The Lawrence Hall of Science

The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.

Scientific Argumentation

Sunstones at The Lawrence

Learning to Teach to Argue: Case Studies in Professional Learning in Evidence-Based Science Writing

The emphasis on scientific practices articulated by the National Research Council framework and the Next Generation Science Standards requires significant pedagogical shifts for U.S. science teachers. This study provides a rare window into the challenges and opportunities teachers encounter as they introduce argument writing into their science classrooms with support from the National Writing Project’s Inquiry into Science Writing project.

Children playing on the DNA sculpture at the Lawrence

The learning benefits of being willing and able to engage in scientific argumentation

Engaging in science as an argumentative practice can promote students’ critical thinking, reflection, and evaluation of evidence. However, many do not approach science in this way. Furthermore, the presumed confrontational nature of argumentation may run against cultural norms particularly during the sensitive time of early adolescence. This paper explores whether middle-school students’ ability to engage in critical components of argumentation in science impacts science classroom learning.