View in EDS

Argument Mapping in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Argument Mapping in Higher Education: A Systematic Review
Language: English
Authors: John C. Nesbit (ORCID 0000-0002-7096-6682), Qing Liu (ORCID 0000-0002-5647-3726)
Source: Higher Education Quarterly. 2025 79(4).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Visual Aids, Persuasive Discourse, College Students, Thinking Skills, Student Attitudes, Critical Thinking
DOI: 10.1111/hequ.70063
ISSN: 0951-5224
1468-2273
Abstract: Given the emphasis on critical thinking across the undergraduate curricula, research on argument visualisation has significant implications for designing learning activities in higher education. This systematic review examines research on the use of argument maps or diagrams by postsecondary students. The goals were to identify the themes, research questions, and results of systematically identified studies, and to assess the current prospects for meta-analyses. Relevant databases were searched for qualitative, observational and experimental studies. We coded 124 studies on research design, mapping software, student attitudes, collaborative mapping and thinking skills. There were 102 empirical studies, of which 44% assessed student attitudes toward argument mapping, 40% investigated collaborative argument mapping and 51% examined the quality or structure of student-constructed argument maps. The causal relationship most frequently investigated was the effect of argument mapping on critical thinking skills. We present the results from selected studies and consider their significance for learning design.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487616
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1487616
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Argument Mapping in Higher Education: A Systematic Review
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22John+C%2E+Nesbit%22">John C. Nesbit</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7096-6682">0000-0002-7096-6682</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Qing+Liu%22">Qing Liu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5647-3726">0000-0002-5647-3726</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education+Quarterly%22"><i>Higher Education Quarterly</i></searchLink>. 2025 79(4).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 19
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+Aids%22">Visual Aids</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Persuasive+Discourse%22">Persuasive Discourse</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thinking+Skills%22">Thinking Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+Thinking%22">Critical Thinking</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/hequ.70063
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0951-5224<br />1468-2273
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Given the emphasis on critical thinking across the undergraduate curricula, research on argument visualisation has significant implications for designing learning activities in higher education. This systematic review examines research on the use of argument maps or diagrams by postsecondary students. The goals were to identify the themes, research questions, and results of systematically identified studies, and to assess the current prospects for meta-analyses. Relevant databases were searched for qualitative, observational and experimental studies. We coded 124 studies on research design, mapping software, student attitudes, collaborative mapping and thinking skills. There were 102 empirical studies, of which 44% assessed student attitudes toward argument mapping, 40% investigated collaborative argument mapping and 51% examined the quality or structure of student-constructed argument maps. The causal relationship most frequently investigated was the effect of argument mapping on critical thinking skills. We present the results from selected studies and consider their significance for learning design.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1487616
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1487616
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/hequ.70063
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Visual Aids
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Persuasive Discourse
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thinking Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Critical Thinking
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Argument Mapping in Higher Education: A Systematic Review
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: John C. Nesbit
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Qing Liu
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 10
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0951-5224
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1468-2273
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 79
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Higher Education Quarterly
              Type: main
ResultId 1