AN ANALYSIS OF THEMATIC DEVELOPMENT PATTERN IN THESIS ABSTRACTS BY UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITAS BENGKULU ACADEMIC YEAR 2019

This research is aimed to find the types and the mostly applied of thematic development pattern,
also to describe students writing an abstract. The research was designed as a descriptive
qualitative. The documentation technique and interview are used in this research. Twenty
abstracts by undergraduate English education students of Universitas Bengkulu academic year
2019 were analyzed along with Paltridge as the proposed theory (2006), meanwhile 2
undergraduate English education student was taken as interviewed. The results showed that
Simple Linear Progression (SLP), Constant Theme Progression (CTP), and Split Rheme
Progression (SRP) were found in thesis abstract. Furthermore, the constant theme progression
(CTP) was the mostly applied. The order of occurrence was as follows: constant theme (69.4%),
simple linear theme (25%), and split rheme (5.6%). It is also found that the researchers are not
able to study existing standard patterns, they just write based on what the guidance from their
lecturer. On the other hand, they writing an abstract without following other guidance such as a
book which is contain how to write a good abstract. It is concluded that the researcher is not
independent in abstract writing. Moreover, this is because lecturers will decide and acceptable
their abstracts.
Keywords : abstract; thematic development pattern; undergraduate English students.