The Scientific Reasoning Level of Students In the Faculty of Science Research Proposal

The Scientific Reasoning Level of Students In the Faculty of Science In King Saud University - Research Proposal Example It is important to establish how scientific reasoning capability affect the way students choose the subjects to specialize in. Students within the faculty of science in King Saudi University can choose to specialize in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. It is also important to establish the scientific reasoning capability of students in the four learning levels in King Saud University to determine whether their understanding of different scientific concepts is progressing or not. Literature Review A lot of research has been done on factors that determine performance of students in science and the scientific reasoning. Such studies have shown that scientific reasoning is imperative and it enables students predict and apply different scientific theories. A study conducted by Bell, Maeng & Peters (2010, p. 8) showed that students enjoy challenges posed by scientific inquiry and take part more devotedly when supported. The study also showed that most teachers do not exhibit natural ability in providing instructions and teaching on the nature of science thus students interest in science and scientific reasoning capability tends to depreciate as they proceed to higher teaching levels. Schen (2007, p. 86-88) did a study to investigate development of scientific reasoning among undergraduate students majoring in Biology. The study made use of Lawson Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning (LCTSR) to assess student’s scientific reasoning capability. The study results showed that there is need to foster development of reasoning skills among undergraduate biology students to improve the reasoning skills of future scientists. Schen concluded that undergraduate students pursuing biology may be having difficulty in understanding scientific methods well since they are not evolving their mental reasoning skills (Schen, 2007, p.142). Moore and Rubbo (2011, p.3) did another research to determine scientific reasoning abilities of non-science majors in physics-based courses. The study results showed that students in non-scientific physics based courses, which included conceptual physics and astronomy courses score considerably lower on the LCTSR compared to students enrolled in courses with science majors (Moore & Rubbo, 2011, p.8-11). Another study was done by Benford and Russell (2001, p.2) and aimed at examining the connection between scientific methodologies and biological inquiry methods in college biology laboratories. The study established a negative relationship between lecturer or instructor inquiry and student understanding of nature of science. The study also showed that most biology students have low scientific reasoning capability. Little research has been done on how scientific reasoning differs in different scientific specialization such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Additionally, there is less literature comparing the trend of scientific reasoning across different levels of study. This study is thus important since it aims at establis hing if there is any difference in scientific reasoning in the different specialization as well as in the different levels of study. Background and Objective The level of scientific reasoning determines how student perceive different aspects of science, which in turn determine the science subject they choose to major in. The scientific concepts vary from one level of study to

Greek Civil War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Greek Civil War - Research Paper Example The Communist Party found this opportunity to grab power by creating National Liberation Front, called the EAM. The other group opposing the communist viewpoint belonged to the EDES. The EDES got support from the Britain as Britain was against the expansion of communism. Winston Churchill, the then Prime-Minister of Britain met with Joseph Stalin of Germany in 1944. In a political and diplomatic bargain it was decided between both the premiers that Germany would get a stronghold in Romania if Germany supported the United Kingdom’s hold in Greece. The Germans had been there in Greece since the World War II, started to recede back from Greece without providing any concrete assistance to communists to remain in power although communists were quite powerful politically and militarily at that time. It started a battle between the British forces and the EAM on December 2, 1944 resulting in a win for the nationalists and reduction of the communist stronghold on Greece (Leonard par. 1 ). The first stage of civil war started some months before the Germany forces were evacuating Greece in October 1944. Parties to the Civil War in Greece were two leading guerrilla forces, the communist-supported EAM-ELAS (National Liberation Front–National Popular Liberation Army) and the EDES (Greek Democratic National Army).The EAM-ELAS overpowered all opposing guerrilla and political enemies except the EDES in early 1944 and established its rule in the Greek mountains, which meant end of the rule of the Greek King and his government in exile. With the withdrawal of troops by Germany, the British government supported the communists and the royal Greek guerrillas to make a coalition government in Athens but was unable to dissolve the guerrilla forces, which resulted in a bitter civil war in Athens on December 3 (Encyclopedia Britannica, â€Å"Greek Civil War,† par. 2). One of the reasons of the war was that the communists were against the British proposal of disarming the ELAS, therefore, declared a general strike in Athens on December, 1944. It led to a conflict between the police and the ELAS. A ceasefire was announced when Winston Churchill came to Athens resulting in withdrawal of ELAS guerrillas from Athens. An accord was made on February 12, 1945 according to which ELAS was supposed to surrender its weapons in fourteen days (ThinkQuest par. 2). This fierce battle brought the EAM-ELAM in a winning position everywhere in Greece except Athens and Thessaloniki, where the British military controlled the deteriorating situation with great difficulty (Encyclopedia Britannica, â€Å"Greek Civil War,† par. 2). In February 1945, the communists announced the disseverment of their forces in a conference but did not participate in the general election in Greece in March 1946 resulting in a royalist majority (Encyclopedia Britannica, â€Å"Greek Civil War,† par. 3). The March 1946 elections were biased towards EDES to which the communists reacted by forming the Democratic Party of Greece (DA), and issued a statement that they would continue fighting until democratic forces prevail upon and rule Greece. Initially, Communists were leading ahead because of support from the neighboring Yugoslavia and communists’ strong presence in the Northern Greece (Leonard par. 2). Other important political happening included plebiscite in September 1946 establishing the rule of the Greek King once again. Communists who had gone hidden earlier once again waged