Abstract
The terms (mathematical) argumentation, justification, and proof are or can be related, and they have been used in various ways in the mathematics education literature, often without an explicit definition. In this chapter we reflect on issues of terminology with regard to these terms, and we explore implications of using alternative definitions thereof when analyzing the same classroom episodes. Our discussion highlights the importance of researchers making their definitions of argumentation, justification, and proof explicit so as to enable proper interpretation of their conclusions and facilitate comparisons across studies. Our discussion raises also the question of what the range of acceptable definitions might be and how that range might depend on the research context. Reflecting on the implications of using alternative terms and definitions to analyze the same classroom episodes can help deepen understanding about and sensitivity to issues of terminology and meaning in mathematics education research.
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Stylianides, A.J., Stylianides, G.J. (2022). On the Meanings of Argumentation, Justification, and Proof: General Insights from Analyses of Elementary Classroom Episodes. In: Bieda, K.N., Conner, A., Kosko, K.W., Staples, M. (eds) Conceptions and Consequences of Mathematical Argumentation, Justification, and Proof . Research in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80008-6_6
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