CORRELATION BETWEEN VOCABULARY MASTERY AND READING COMPREHENSION

The purpose of this research is to find out if there is any significant correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension of the eighth-grade students of SMP Negeri 32 Sigi. A correlational research design was used in this research and applied quantitative approach. The researchers used a simple random sampling technique to choose the sample. 36 students were chosen as the sample in this research. The researchers collected data using tests as the primary instrument, which included a vocabulary and reading test. The average score of the vocabulary test was 85 and the reading comprehension test was 80. It revealed that two variables have positive relationship. The Pearson Product Moment result of both tests' data analysis was 0.539. The category was moderate. The value of r table was 0.329 when the degree of freedom (df) was 36 and the level of significance was 0.05. According to the data, r xy is higher than r table . It can be concluded that alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted and null hypothesis (Ho) is rejected. This indicates that there is a positive and significant correlation between the vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension of the eighth-grade students of SMP Negeri 32 Sigi.


INTRODUCTION
English has been studied by students all around the world for many years.
Learning English has become a must for anyone who wishes to engage in worldwide engagement due to its status as an international language. To learn English well, a lot of effort is required. There are some skills that should be learned and practiced. Skills include listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It is supported by Reskiawan & Syam (2019) by the four skills such as reading, listening, writing, and speaking. They are elements that are linked to vocabulary mastery.
Based on the explanation above, vocabulary is one of the important things in learning English. With a limited vocabulary, students have a limited understanding in terms of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. It might indeed be impossible to learn a language without mastering vocabulary. Vocabulary is the first step that students must master in learning English. Vocabulary helps students understand the words and makes it easier to read, write, listen to, and speak.
In reading comprehension, students can learn a lot of information. It takes more than merely recognizing and interpreting words to comprehend what you have read.
Making sense of what you read and linking the ideas in the book to what you already know is true comprehension. It also entails recalling what you have read. To put it another way, comprehension entails thinking while reading .
However, since pandemic people are difficult to communicate with, it is impossible to run all of the communication well. Students are limited in their learning.
Based on the observation, when the researchers carried out the community service, the researchers has one project. The project was to help teachers delivered assignments to students. It was going every month. There were some students who have difficulties when doing the assignments. But, there were also some students who did not have difficulties when doing the assignments. Therefore, the researchers is interested in conducting research on the eighth-grade students of SMP Negeri 32 Sigi. The researchers is interested in finding out the relationship between students' vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension. 120 | e-Journal of ELTS | Vol. 10 No. 2 | May-Agustus 2021 | 118-124

METHOD
This research used quantitative research and employed correlational research design. Both of these variables consisted of vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension, which were symbolized by variables x and y.
The population of this research was the eighth-grade students of SMP Negeri 32 Sigi. The total number of students in the population was 90. The population was divided into three classes: VIII A, VIII B, and VIII C. In this research, the researchers took 36 students. By using a simple random sampling technique, applying simple random sampling in this research means that in each class, students get the opportunity to be a sample. So, the researcher randomly chose 12 students in each class.
The researchers used the instruments in data retrieval. Vocabulary mastery tests and reading comprehension tests. The total test consisted of 30 items. The test was given to the students who became samples. In making the test, the researcher used a book as a guide that has been used by teachers to teach eighth grade students of SMP N 32 Sigi. It is entitled "Belajar Praktis Bahasa Inggris". The purpose of this test is to measure the relationship between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension.
There were two tests in this research. The test of vocabulary mastery consisted of 15 questions and reading comprehension 15 questions were used too. The table is as follows.

DISCUSSION
All the data that has been analyzed showed that the students' major data was gathered through a vocabulary and reading comprehension test. The findings of the data analysis are critical in answering the research questions posed in this study: Is there any significant correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension of the eighth-grade students of SMP Negeri 32 Sigi? to get the results of the relationship between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension, the researcher used Pearson Product Moment correlation formula and used table of significance five percent to see the value of rtable . From the data that has been analyzed, the coefficient correlation (rxy) is higher than rtable. It revealed that there is any significant correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension and the category is moderate.
However, to make this research more certain. There are several research examining the relationship between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension have been done. Ka-Ong (2018) investigated the correlation of students' vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension in narrative text, and discovered a positive correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension which using SPSS data analysis, and the category is moderate. Bahri (2018) who investigated the correlation between students' vocabulary mastery and their reading comprehension, and also found a positive correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension. It was found that the category is high.
The findings are relevant to the researchers's recent research findings, that there is any significant correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension.
In this case, the correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension is important to improve students' ability in learning English. So, having a lot of vocabulary makes it easy to understand what students are reading. The opposite is true. If students have a lack of vocabulary, it is difficult to understand reading. It is supported by (Hayati, 2016) Students will have an easier time understanding written information if students master vocabulary. Meanwhile, if they have a limited vocabulary, reading will be tough for them.
Correlation between Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Comprehension| 123 Therefore, the researcher indicates that there is a significant correlation between eighth-grade students' vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension of SMP Negeri 32 Sigi. It is also supported by the data that has been analyzed by the researchers.

CONCLUSION
After conducting the research, it was found that there is a significant correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension at SMP Negeri 32 Sigi. This also indicated that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted, whereas the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
All praises to the almighty God, who always blesses, strengthen, and nourish the researchers especially, in finishing this article entitled "Correlation between Vocabulary Mastery and Reading Comprehension of the Eighth-Grade Students of SMP Negeri 32 Sigi". The researchers fully understood that without the support and assistance of numerous persons, this research writing would never be completed. As a result, the researchers would like to thank everyone who contributed to this research. The researchers begin to expresses sincere gratitude to beloved families, who constantly inspire and support all endeavors. The researchers expresses profound appreciation to Dr. Aminah, S.Pd., M.Pd., M.Ed., as reviewer, to provided a wealth of feedback, critical analysis, revisions, recommendations, and changes that helped to strengthen writing.
Sincere appreciation also addressed to the Coordinator of English Education Study Program, Dr. Hj. Rofiqoh, M.Ed, all staffs and lecturers of English Study Program thank you for having facilitated for study and helped in the administration process.