Many studies have reported that practice in making arguments can help students in constructing explanations. Sandoval and Millwood (2005) noted that explanations are a core production of science, and constructing and evaluating explanations require the central scientific activity of argumentation. McNeill and Krajcik (2006) observed that the construction of explanations is developed via evaluation and debate over different explanations within scientific communities. Berland and Reiser (2009) also stated that explanations are developed through argumentation in which explanations are queried, debated, evaluated, and revised within a community of scientists. Argument is a social interaction aimed at persuading or defending an opinion (VanEemeren et al., 1996). In terms of argumentation, students can use their epistemological understandings to not only logically construct scientific explanations but also critically evaluate one another's scientific explanations (Kenyon & Reiser, 2006).However, a lack of opportunities for students to practice argument and a lack of teaching techniques that teachers can employ in
organizing argumentative discourse are significant obstructions to progress in science education (Driver, Newton, & Osborne,2000). This study thus supports the view that providing opportunities for argumentation and the mechanisms needed toorganize argumentative discourse in scientific inquiry can help students construct better scientific explanations.