An effective scientific argument must persuade the reader that your data and arguments are strong enough to support your theory, model or proposed action. This means that figures must be annotated clearly, irrelevant material must be omitted, meanings and descriptions must be precise and concluding arguments must prove your proposed theory.
- Processing focus: classification and comprehension
- Instructional phase: before, during, and after reading
- Response mode emphasized: written discussion
- Strategy emphasized: classification and evaluation
- Skill emphasized: literary comprehension
- Source of information: text based
- Type of instruction: explicit
Elements of a scientific argument consist of 6 kinds of sentences. In a broader context, there will be variations, but if you master this simple method, you will be able to apply this method in a wide variety of contexts. When writing scientific papers, students must classify each sentence according to whether it:
- Includes an observation, or description of an observation.
- Names or classifies an observation in scientific terms.
- Describes a feature that has been observed and classified, or that the author implies has been observed and classified.
- Describes relationships between different observed and classified features.
- Describes or explains a model or theory.
- Describes relationships between and/or observed features that match (or disagree with) model features.
After students are finished with the classification exercise, they will evaluate how effective their papers are.
Breaking up sentences of scientific papers into the classifications listed allows students to better interpret and understand scientific papers. This will help them structure their own arguments, learn effective ways to present a scientific argument and how to think critically about the scientific papers that they read.
- For students who develop self-control easily, this technique will provide tools to help them more effectively break-down scientific papers or construct their own papers.
- This technique helps passive learners become active readers when categorizing a scientific paper.
- For learners who think in broad concepts, this framework allows them to break-down scientific papers into more manageable pieces.