CONCEPTS OF ENQUIRY-MAGIC WORDS OR INTELLECTUAL SKILLS?

The article focuses on the development of a research-instrument, based on diagnosed limitations of previous methods used for the testing of Understanding of the Nature of Scientific Enquiry (UNSE) both at the tenth and the twelfth grade levels, to serve as an externally set national examination. It describes in detail the written Israeli Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS)-Matriculation Examination which relates UNSE. The test is made up of a simplified version of a research report on Oxygen Poisoning in Insects, followed by a set of questions designed to diagnose UNSE. It has been shown that students were not afforded enough opportunity to master the type of tasks demanded in the examination under discussion. It is suggested that a series of original research papers, with increased level of difficulty and complexity of design, should accompany the BSCS courses.