The DOI matches its Crossref record; 11 of the 12 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
‘An experiment is when you try it and see if it works’: a study of grade 7 students’ understanding of the construction of scientific knowledge
Abstract
The research reported here focuses on grade 7 (12‐year‐old) students’ epistomological views prior to and after exposure to a teaching unit especially developed to introduce the constructivist view of science. A clinical interview was used to assess students’ understanding about the nature of scientific knowledge and inquiry. Students’ initial epistemological stance is that scientific knowledge is a passively acquired, faithful copy of the world, and that scientific inquiry is limited solely to observing rather than constructing explanations about nature. We found that it is possible to move students beyond this initial view.
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In the citing paper
“Carey et al. (1989) found that a majority of seventh graders believed that scientific knowledge is a faithful copy of nature and that scientific inquiry is a Baconian process of observing facts rather than a process of constructing theories to account for empirical observations.”
From The role of anomalous data in knowledge acquisition: A theoretical framework and implications for science instruction. (1993) · cites this paper as Carey et al. (1989)
In the citing paper
“In addition, it appears that children (and even some adults) do not make the same sharp distinction between theories and evidence that scientists do (Carey, Evans, Honda, Jay, & Unger, 1989; D. Kuhn, 1989; D. Kuhn, Amsel, & O'Loughlin, 1988).”
From The role of anomalous data in knowledge acquisition: A theoretical framework and implications for science instruction. (1993) · cites this paper as Carey, Evans, Honda, Jay, & Unger, 1989
In the citing paper
“In the domain of science, Carey et al. (1989) developed a 3-week instructional unit blending an enculturation approach with some explicit instruction on the scientific method.As a result of this short intervention, students showed a marked increase in their understanding of the nature and purposes of scientific inquiry.”
From The role of anomalous data in knowledge acquisition: A theoretical framework and implications for science instruction. (1993) · cites this paper as Carey et al. (1989)
In the citing paper
“There is some empirical support for the notion that enculturation methods can foster the development of epistemological commitments.”
From The role of anomalous data in knowledge acquisition: A theoretical framework and implications for science instruction. (1993) · cites this paper as Carey et al. (1989)
Citations
Cites
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Talking about evidence in inquiry-based science: what role can software scaffolds play?
Kyza, E. Α., & Edelson, D. C. (2003) · The Library of Electronic Cyprus Thematic Organized Collections (LYKYTHOS) (University of Cyprus)
Scaffolding Scientific Epistemologies through Knowledge-Building Discourse and Epistemic Reflection.
Lin, F., & Chan, C. K. K. (2015) · The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong)
Yılmaz, M., Çimen, O., & Karakaya, F. (2018) · Eğitimde Kuram ve Uygulama · doi:10.17244/eku.421145
Knowledge Building Inquiry and Reflection in Developing Children's Epistemology of Science
Chan, C. K. K., Xu, C., & Lin, F. (2018) · The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) · doi:10.22318/cscl2018.895
O conceito de “letramento” como fonte de equívocos e erros conceituais em alfabetização
Oliveira, J. B. A. E., & Caldeira, P. Z. (2021) · Cadernos de Linguística · doi:10.25189/2675-4916.2021.v2.n1.id318
Millar, R. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6165-0_456-2
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Kircher, E. (2014) · Springer-Lehrbuch · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-41745-0_3
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Characteristics and Predictors of Scientific Practices: A Large-scale StudyPreprint
Büssing, A. G., Dietz, C., Grahmann, M., Klein, H.-P., & Möller, A. (2022) · doi:10.31219/osf.io/yfmk8
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Yıldırım, N. T., & Saban, A. İ. (2024) · Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi · doi:10.17860/mersinefd.1464994
Babbe, R., Schütz, M., Diller, C., Mehren, R., & Fögele, J. (2025) · International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education · doi:10.1080/10382046.2025.2459781
A Phenomenological Study of Preservice Teachers’ Epistemological Levels
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Tiemann, R., & Björkman, J. (2026) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2026.1697484
Undergraduate science students' images of science
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Metadata
- Authors
- Carey, S., Evans, R., Honda, M., Jay, E., & Unger, C.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- ORCID
- Carey, Susan
- Venue
- International Journal of Science Education
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1989-11
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 514-529
- ISSN
- 0950-0693 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-5289
- OpenAlex
- W2107324590
- Cited by
- 425
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 20.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Science Education (publishedVersion)
- University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Science Education and Pedagogy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Strategies and Epistemologies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Evolution and Science Education
- Keywords
- epistemological beliefs, nature of scientific knowledge, scientific inquiry, constructivism, constructivist teaching, seventh grade students, secondary school science, student understanding of science, clinical interview
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