Inquiry practices and types of knowledge, with paths of logical associations between inquiry questions, presented as part of an open inquiry process

We examined inquiry practices and types of knowledge presented along with paths of logical associations between inquiry questions as part of an open inquiry process. The study analysed high school biology students’ scientific summaries of open inquiry processes. We found three paths of logical associations between inquiry questions–preliminary to major, major to major and major to theoretical. Planning and design inquiry practices were implemented at similar rates in all paths. Analysis and interpretation practices were highest in the preliminary to major path and application inquiry practices were highest in the major to major path. In the preliminary to major path, procedural, logical, and strategic knowledge was used. Logical and situational knowledge were used in the major to major path, and situational knowledge was used in the major to theoretical path. Our results demonstrated that various inquiry practices and types of knowledge are used at different paths of formulating inquiry questions, specifically those that involve several stages of hands-on activity. Thus, we recommend that high school students should engage in different paths of scientific inquiry processes, specifically those that require them to engage in continuous planning and performing hands-on inquiry activity, to advance inquiry practices and their knowledge base.