Science Education 554: Issues in Science Education  

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Title: A comparison of review and primary research articles in science education

Assignment Goals
Source Material
Guiding Questions
Writing Prompt

 
Assignment Goals

This assignment will ask you to distinguish between review publications and primary research publications that address issues in science education.

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Source Material

Read the Lisa S. Goldstein review article, The Relational Zone: The Role of Caring Relationships in the Co-Construction of Mind, AERJ 36(3): 647-673 (1999).

Then read the Norman G. Lederman primary research article, Teachers' Understanding of the Nature of Science and Classroom Practice, JRST 36(8):916-929 (2000).

Compare and contrast the content and the logical organization of the sample review article with the primary research article.

Then decide if the Ruediger C. Laugksch article, Scientific Literacy: A Conceptual Overview, SciEd 84: 71-94 (2000), is a review article or primary research. Justify your answer with critical analysis and evaluation of specific components from each of the three research reports.

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Guiding Questions

  1. Describe the logical organization of the Lisa S. Goldstein article, The Relational Zone: The Role of Caring Relationships in the Co-Construction of Mind, AERJ 36(3): 647-673 (1999).
  2. Site specific examples from the Lisa S. Goldstein article, The Relational Zone: The Role of Caring Relationships in the Co-Construction of Mind, AERJ 36(3): 647-673 (1999) that exemplify components of a good review article.
  3. Describe the logical organization of the Norman G. Lederman primary research article, Teachers' Understanding of the Nature of Science and Classroom Practice, JRST 36(8):916-929 (2000).
  4. Site specific examples from the Norman G. Lederman primary research article, Teachers' Understanding of the Nature of Science and Classroom Practice, JRST 36(8):916-929 (2000) that exemplify components of a good primary research article.
  5. Highlight similarities and differences between the content and logical organization of a review article and a primary research article.
  6. Decide if the Ruediger C. Laugksch article, Scientific Literacy: A Conceptual Overview, SciEd 84: 71-94 (2000), is a review article or primary research. Justify your answer with critical analysis and evaluation of specific components from the Laugksch article. Support your decision with specific evidence.
  7. Finally, summarize how you will use both review articles and primary research articles as you develop your masters or project thesis proposal.

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Writing Prompt

Compare and contrast the content and logical organization of a review article with the content and logical organization of a primary research paper. Use that evidence to decide whether the Laugksch article is a research or a review article, and support your decision with specific evidence. Finally, summarize how you will use both review articles and primary research articles as you develop your masters or project thesis proposal.

Your response should be from 300-700 words in length.  Address all the guiding questions in your response.  Use the spell and grammar check functions to perfect your writing.  Then submit your answer to Calibrated Peer Review (or send it to Dr. Pelaez as e-mail text if you cannot access CPR).

Dr. Nancy J. Pelaez, Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Fullerton
Copyright © 2000.  All rights reserved.
Revised: January 26, 2001.