Undergraduate science research projects and students - School of ...

Undergraduate Learning in Science Project Working Paper 5Student H[Missing from sample]Student IThe aim of this project was to isolate, clone and sequence genetic material from aplant. Activity focused on the isolation and amplification of genetic material. Severalexperimental difficulties were encountered and most of the student’s time was spentadjusting laboratory protocols in an attempt to increase the yield of genetic material.A EPISTEMOLOGICAL DIMENSION: THE NATURE OF Int. Int.EXPLANATION AND THEORY1 3Aa Knowledge claims as description •Ab Knowledge claims as provable: •Ab(i) -on empirical grounds •Ab(i)a Mention of critical procedures for ensuring reliability/validity •Ab(i)b Mention of ‘critical experiments’ •Ab(ii) -on social groundsAb(iii) Recognition of difficulty of absolute proof •Ac Knowledge claims go beyond the dataAc(i) Social processes involved in evaluating theoriesAc(ii) Empirical processes involved in evaluating theoriesAc(iii) Both social and empirical processes involvedAc(iv) No obvious basis for evaluating competing knowledge claimsAc(v) Recognition of the logical difficulty of absolute proof, as opposed tological possibility of falsificationBEPISTEMOLOGICAL DIMENSION: THE NATURE OF LINESOF SCIENTIFIC ENQUIRYBa Location in individual interests of scientists •Bb Internal location in epistemology of discipline •Bc External locationBc(i) Utilitarian: for ‘the greater good’Bc(ii) Financial: in terms of financial viabilityCSOCIAL DIMENSION: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE AS ACOMMUNITYCa Individualist viewCb Recognition of a community of scientists • •Cc Recognition of the institutions of scienceCc(i) Financial interests recognisedCc(ii) Role recognised in validation of public knowledgeCc(iii) Named institutions or processes recognisedIt was very difficult to characterise the epistemological and sociological views of thisstudent. During both interviews, it appeared that the student viewed scientificknowledge claims as essentially descriptive. Evidence for this came mainly fromwhat was not said in response to questions about scientific disputes and the nature ofgood and bad science. During the final interview, the student suggested that althoughempirical proof is possible, it can sometimes be difficult to achieve.95