Misuse of Punctuation in Indonesian Language Textbooks: in High School

Abstract

Punctuation plays a pivotal role in written communication, especially in educational contexts. However, its misuse in instructional materials remains a significant issue. The main objective of this study was to identify and examine the forms of punctuation errors in Indonesian language textbooks at the high school level. The approach used was descriptive qualitative by applying observation techniques and recording the contents of the text in the textbooks. The results of the analysis showed that there were various significant punctuation errors, such as errors in the use of periods, commas, colons, hyphens, and quotation marks. These errors were caused by a lack of understanding of the rules of the General Guidelines for Indonesian Spelling (PUEBI) by both the authors and users of the book. As a result, students' understanding of the subject matter was disrupted, and there was a risk of ambiguity and misinterpretation in the learning process. These findings indicate the need to improve the quality of the preparation of teaching materials and strengthen students' mastery of writing grammar so that the use of punctuation in learning Indonesian becomes more appropriate and effective. This study is expected to be a reference for improving teaching materials and language learning strategies at the high school level. These findings imply the urgent need for comprehensive editing processes and the integration of punctuation instruction into teacher training programs.