It may be asserted that there is no more effective deterrent to crime than the certainty of detection. Equally true is that there is no surer way to establishing identity than by fingerprints. The detection of fingerprints at the scene of crime is therefore one of the most powerful tools available in casework investigations. However, if the crime…

The ability to "engage in argument from evidence" is one of the eight practices identified in the "Next Generation Science Standards" as well as an emerging focus of undergraduate chemistry curricula. Guiding students to make evidence-based claims that engender argumentation will require faculty to revise conventional…

In an age where getting an answer is as easy as a well-chosen phrase typed into a search engine, it is important for teachers to be more interested in "how" students know, rather than "what" students know. In the sea of available information today, students must provide answers based on evidence. A student's ability to explain…

It is often challenging, especially at the beginning of a course, to find good examples where students can actively explore and grapple with the methods of science. We want them to learn the connection between observation, theory, prediction, evidence, and falsification, but to really accomplish this we need platforms for which the students are…

Working with evidence is a fundamental part of scientific enquiry. Children should be taught to consider evidence and evaluate it. They should make simple comparisons, comparing what happened with what they expected to happen, and try to explain what happened through drawing on their knowledge and understanding. In this article, the author…

Are you interested in using argument-driven inquiry for high school lab instruction but just are not sure how to do it? You are not alone. This book will provide you with both the information and instructional materials you need to start using this method right away. "Argument-Driven Inquiry in Biology" is a one-stop source of expertise,…

The Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) is an instructional technique that combines inquiry, collaborative learning, and writing to change the nature of the chemistry laboratory for students and instructors. The SWH provides a format for students to guide their discussions, their thinking, and writing about how science activities relate to their own…