The Correlation between the Vocabulary Mastery and Translation Ability of the Eleventh-

Grade Students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang

by
ARI DESTIANA

a. Problem of the Study

“Is there any significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery and translation ability of
the eleventh-grade students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang?”

b. Objective of the Study

To find out whether or not there was a significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery
and translation ability of the eleventh-grade students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang.

c. Hypotheses of the Study

H0 : There is no significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery and
translation ability of the eleventh-grade students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang.
H1 : There is a significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery and
translation ability of the eleventh-grade students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang.

d. Method of the Study

Correlational method was used to conduct this study. According to Tuckman (1978: 148) cited
in Bangun (2006), a correlational study involves the collection of two or more sets of data
from a group of subjects with the attempt to determine the subsequent relationship between
those sets of data.

e. Population of the Study

The population of this study was all the eleventh-grade students of SMA Negeri 11
Palembang in the academic year 2006/2007 with a total number of 282 students. Arikunto
(2002: 108) defines population as a set (collection) of all elements possessing one or more
attributes of interest.

f. Sample of the Study

According to Wallen and Fraenkel (1991: 340), sample is the group of subjects on which
information is obtained. In this study, the writer took two classes out of seven classes to be
the sample of the study by using convenience sampling method. The sample was 81
students. Convenience sampling method is a method of sampling in which the selection is
based on groups of individuals who are (conveniently) available for the study (Wallen and
Fraenkel, 1991: 137).

g. Technique for Collecting the Data

The data were collected by means of a vocabulary test and translation test. According to
Arikunto (2002: 198), a test is used to measure one’s ability in a particular subject. The
vocabulary test was administered to find out the students’ vocabulary mastery. The test
consists of 50 multiple-choice items. The translation test was administered to find out the
students’ ability in translating English text into Indonesian. In the translation test, the students
were asked to translate a text consisting of 5 paragraphs from English into Indonesian.

h. Validity of the Tests

According to McMillan (1992: 100), validity is the judgment of the appropriateness of a
measure for the specific inferences/decisions that result from the scores generated by the
measure. In this study, the writer estimated the content validity of the tests. Content validity
refers to the extent to which the test items or questions in the instrument are representative of
some appropriate universe domain of content (Brown, 1991: 233). In order to estimate
content validity, a tester must decide whether the test is a representative sample of the
 content whatever the test was designed to measure (Brown, 1991: 233). In this case, the
writer devised the test items in accordance with the table of specifications of each test.
Appendix A1 is the specifications table of the vocabulary test and Appendix B1 is the
specifications table of the translation test.

i. Reliability of the Tests

According to Wallen and Fraenkel (1991: 85), reliability refers to the consistency of the
information obtained. Brown (1991: 192) states that the degree to which a test is consistent or
reliable can be estimated by calculating its reliability coefficient. In this study, the writer
estimated the internal-consistency reliability of the vocabulary test. Internal consistency
reliability is a measure of the degree to which the items or parts of a test are homogeneous
or consistent with each other (Richards, et al, 1990: 146). To estimate the reliability
coefficient of the vocabulary test, the writer used the Cronbach Alpha formula. For the
translation test, the writer estimated the intrarater reliability. According to Brown (1991: 203),
intrarater reliability may be necessary in language testing situations where raters make
judgments on students’ productive skills (speaking and writing) as in composition, oral
interview, or role-play situations. To find out the intrarater reliability, a test is administered
twice to the students on two separate occasions and then the two sets of scores are
correlated. The obtained correlation coefficient is considered as the reliability coefficient of the
test.

j. Technique for Collecting the Data

To find out whether or not there was a significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery
and the translation ability of the eleventh grade students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang, the
writer used the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient formula, as follows (Brown,
1991: 155):

rxy =
∑ ( y − y )( x − x )
N .Sy.Sx

where: rxy = Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient

Y = each student’s score on Test Y
Y = mean on Test Y
Sy = standard deviation on Test Y
X = each student’s score on Test X
X = mean on Test X
Sx = standard deviation on Test X
N = the number of students who took the two tests

k. Result of the Study

The correlation coefficient obtained was 0.620. The value of r-obtained was higher than the
critical value of r-table, so H0 was rejected and H1 was accepted. It means there was a
significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery and translation ability of the eleventh-
grade students of SMA Negeri 11 Palembang.