Argumentation in Chemistry Education

Book excerpt: Many studies have highlighted the importance of discourse in scientific understanding. Argumentation is a form of scientific discourse that plays a central role in the building of explanations, models and theories. Scientists use arguments to relate the evidence that they select from their investigations and to justify the claims that they make about their observations. The implication is that argumentation is a scientific habit of mind that needs to be appropriated by students and explicitly taught through suitable instruction. Edited by Sibel Erduran, an internationally recognised expert in chemistry education, this book brings together leading researchers to draw attention to research, policy and practice around the inclusion of argumentation in chemistry education. Split into three sections: Research on Argumentation in Chemistry Education, Resources and Strategies on Argumentation in Chemistry Education, and Argumentation in Context, this book blends practical resources and strategies with research-based evidence. The book contains state of the art research and offers educators a balanced perspective on the theory and practice of argumentation in chemistry education.