and experimental groups during the pre-test, while a notable difference emerged in the post-test results.
Before the treatment, both groups demonstrated similar writing skills, with no student achieving excellent scores in the pre-test The majority of students received average or poor scores, with over half scoring below 5 points Although the control group's mean score was slightly higher than that of the experimental group, the difference was minimal An independent samples t-test confirmed that both groups began at the same level of writing ability, indicating no significant difference in their skills prior to the treatment.
After the treatment, a significant difference in writing ability emerged between the two groups, with the experimental group showing considerable improvement Although some students scored poorly on the post-test, the number of students achieving good and excellent scores increased notably Notably, no students in the control group received an excellent score, while the experimental group had many students achieving excellent results Furthermore, the mean scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group, indicating a statistically significant difference between the two groups following the treatment.
The primary distinction between the two groups lies in their writing organization and content quality Mind mapping has been shown to effectively assist students in structuring their writing, resulting in greater cohesiveness and significant improvements in content However, it did not enhance students' syntax, vocabulary, or mechanics This finding contrasts with Supriyanto (2013), who claimed that the mind mapping technique could aid students in addressing writing elements like grammar and vocabulary.
Mind mapping offers students a visual way to express ideas through pictures, enhancing their understanding of writing organization and content This technique significantly improves these two components, allowing for successful writing development However, it does not positively affect syntax, vocabulary, or mechanics As students focus on keywords, symbols, and images, their ability to construct full sentences diminishes, leading to challenges in syntax usage The emphasis on brief expressions restricts vocabulary application, making it time-consuming for students to think of appropriate words when writing Additionally, the lack of sentence practice during mind mapping results in oversight of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors, ultimately affecting their mechanics scores.
The experimental group demonstrated superior performance compared to the control group after receiving treatment, indicating that mind mapping is more effective than traditional writing techniques This conclusion aligns with previous studies by Al Jarf (2009), Laksmono (2015), Bukhari (2016), and Rahmah (2017) Given the positive impact of mind mapping on writing skills, it is a valuable technique for teaching writing.
4.2.2 Learners’ attitudes towards the application of mind mapping technique in learning narrative writing
The questionnaire results indicate that students hold favorable views on the mind mapping technique The discussion is organized around four key themes: the significance of writing skills, comprehension of mind mapping, the defining features of mind mapping, and its potential drawbacks.
Writing skills are highly valued, with many students emphasizing their importance When students recognize the significance of writing, they are able to focus their attention on improving this essential skill.
Students demonstrated a strong understanding of mind mapping, defining it as a visual thinking tool They recognized its key characteristics, including its non-linear presentation, where branches radiate from a central idea Additionally, sub-branches represent less important themes, and the overall structure is nodal.
The mind mapping technique significantly enhances students' writing skills, particularly in organization and content Students reported improved logical structuring of their writing and a richer content quality However, they perceived no impact on syntax, vocabulary, or mechanics The post-test results corroborated these beliefs, highlighting the specific areas of improvement facilitated by mind mapping.
Mind mapping significantly enhances students' memory, creativity, and motivation, enabling them to effectively recall lessons during exams Students reported that this technique fosters creativity by facilitating the generation of new ideas and makes writing lessons more engaging Overall, learners experienced minimal difficulties while utilizing mind mapping in their studies.
Chapter summary
Chapter 4 has analyzed and interpreted the data from pre-test, post-test and tests and questionnaires In addition, the discussion of the findings is highlighted in this chapter A statistical difference was observed between the experimental and control groups, showing that mind mapping technique is an effective way for narrative writing They also have positive attitude to the use of mind mapping technique.
