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Legitimation Without Argumentation: An Empirical Discourse Analysis of ‘Validity as an Argument’ in Assessment

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Title: Legitimation Without Argumentation: An Empirical Discourse Analysis of ‘Validity as an Argument’ in Assessment
Authors: Benjamin Kinnear, Daniel J. Schumacher, Lara Varpio, Erik W. Driessen, Abigail Konopasky
Source: Perspectives on Medical Education; Vol. 13 No. 1 (2024); 469–480
Publisher Information: Ubiquity Press, Ltd., 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Description: Introduction: Validity is frequently conceptualized in health professions education (HPE) assessment as an argument that supports the interpretation and uses of data. However, previous work has shown that many validity scholars believe argument and argumentation are relatively lacking in HPE. To better understand HPE’s discourse around argument and argumentation with regard to assessment validity, the authors explored the discourses present in published HPE manuscripts. Methods: The authors used a bricolage of critical discourse analysis approaches to understand how the language in influential peer reviewed manuscripts has shaped HPE’s understanding of validity arguments and argumentation. The authors used multiple search strategies to develop a final corpus of 39 manuscripts that were seen as influential in how validity arguments are conceptualized within HPE. An analytic framework drawing on prior research on Argumentation Theory was used to code manuscripts before developing themes relevant to the research question. Results: The authors found that the elaboration of argument and argumentation within HPE’s validity discourse is scant, with few components of Argumentation Theory (such as intended audience) existing within the discourse. The validity as an argument discourse was legitimized via authorization (reference to authority), rationalization (reference to institutionalized action), and mythopoesis (narrative building). This legitimation has cemented the validity as an argument discourse in HPE despite minimal exploration of what argument and argumentation are. Discussion: This study corroborates previous work showing the dearth of argument and argumentation present within HPE’s validity discourse. An opportunity exists to use Argumentation Theory in HPE to better develop validation practices that support use of argument.
Document Type: Article
File Description: application/pdf; text/xml
ISSN: 2212-277X
DOI: 10.5334/pme.1404
Access URL: https://account.pmejournal.org/index.php/up-j-pme/article/view/1404
Rights: CC BY
Accession Number: edsair.doi.dedup.....8b23880a01f878d8ef2a95db0a6efc79
Database: OpenAIRE
Description
Abstract:Introduction: Validity is frequently conceptualized in health professions education (HPE) assessment as an argument that supports the interpretation and uses of data. However, previous work has shown that many validity scholars believe argument and argumentation are relatively lacking in HPE. To better understand HPE’s discourse around argument and argumentation with regard to assessment validity, the authors explored the discourses present in published HPE manuscripts. Methods: The authors used a bricolage of critical discourse analysis approaches to understand how the language in influential peer reviewed manuscripts has shaped HPE’s understanding of validity arguments and argumentation. The authors used multiple search strategies to develop a final corpus of 39 manuscripts that were seen as influential in how validity arguments are conceptualized within HPE. An analytic framework drawing on prior research on Argumentation Theory was used to code manuscripts before developing themes relevant to the research question. Results: The authors found that the elaboration of argument and argumentation within HPE’s validity discourse is scant, with few components of Argumentation Theory (such as intended audience) existing within the discourse. The validity as an argument discourse was legitimized via authorization (reference to authority), rationalization (reference to institutionalized action), and mythopoesis (narrative building). This legitimation has cemented the validity as an argument discourse in HPE despite minimal exploration of what argument and argumentation are. Discussion: This study corroborates previous work showing the dearth of argument and argumentation present within HPE’s validity discourse. An opportunity exists to use Argumentation Theory in HPE to better develop validation practices that support use of argument.
ISSN:2212277X
DOI:10.5334/pme.1404