Assessing Secondary School Students’ Justifications for Supporting or Rejecting a Scientific Hypothesis in the Physics Lab

• DOI: 10.1007/s11165-019-09862-4
• Publication Date: 2019-06-01T21:18:06Z
• Authors: Tobias Ludwig; Burkhard Priemer; Doris Lewalter
• Keywords: External validity; Intuition; Ignorance

Abstract Justifications play a central role in argumentation, which is core topic school science education. This paper contributes to this field of research by presenting two studies we assess students’ justifications for supporting or rejecting hypotheses the physics lab based on self-collected, anomalous experimental data, are defined as data that contradict prior belief, hypothesis, concept. Study 1 analyzes spectrum possible students give semi-structured interviews and categorizes these into ten types: appeal an authority , evidence competence (technical/skills) (self-concept) ignorance, intuition measurement uncertainties (explicit) (implicit) suitability setup use theoretical concepts . 2 presents questionnaire suitable medium- large-scale assessments probes four types justifications: (explicit). The can be administered 5–10 minutes designed eighth ninth grades. We outline development quality assessment tools both studies, reporting content validity, factorial discriminant convergent reliability questionnaire. shed light various when evaluating at fine-grained level.