Argumentation plays a significant role in science as a scientific practice in which knowledge is constructed, evaluated, and modified. Scientific argumentation (SA) is thus a promising activity for students to pursue in order to think and act like scientists and to enhance their understanding of science. Considering the impact that assessments…

Attitude toward science has been recognized as highly influential in students' engagement with science and future career choices. Science is important in our everyday lives as well, in a society demanding more scientific vocations and higher levels of scientific literacy. There is little research on how attitudes develop and evolve at early ages,…

We present a multiple-choice test, the Montana State University Formal Reasoning Test (FORT), to assess college students' scientific reasoning ability. The test defines scientific reasoning to be equivalent to formal operational reasoning. It contains 20 questions divided evenly among five types of problems: control of variables, hypothesis…

The present study reports the development of a brief, quantitative, web-based, psychometrically sound measure--the Generalized Acceptance of EvolutioN Evaluation (GAENE, pronounced "gene") in a format that is useful in large and small groups, in research, and in classroom settings. The measure was designed to measure only evolution…

This study developed an empirically based questionnaire to monitor young learners' conceptions of nature of science (NOS). The questionnaire, entitled Students' Ideas about Nature of Science (SINOS), measured views on theory-ladenness, use of creativity and imagination, tentativeness of scientific knowledge, durability of scientific knowledge,…

Reports a study which investigated the cross-cultural validity, reliability, and distinctiveness of the subscale structure of the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA). Results from tests of American high school students (N=336) indicated that the seven subscales were highly reliable, but that the discriminant validity was low. (ML)

Describes the development, validity, and reliability (0.91 to 0.94) of a 50-item, Likert-format scale to measure students' attitudes toward science in grades 4 through 12 (N=806). (Author/JN)

An instrument was developed to assess secondary school students' attitudes toward science using items based on Mead and Metraux's 1957 study. Instrument reliability (0.76 in a pilot study and 0.86 in a study with 251 ninth-grade students) and construct validity are discussed. (JN)

Assesses Scientific Attitude Inventory (SAI) by examining the instrument and 30 studies in which it has been used. In addition, shows how conceptual analysis may be used to investigate validity of a research instrument. Indicates that SAI needs reworking since it is less than certain of what is being measured. (Author/JN)

"Women in Science Scale," a 27-item instrument for measuring adolescents' attitudes toward women in science careers, was determined to be reliable by estimates of internal consistency (alpha = 0.92) and stability over time (r = 0.82). The instrument also clearly distinguishes between scores of males and females regardless of sex. (JN)