The aim of the study was to describe, categorise and analyse students’ (aged 14–16) processes of scientific
inquiry in biology and chemistry education. Therefore, a theoretical structure for scientific inquiry for both
biology and chemistry, the VerE model, was developed. This model consists of nine epistemological acts,
which combine processes of scientific thinking and inquiry methods. Based on the theoretical structure, a
paper-and-pencil test was developed to investigate the students’ abilities in the acts of scientific inquiry. Each of
the nine acts was operationalised to generate multiple-choice items. For each act, ten items were constructed.
In total, ninety items per subject were tested in a field study to evaluate their psychometric quality. The article
focuses on the outcomes for testing in biology. In biology, 537 students were tested with a paper-and-pencil
test, following a multi-matrix design in which each student solved twenty-seven items. Data from 260 students
have been analysed so far. Seventy-five items showed satisfactory item characteristics. The distribution of the
items’ difficulties fits the students’ abilities appropriately. We conclude that theory-driven epistemological acts
can be operationalised in tasks that assess students’ abilities in scientific inquiry.

• Assessing students’ abilities in processes of scientific inquiry in biology using a paper-and-pencil test

Share :