Scholarly Holds Lead Over Popular and Instructional: Text Type Influences Epistemological Reading Outcomes

Abstract

Scholarly scientific literature conveys epistemological assumptions scientists operate on. Popular scientific literature and instructional science texts deviate in their portrayal of science from these epistemological assumptions. Thus, scholarly scientific literature holds more potential for improving students’ epistemological understanding of science. In an experimental study, we had 78 high school students read an original report from a scholarly scientific journal, a version of the same research article modified for low‐knowledge readers, a popular scientific article, or a chapter from a science textbook. Students who had read the research article or the modified research article improved significantly strongest in their understanding of the constructive nature of science and the argumentative nature of science. We conclude that scholarly scientific literature produces more beneficial epistemological reading outcomes than popular scientific literature and instructional science texts. Therefore, science teachers should be encouraged to incorporate scholarly scientific literature in classroom reading activities.

Adapted Primary Literature

“…A more recent study by Braun and Nueckles (2014) compared students who individually read a PSL article (translated into the students' native language, German), an APL article, a JRV article, and a chapter from a science textbook. A more recent study by Braun and Nueckles (2014) compared students who individually read a PSL article (translated into the students' native language, German), an APL article, a JRV article, and a chapter from a science textbook.…”

Der Einfluss wissenschaftlicher Textgenres auf das Textverständnis und epistemologische Überzeugungen bei Studierenden der Bildungswissenschaften

“…Dabei liefern alternative Interpretationen von wissenschaftlichen Befunden mögliche Erklärungsansätze. Somit kann bei den Lesenden der Eindruck entstehen, das empirisch gewonnene Wissen sei unsicher und vorläufig (Braun & Nückles, 2014;Yarden, 2009;Yarden et al, 2015).…”

“…Eine zentrale Voraussetzung hierfür ist der Aufbau des Textverständnisses, dem wir uns ebenfalls widmen. Untersuchungen zum Einfluss von adaptierter Primärliteratur (im Vergleich zu anderen wissenschaftlichen Textgenres) auf das Textverständnis und epistemologische Überzeugungen wurden bislang ausschliesslich im schulischen Bereich und im naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht durchgeführt (Baram-Tsabari & Yarden, 2005;Braun & Nückles, 2014;Norris et al, 2012). Im Hochschulkontext und bei Studierenden im ersten Studienabschnitt gibt es bisher keine Forschungsarbeiten zu diesem Thema (vgl.…”

Use of primary literature in the undergraduate analytical class

“…Students who have read primary literature change the way they approach articles in the future, spending more time examining figures and comprehending subsequent articles more completely [1,3,6]. Students who read the literature as part of a classroom assignment also show attitudinal and epistemological changes: they are more confident in their ability to interpret data and demonstrate a greater appreciation for the nature of science [1,3,[7][8][9]. These outcomes address goals espoused by many instructors as well as the American Chemical Society's Committee on Professional Training [10].…”