ERIC Number: EJ772642
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Sep
Pages: 19
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-1954
EISSN: N/A
Modelling Mathematical Argumentation: The Importance of Qualification
Inglis, Matthew; Mejia-Ramos, Juan; Simpson, Adrian
Educational Studies in Mathematics, v66 n1 p3-21 Sep 2007
In recent years several mathematics education researchers have attempted to analyse students' arguments using a restricted form of Toulmina's ["The Uses of Argument," Cambridge University Press, UK, 1958] argumentation scheme. In this paper we report data from task-based interviews conducted with highly talented postgraduate mathematics students, and argue that a superior categorisation of genuine mathematical argumentation is provided by the use of Toulmina's full scheme. In particular, we suggest that modal qualifiers play an important and previously unrecognised role in mathematical argumentation, and that one of the goals of instruction should be to develop students' abilities to appropriately match up warrant-types with modal qualifiers.
Descriptors: Persuasive Discourse, Mathematics Education, Discourse Analysis, Mathematical Logic, Graduate Students, Interviews, Number Concepts, Mathematical Models, Logical Thinking, Inferences, Research Reports, Discourse Modes, Schematic Studies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A