Meaningful writing tasks in the chemistry classroom promote conceptual learning and facilitate evaluation of students’ reasoning. However, evaluating students’ writing in large introductory classes is challenging due to issues of scale. In this study, we aimed to address this challenge by developing an analytical framework for evaluating students’ reasoning in argumentative writing about ocean acidification. A writing prompt was administered to General Chemistry students (N=673). The prompt included a fake social media post in which “Ernie Clueless” uploads data on concentration of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and ocean pH over time and challenges the relationship captured by the data. Students are given related chemical equilibria and prompted to respond to Ernie by explaining the relationship. A framework of cognitive operations ranging in cognitive complexity was used to analyze the written data. Markov modeling was used to identify patterns in students’ use of cognitive operations. Results presented here include the development and refinement of the cognitive operations framework. Additionally, the use of the framework and Markov chains reveals differences in reasoning patterns between low and high complexity written assignments.<br/>

Characterization of complexity of general chemistry students’ reasoning in argumentative writing about ocean acidification

255th National Meeting (2018)

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