This study examines three core processes in undergraduates' reasoning about four different evidence types (i.e., anecdotal, observational, correlational, and causal). In particular, we examine undergraduates' processes of evidence identification, evaluation, and selection of evidence to include in writing and how these manifest across different…

Many mathematics educators believe a goal of instruction is for students to obtain conviction and certainty in mathematical statements using the same types of evidence that mathematicians do. However, few empirical studies have examined how mathematicians use proofs to obtain conviction and certainty. We report on a study in which 16 advanced…

Purpose: Learning how to identify and avoid inaccurate information, especially disinformation, is essential for any informational consumer. Many information literacy tools specify criteria that can help users evaluate information more efficiently and effectively. However, the authors of these tools do not always agree on which criteria should be…

For research evidence to inform decision making, an appraisal needs to be made of whether the claims are justified and whether they are useful to the decisions being made. This chapter provides a high level framework of core issues relevant to appraising the "fitness for purpose" of evidence claims. The framework includes (I) the…

Collaborative argumentation in education, where students work together to construct and critique arguments, is an important social practice in many disciplines and can also develop conceptual understanding. This article addresses the evolution of my research agenda on collaborative argumentation from just scaffolding the generation of…

This study investigated how high school students evaluated online information on social and political topics. Eighteen juniors and seniors, at a school that attempts to leverage technology to personalize learning, thought aloud as they completed online reasoning tasks. Three themes emerged from analyses of think-aloud data. First, students…

In this article, we report on a typology of the demands of statistical and mathematical products (StaMPs) embedded in media items related to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The typology emerged from a content analysis of a large purposive sample of diverse media items selected from digital news sources based in four countries. The findings…

A common practice amongst scientists is to evaluate the connections between evidence and claims about natural and human-induced phenomena. Teacher education coursework may improve understanding of this important activity and facilitate teachers to implement evidential thinking approaches into their future science teaching. Instructional scaffolds…

Prior research suggests that high school students often struggle to evaluate online content; however, with support, they can learn to conduct more effective digital evaluations. This study extends our understanding of how students attend to the source of online information and the role instruction may play in changing students' evaluation of…