Improving students’ ability to think critically is cited often as a goal of education.  In chemistry critical thinking often means making a judgment based upon analysis, interpretation, and/or inference of evidence such as data obtained in laboratory, visualizations (i.e. molecular drawings), chemical concepts, and/or scientific principles.  The Framework associated with the Next Generation Science Standards provides a way forward to develop and improve students ability to think critically via eight science practices. Three of these practices directly relate to the construction of an evidence-based argument:  analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations, and engaging in argument from evidence.  We have developed activities implemented in lecture and laboratory to help students analyze and interpret laboratory data or provided data, create claims, and then to generate an argument or explanation.  Using a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning format we have supported students’ writing ability and helped them coordinate their evidence with causal factors and the mechanisms by which they act or bring about an effect.  Descriptions of the activities and implementation along with preliminary assessment data will be discussed.  <br/> <br/>

Improving students’ ability to craft an evidence-based argument

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.