Becoming Scientifically Literate: Developing Epistemic Practices Through Reading Scientific Papers

Abstract

To help students confront pseudoscientific claims and misinformation in their everyday lives, it is important to develop the epistemic practices of scientists in the classroom. Many of these practices can be illuminated by challenging students to read primary source literature. This article outlines a lesson that has sophomore students reading review and research articles on a pertinent topic. While reading, students think like scientists to extract main ideas, analyze bias, and justify claims with evidence. The papers themselves, as well as the steps employed in the classroom to support students in reading them, highlight the fact that scientists regularly utilize statistics and data, develop a strong theoretical knowledge-base prior to forming conclusions, and seek out critique of their work. Students read these papers collaboratively, working together with one another and with upperclassmen peer mentors to engage in scientific discourse and solidify their understanding of the process of science. This experience challenges students to think as scientists do and provides them with a strong foundation for scientific literacy, preparing them to make more informed decisions about their futures.

Keywords::

• Scientific literacy
• epistemic practices
• research articles
• primary, secondary, and tertiary sources
• peer feedback

Supplemental material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00368555.2023.2292336.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jacqueline Katz

Jacqueline (Jackie) Katz has taught biology and research at Princeton High School in Princeton, NJ for the past 12 years. Her experiences earning Masters degrees at Rutgers University and Stevens Institute of Technology inspired the development of a three-year science research program at Princeton High School. She spent the 2022-23 school year as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Jackie serves as the Professional Development co-chair for the NJ Science Teachers Association and is a member of the Retro Report Council of Educators. To help increase diversity in science classes at her high school, Jackie coordinates Saturday and summer science programming for middle school students. She can be reached via email at [email protected] or at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-katz-00775320a/.

Jennifer Smolyn

Jennifer Smolyn is in her ninth year teaching at Princeton High School in Princeton, NJ, where she teaches all levels of freshman biology, as well as the three-year Research program. Her approach to teaching her Research classes draws heavily on her lab experiences, both from her undergraduate work at Rider University and her Masters in Cell and Developmental Biology from Rutgers University. She also completed a program in educational leadership last year, obtaining her K-12 principal and supervisor certificates to pursue her interests in curriculum development. In addition to her work in the classroom, she is a coach for the boys and girls Cross Country and Track & Field teams at PHS. She can be reached via email at [email protected] or at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-smolyn-059a1989/.