Abstract:

As in many countries of the world, the importance of the concept of argumentation is emphasized in the teaching programs in Turkey, especially in the science teaching programs. This is why researchers are aimed at studying the student’s arguments structure and arguments skills from every stage. This study also focuses on the arguments of the fourth and fifth class students. Working group of the research, moving from the specified focus point, forms a total of 280 students, including two schools and two fourth classes, two fifth classes, which are at the middle socio-economic level in Ankara or Sincan district in the 2012-2013 educational year. The study, which adopted the qualitative research method in order to find answers to the research problem, was based on the situation study scheme and the study situation is the "argumentary structures" of the students. In the two schools set for this purpose, students of the fourth and fifth classes were observed in the classroom environment, the arguments they created individually were studied and evaluated. The data was obtained through written answers received from students. The findings were compared between fourth and fifth class students. The results obtained on the basis of the research problems are generally as follows: in the arguments of the fourth and fifth classes students they form, in each event there is a certain claim phrase on the subject. But the nature of these claims varies depending on the difficulty of the subject, the state of hosting of more than one factor. In the same way, in the arguments they create, every action must have a reasonable phrase concerning the subject. But the data contained in the sentences of this reason varies depending on the difficulty of the subject, the state of hosting of more than one factor. When the findings obtained from the qualitative data were evaluated, fourth and fifth class students, according to the Toulmin analysis model, produced basic-level arguments in their arguments using only the claims and reasoning components. Quantitative analyses showed that fourth and fifth-class students did not differ in terms of the components they used in their arguments. Students at both levels have used arguments, argument phrases in their arguments, not placed in supporting and distorting. The arguments produced by the students who participate in the study vary according to the variables the event hosts and the achievements it encompasses. In the course of the study, students at low level 2 and high level 4 have produced arguments.

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