STUDENTS’ ERRORS IN SOLVING MATHEMATICS ESSAY QUESTIONS ACCORDING TO WATSON

Abstract

This study aimed to identify specific errors and the most dominant errors made by students in answering mathematics essay questions on the topic of exponents based on Watson’s criteria. The method used was descriptive qualitative research with purposive sampling. The sample consisted of six students, namely four males and two females, from the advanced class at MTs Negeri 1 Tegal Regency in the 2025/2026 academic year. The instruments used to obtain data were essay questions, direct interviews, and documentation. The findings indicate that the types of errors identified included 8 categories: inappropriate procedure (ip), omitted conclusion (oc), response level conflict (rlc), undirected manipulation (um), skills hierarchy problem (shp), and errors other than the seven categories above (above other/ao). The most dominant errors were inappropriate procedure (ip) and errors other than the seven categories above (above other/ao). No inappropriate data (id) or omitted data (od) errors were found. The main contributing factors were a lack of understanding of the concept of exponents, lack of precision, and the habit of rushing when solving problems.