Supporting All Students in Writing Scientific Arguments
NSTA 2014, Boston MA
Rebecca Katsh-Singer, Daniel Pimentel, Maria Gonzalez-Howard & Katherine L. McNeill
Boston College
Below is data for water, a ping-pong ball, a golf ball and a bowling ball.
Use the experimental results to answer the following questions: Which ball(s) will sink?
Remember to support your claim with appropriate evidence and reasoning.
Claim: (What is your answer to the question?)
Evidence: (What scientific data are you using to support your claim?)
Reasoning: (How does the evidence support your claim?
Base or Generic Argumentation Rubric
Claim
A statement or
conclusion that
answers the original
question/problem.
0
L
E
V
E
L
V
A
R
I
E
S
Does not make a
claim, or makes an
inaccurate claim.
Makes an accurate but
incomplete claim.
F
R Makes an accurate
O and complete claim.
M
1
to
5
Evidence
Reasoning
A justification that connects the
Scientific data that supports
evidence to the claim. It shows
the claim. The data needs to
why the data counts as evidence
be appropriate and sufficient
by using appropriate and
to support the claim.
sufficient scientific principles.
Does not provide reasoning, or
Does not provide evidence,
only provides inappropriate
or only provides
reasoning.
inappropriate evidence
(Evidence that does not
support claim).
Provides reasoning that connects
Provides appropriate, but
the evidence to the claim. May
insufficient evidence to
support claim. May include include some scientific principles
or justification for why the
some inappropriate
evidence supports the claim, but
evidence.
Rebuttal
Recognizes and describes
alternative explanations, and
provides counter evidence and
reasoning for why the alternative
explanation is not appropriate.
Does not recognize that alternative
explanation exists and does not
provide a rebuttal or makes an
inaccurate rebuttal.
Recognizes alternative explanations
and provides appropriate but
insufficient counter evidence and
reasoning in making a rebuttal.
not sufficient.
Provides appropriate and
sufficient evidence to support
claim.
Provides reasoning that
connects the evidence to the
claim. Includes appropriate and
sufficient scientific principles to
explain why the evidence
supports the claim.
Recognizes alternative
explanations and provides
appropriate and sufficient counter
evidence and reasoning when
making rebuttals.
Specific Rubric: Does a lever make work easier?
0
1
Claim
Evidence
Reasoning
A statement or conclusion that answers
the original question/problem.
Scientific data that supports the claim. The data
needs to be appropriate and sufficient to support the
claim.
A justification that connects the evidence to the claim.
It shows why the data counts as evidence by using
appropriate and sufficient scientific principles.
Does not provide evidence, or only provides
inappropriate evidence or vague evidence, like “the
data shows me it is true” or “It would be a lot harder
to move a piano without a lever”
Makes a general statement about how in the
investigations levers sometimes made the work easier
and sometimes did not make the work easier. Does
not include specific data.
Does not provide reasoning, or only provides
inappropriate reasoning like “levers are used in lots of
ways in our lives”.
Provides 1 of the following 2 pieces of evidence:
• Specific data (e.g. numbers) from the
investigation when the lever made the work
easier.
• Specific data (e.g. numbers) from the
investigation when the lever made the work
harder.
Provides all 2 reasoning components:
• A lever can make work easier depending on the
position of the fulcrum, effort and load.
• Doing work is the ability to move an object. If it
takes less force, the work is easier.
Does not make a claim, or makes an
inaccurate claim like – “Levers do not
effect work.”
Makes an accurate but vague or
incomplete claim like – “Levers make
work easier.” Or “Levers do not make
work easier.” (It can actually depend).
Makes an accurate and complete claim
like – “Levers sometimes make work
easier.”
2
3
Provides 2 of the following 2 pieces of evidence:
• Specific data (e.g. numbers) from the
investigation when the lever made the work
easier.
• Specific data (e.g. numbers) from the
investigation when the lever made the work
harder.
Provides 1 of the following 2 reasoning components:
• A lever can make work easier depending on the
position of the fulcrum, effort and load.
• Doing work is the ability to move an object. If it
takes less force, the work is easier.