CRITICAL THINKING SKILL OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BANDUNG AS REFLECTED IN ARGUMENTATIVE TEXT

This study entitled “Critical Thinking Skill of Senior High School Students in Bandung”, aims to investigate the level of students’ critical thinking skill. This study employed qualitative approach with descriptive analysis method as a basic framework of study. The participants of this study were 4 students of 10th grade at a senior high school in Bandung. The data obtained from participants were three argumentative texts, as well as classroom observation and interview as supporting data. Participants’ critical thinking skill was assessed based on five indicators of critical thinking skill according to Facione (2013) which are interpretation, analysis, explanation, evaluation, and inference. The indicators are manifested into assessment tool adopted in this study. This study reveals that three students in general were categorized as having standard critical thinking skill and one student exhibited above standard critical thinking skill as indicated by their difficulties in performing evaluation and inference skill which affect their critical thinking skill. Based on the findings, some recommendations are offered; to the teachers to give more exposure to students regarding critical thinking by modelling or classroom activity; and to education stakeholders’ to give more consideration upon students’ critical thinking skill level. Penelitian yang berjudul “Tingkat Berpikir Kritis Siswa Sekolah Menengah Atas di Bandung”, bertujuan untuk menginvestigasi tingkat berpikir kritis siswa melalui teks argumentative. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dan metoed deskriptif analisis sebagai dasar dari penelitian. Partisipan penelitian ini adalah 4 siswa kelas 10 di sebuah sekolah menengah atas di Bandung. Data yang diperoleh dari partisipan adalah tiga buah argumentative teks yang didukung oleh observasi kelas dan wawancara. Kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa dianalisis berdasarkan lima indikator kemampuan berpikir kritis menurut Facione (2013) yaitu kemampuan menginterpretasi, menganalisis, menjelaskan, mengevaluasi, dan mengambil kesimpulan. Indikator-indikator tersebut diwujudkan dalam instrumen penelitian yang diadaptasi ke dalam penelitian ini. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa secara umum tiga siswa dikategorikan memiliki kemampuan berpikir kritis standar dan satu siswa dikategorikan memiliki kemampuan berpikir kritis diatas standar merujuk pada kesulitan mereka dalam melakukan kemampuan menganalisis dan mengambil kesimpulan yang kemudian mempengaruhi kemampuan berpikir kritis mereka. Berdasarkan temuan tersebut, beberapa rekomendasi diajukan; guru harus lebih memberikan eksposur kepada siswa mengenai berpikir kritis melalui modelling atau kegiatan kelas; dan kepada para pemangku kepentingan di bidang pendidikan untuk lebih mempertimbangkan kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa.