• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.227-242
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• 2012

This research explores the scientific reasoning of pre-service elementary teachers in experimental design. The article focuses on pre-service teachers' responses to the questions in the worksheets which involve making their knowledge claims on extinguishing of a burning candle in a closed container, evaluating anomalous data, and designing experiment to test their ideas. Their responses are interpreted in terms of categories developed by Tytler and Peterson(2003, 2004). The interrelationship between conceptual knowledge and scientific reasoning is explored using the data. It is argued that coordination of ideas and evidence must be emphasized in the scientific investigations rather than fair test.