ASSESSRA—A Case-Based Approach for the Assessment of Students’ Scientific Reasoning and Argumentation Skills

Abstract

Scientific reasoning and argumentation (SRA) skills are crucial in higher education, yet comparing studies on these skills remains challenging due to the scarcity of well-developed SRA-tests with robust psychometric properties. In this paper, the case-based ASSESSRA approach is proposed to evaluate university students’ SRA-skills, focusing specifically on the skills evidence evaluation and drawing conclusions. A prototype constructed using this approach in an educational context demonstrated reliability within an expert panel (n = 9; ICC = .81). In a subsequent study, the validity of the ASSESSRA approach was examined with 207 students, a partial-credit-model exhibited an acceptable fit, demonstrating no significant outfit and excellent distribution of ability parameters and Thurstonian thresholds. The ASSESSRA-prototype, coupled with provided guidelines, offers a versatile framework for developing comparable SRA-tests across diverse domains. This approach not only addresses the current gap in SRA assessment instruments but also holds promise for enhancing the understanding and promotion of SRA-skills in higher education.