Vee Heuristic diagram Developed by Bob Gowin to show the links between conceptual and methodology and how they interact. It is a useful technique for analysis of documents, practical sessions and lectures. Thinking Theoretical/ Conceptual Philosophy/Accepted views Theories Principles/ Constructs/Paradigm Concepts Doing Focus Question Methodology Value/Claims Knowledge/ claims Transformations/Changes Facts/Records
Events/objects
An example of the use of the Vee Heuristic in laboratory investigation of cells is shown below
Theory: Organisms are made up of cells. Cells are small living units. Animal and plant cells are different. Principles: Living things include bacteria, plants and animals so all must be made of cells. Concepts – Words: cell, living, microscope, similar, different, stains, organelles Claims: You can tell the difference between animal and plant cells by looking at them down a microscope Question: Can you collect cells, stain them and see differences between animal and plant cells? Knowledge claims: cells contain certain bits the same like nucleus, cytoplasm but there are different bits like cell walls and organelles. Transformations: Animal cells do not have a cell wall or vacuole – the hole in the middle but all have the large blob called a nucleus Record: see drawings drawn from the microscope
Objects and events: We have cells in our cheeks. We can remove those cells by scraping. They can be stained and put under a microscope. Onions have cells in the layers. We can remove a thin strip of that layer. It can be stained and put under the microscope. By looking at both and using a book for reference I can see the difference in the animal cell (mine) and the plant cell (onion). The big differences are easy but they’re some I cannot see but must accept.