An Investigation of High School Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions About the Diversity of Scientific Methods in Chemistry Learning

Employing Brandon’s Matrix as the theoretical framework, based on chemistry topics, this study conducted a questionnaire survey (including three tasks) to investigate students’ attitudes and perceptions about the diversity of scientific methods. Six hundred fifty-seven students from two high schools (one ordinary school and one exemplary school) in China were selected as participants. The results indicated that they held positive attitudes towards using different methods, but showed a relatively unsatisfactory understanding of two components of Brandon’s Matrix and had naive views about the diversity of scientific methods. Furthermore, compared to ordinary ones, exemplary school students were more capable to judge and describe the hypothesis and variables. Then, we have derived some reasons from open-ended answers by students in combination with previous related research, to explain why students had difficulties in identifying two components of Brandon’s Matrix and misunderstood the diversity of scientific methods. Finally, the implications of the findings and the suggestions for future research were discussed.