Critical complements: combining writing and group discussion activities to help students engage with empirical evidence

Sarah Maxey and Steffen Blings

Chapter 4 in Teaching Critical Thinking in Political Science, 2025, pp 37-47 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Critically evaluating arguments and data are key parts of a social science education. These skills help students become informed citizens and prepare them for the growing number of careers that require data analysis. Linking empirical evidence to theoretical arguments, however, is also a struggle for many students in their transition to higher education. In this chapter, we argue that active learning techniques, especially structured writing and group discussion activities, work together to make engaging with empirical evidence approachable − and even enjoyable − for college students. We outline the challenges of critical engagement with empirical evidence and detail how the benefits of writing and discussion activities can be translated across different course environments, including examples of relevant activities.

Keywords: Active learning; Empirical evidence; Structured writing; Group discussion; Social science (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035327539
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