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The Analysis of Student Expository Writing in Mathematics

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Abstract

The use of writing as a learning activity in mathematics has been the subject of many publications. However, little evidence has been presented to support the claims that writing enhances learning in mathematics. One difficulty in such research has been the lack of a detailed method for analysing the writing products of students. In the present study, a scheme for coding the parts of written mathematical presentations was developed. At the grade 8 level at which the study was conducted, a limited style of expository writing was found to predominate. The writing was shown to closely resemble the style of the typical mathematics textbook used by the students.

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Shield, M., Galbraith, P. The Analysis of Student Expository Writing in Mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics 36, 29–52 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003109819256

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