Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
hypothetical deductive reasoning, HD, HD reasoning
College
Life Sciences
Department
Biology
Abstract
The purpose of our project was to understand if hypothetical deductive (HD) reasoning skills exist in each discipline and if so, whether they are transferable between disciplines. HD reasoning is the method of scientific investigation used most commonly by scientists. It includes formulating hypotheses, devising experiments, making predictions, and analyzing results (iSTAR 2013). Many science classes boast scientific reasoning as a main learning outcome, but does reasoning transfer between disciplines and thus benefit the person as a whole? We hypothesized that most, if not all, disciplines use HD reasoning. In addition, we hypothesized that because this skill is context independent (i.e., a procedural skill), it is transferable between disciplines. If HD reasoning transfers between disciplines, then our focus on this skill in introductory courses (especially GE courses) has the potential to benefit students in their own fields. Thus, our goal was to determine the transferability of HD reasoning in order to inform our curricular decisions.
Recommended Citation
Hatch, Jordan and Jensen, Jamie L.
(2015)
"Transferring Hypothetical Deductive Reasoning,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2015:
Iss.
1, Article 119.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2015/iss1/119