Oleh: Suparlan *)
Everything will change. The changes are including all of the rules of writing to obtain a degree in higher education. Before this period, we have a rule about writing a thesis. The thesis called “skripsi.” After a period of the 2000s, we have new rules about the norms of thesis writing. The title must be called as “research papar.” This is all right, because the writing is actually from the result of the process of research paper. “Skripsi” means writing. Under the new rules, the writingt should be derived from the research, not just merely from writing, whatever writing, like letter writing, or even article writing. So the student have to write a research paper, not another writing else.
Writing as a requirement to obtain a degree in a college or university should include a title approved by the dean and chairperson of the study program. The title then it should be known by the supervisor I and II. The supervisor I and II then asked the students to write an outline, or at least a brief outline. Outline for the research paper will explain the title of reasearch paper, later chapters will explain the titles and subtitle. Research paper usually contains five chapters, the first chapter of introduction.
Chapter I will explain (1) background of the study, (2) formulation of the problem, (3) limitation of the problem. Chapter II describes the theories that would explain the title of research paper. This chapter describes all concepts according to the title. If the title is about writing, your chapter II will contain the theory about writing, and all things about writing. Chapter III describes the research methodology. Chapter IV will explain the process and the results. Chapter V last will explain who will explain about the conclusions and recommendations of the result of the research.
Remember some rules of choosing title of writing
If you want to write title, please don’t some rules of writing, such as:
- AVOID USING ABBREVIATIONS, hindari menggunakan singkatan
- USE WORDS THAT CREATE A POSITIVE IMPRESSION AND STIMULATE READER INTEREST, gunakan kata yang meningkatkan keinginan pembaca
- USE CURRENT NOMENCLATURE FROM THE FIELD OF STUDY, gunakan nomenklatur (istilah yang baku)
- IDENTIFY KEY VARIABLES, BOTH DEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT, nyatakan variable kunci, baik dependen dan independen.
- IS LIMITED TO 10 TO 15 SUBSTANTIVE WORDS, terbatas antara 10 sampai 15 kata
- TITLES ARE USUALLY IN THE FORM OF A PHRASE, BUT CAN ALSO BE IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION, judul biasanya dalam bentuk frase, dapat juga dalam bentuk pertanyaan.
- USE CORRECT GRAMMAR AND CAPITALIZATION WITH ALL FIRST WORDS CAPITALIZED, INCLUDING THE FIRST WORD OF A SUBTITLE, gunakan tata bahasa yang benar dan gunakan huruf kapitan yang benar, di setiap kata untuk setiap kata subjudul, etc.
Do you still remember the types of title of your research paper?
You can choose a type of the research paper, such as:
- THE QUESTION
This type of title can encourage someone to continue reading the writing in order to determine the question’s answer about the problem of education. WHY DON’T THEY GO TO SCHOOL? This title of writing is trying to solve one of several problems in education. The education problems can be divided in to three categories: (1) education quality, (2) education equity, and (3) education management.
- MODIFIED THESIS/THEORY
The title “IMPROVING STUDENT IN WRITING SKILL USING ASSIGNMENT METHOD” is a modified thesis the relation between method of teaching and instructional objectives. There are two different approach of teaching, such as (1) student active learning, (2) teachers centered approach. This is called the teaching and learning paradigm. This type of title should be used only with papers describing the prevention of problems.
- CONTROVERSY
This type of title refers to a controversial thesis, not simply a paper on a controversial topic. This title simply states the controversy, such as:
- Why do the children don’t go to school?
- Why they don’t like reading!
- Reading competency of the primary student in Indonesia is lower than Vietnam!
- HUMANIZING NON-HUMAN THINGS
This title could introduce a paper describing how to properly take care of children to go to school, and is creative in that it attributes a human characteristic to a non-human item. For the writing on the problems of education, a humanizing title might be “They have to go to school.” President Barack Obama, for this humanizing approach, the USA has a program “No child left behind.”
- WORD PLAY
For writing on education, a Word Play Title might be interesting to try with. “Don’t be an honest people.” This is an interesting title to write, in this corruption era in Indonesia. “Don’t smoking” is an example title to write in COCAINE era.
Of course, the content of the research paper will illustrate the thesis title. I always explain that each paper will have three components. The first is the introduction. The second is the body text, and the third is the conclusion. The chapters in the text, of course, will be reflected in the chapters of the text. Now, we can create a table of contents automatically using laptop. It is of course very easy. Are you going to try? Of course, because this way so makes us easier.
Reflection
We have to implement the rules, including rules about writing. If the rules must write abou the reseach paper, so we have to write on research paper. We have to write research paper. Not “skripsi.” Use all rules about the writing process.
But, you can use the authomatic making on table of content. This thechnic is very easy to practice. How can we practice? You can follow: (1) all chapters have the heading I, and all subchapter have heading II. After that, click the reference. And then go to table of content. And then please click insert table of content. And at last you will cheer: EUREKA!
*) Laman: www.suparlan.com; Surel: me@suparlan.com. Sumber: www.wikipedia.com.
