Methods and Methodological Rules

Abstract

In this chapter, methods and methodological rules in science are discussed. The notion of “scientific method” has received much attention in science education. Yet the articulation of scientific methodology in science teaching and learning continues to maintain a rather narrow focus. After discussing the limitations of the lock-step scientific method, the case is made for the need to broaden student understanding of the diversity of scientific methods. A systematic framework is introduced for reflecting on scientific methods applied to the context of evolutionary biology. In the spirit of the Family Resemblance Approach, we illustrate how the scientific methods framework can be adapted to other conceptual domains in a variety of science disciplines. The relevance of the framework to science education is justified in terms of its epistemic and pedagogical significance. The scientific methods framework can be transformed into a heuristic tool and used to sharpen student understanding of the range of scientific methodologies in relation to topics encountered in school science. The chapter concludes by illustrating how knowledge about specific methods can be used to reflect on scientific evidence and lead to concrete understanding of the role of diverse scientific methods in supporting abstract theoretical claims.