Analysis of Students’ Ability in Writing Application Letter at Tenth Grade Students of SMAN 2 Muaro Jambi

Sep 11, 2026

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The research analyzed tenth-grade students’ ability at SMAN 2 Muaro Jambi in writing application letters, emphasizing content writing skills. A quantitative descriptive method was used with 35 students as research subjects. Data were collected through a writing test and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results showed varied performance in overall letter writing: 29% very high, 20% high, 14% moderate, and 37% low. Content writing was dominated by low ability, with 72% in the low category, while only 11% were very high and 17% high.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background and purpose

Components and structure of application letters

Problems observed during teaching practice

Review of Related Literature

Nature of writing

Writing processes

Writing components

An Analysis of Students’ Ability in Writing Application Letter at Tenth Grade Students ofSMAN 2 Muaro Jambi Sisra Wenti, Nurul Fitri, Khidayatul Munawwaroh English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Educational Sciences, University of Batanghari Email: [sisrawenti@gmail.com](sisrawenti@gmail.com) ABSTRACT This research aimed to analyze the ability of tenth-grade students at SMAN 2 Muaro Jambi in writing application letters, with a specific focus on their content writing skills. This study employed a quantitative descriptive method. The subjects of the research were 35 tenth-grade students at SMAN 2 Muaro Jambi. The data collection technique used was a writing test. The research utilized descriptive statistics to analyze the data. The results show that 29% of students demonstrated very high ability, 20% high ability, 14% moderate ability, and 37% low ability in overall application letter writing. Regarding content specifically, 11% of students showed very high ability, 17% high ability, 0% moderate ability, and 72% low ability. The study concludes that while students showed varied abilities in overall application letter writing, a significant majority demonstrated low ability in writing the content of application letters. Keywords : Analysis, Writing Ability, Application Letter, Content Writing, Tenth Grade Students INTRODUCTION Harmer (2004) asserts that unlike speaking, writing is frequently not timebound. According to Hanafi (2019), one of the brief functional texts is the announcement. When applying for a job, a cover letter, sometimes referred to as an application letter, is an essential document to include with your resume. Introducing yourself to the prospective employer, emphasizing your relevant experiences and talents, and expressing your excitement for the role and the business are its main goals. The application letter functions as a customized story that enhances the factual information in your resume, giving you the opportunity to set the scene and go into further depth about how your experience fits the job specifications. An introduction that explains the job you're applying for and how you found it; a middle section that lists your qualifications and relevant experiences, with concrete examples to support your suitability; and a conclusion that restates your interest in the position, indicates that you're prepared for an interview, and thanks the reader for reviewing your application are usually its main components. An application letter that is well-written not only highlights your qualifications but also your attention to detail and communication abilities, providing a strong argument for why you are the best person for the job. Based on the researcher’s experience in teaching practice during the internship program, which took place from 02 September to 02 November 2022 at SMAN 2 Muaro Jambi, several observations were made regarding the teaching of the material in the sixth chapter, “Application Letter,” to the tenth-grade students. The researcher identified several factors that the students believe make understanding and writing application letters difficult. Firstly, the students struggled with the formal language and tone required for application letters. Many students are more accustomed to informal communication and found it challenging to adapt to the formal writing style needed in professional correspondence. First, students do not know what they are going to write or how to start writing. Second, the structure of an application letter posed difficulties for the students. Understanding and correctly implementing the distinct sections of the letter—such as the header, introduction, body, and conclusion—was not straightforward for them. They often found it confusing to know what information should be included in each part and how to transition smoothly from one section to another. Third, students are afraid to make mistakes. Some students focus on

FAQs

What was the focus of the research on application letters?

The study focused on tenth-grade students’ content writing skills in application letters, while also reporting overall application letter writing ability.

What research method and data collection technique were used?

A quantitative descriptive method was applied. Data were collected through a writing test and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

What were the key findings about students’ abilities?

Overall performance was mixed, with the largest group at low ability (37%). For content specifically, low ability was dominant (72%), indicating difficulty in writing the letter’s content.

Sep 11, 2026

Upload by Elsa