Abstrak
ABSTRACT ASIH LIZWAN, No Reg. 1730104010, entitled: : “Investigating Problems Faced by Students in Preparing for Speaking Test (A Study in Speaking for Argumentative Purposes Class in 2024/2025 Academic Year)”. English Teaching Department Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training Islamic State University of Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar. This research is motivated by the problems faced by fourth semester students majoring in English Education at UIN Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar in preparing for the speaking exam were not revealed yet. The purpose of this study is to explore what problems students face in preparing for their speaking exams. This study used qualitative research, with a phenomenological method. The informants of this research were nine students majoring in English Education who took Speaking for Argumentative Purposes course in Academic Year 2024/2025. Informants were selected using purposive sampling technique. In this study, the researcher was the key instrument. Data collection techniques were carried out using interviews and by using other supporting tools such as; interview guideline, tape recorder and documentation. To test the validity of the data, researcher conducted time triangulation. Furthermore, to analyze the data, the researcher used the theory of Miles and Hubberman (1994), which includes data reduction, data display, and data verification and conclusion drawing. The results showed that there were four problems faced by students in preparation for the speaking exam. The problems faced by students are: first, lack of practice, second lack of mastering the material, third problems in managing time, fourth difficult to find references. With the result as follows; “lack of practice” 8 informants, “lack of mastering the material” 7 informants, “problems in managing time” 5 informants, and “difficult to find references” 2 informants.