#1033: Building Trust in Scientific Reviews: Challenges and Insights from High School Science

This exploratory study investigates how ninth-grade students evaluate scientific sources presenting varying forms of evidence. Grounded in the Grasp of Evidence framework, the study examines students’ epistemic ideals and reliable processes when appraising evidentiary quality. While students’ quantitative ratings showed minimal change following an instructional intervention, their justifications revealed emerging understandings of evidence integration and synthesis. The findings inform approaches for research and instruction that develop learners’ capacity to critically evaluate evidence in real-world scientific contexts.