Undergraduate Chemistry students' argumentative writing: polymers in focus

• Grant number: 23/01936-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education - Specific topics in Education
• Principal Investigator: Salete Linhares Queiroz
• Grantee: Salete Linhares Queiroz
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Recent work has shown the relevance of argumentation in higher education in chemistry. Even so, few actions lead to the practice of argumentation by undergraduates, mainly in the written modality. In this perspective, the project has as its general objective the analysis of the quality of argumentative writing in texts written by undergraduate chemistry students, who will participate in a didactic activity based on the resolution of interrupted case studies related to the theme of polymers. In this way, we intend to contribute to the reflection on what allows and hinders written argumentative production in that context. The theoretical basis for carrying out the analysis is based on the argument-counter-argument-response argumentative triad and the concept of cogency of arguments. The research corpus will consist of oral presentations and written texts produced by undergraduate students in chemistry. (AU)