analogy

Categories: Site glossary

An analogy is a comparison between two systems suggesting a parallel in how they are structured, e.g., conceptual structure (target structure) is like a web or net (analogues):

"The basis of analogy is an explicit comparison between two systems that share some level of structural similarity. Such analogies can be highly fruitful in science itself as well as in science learning…The process of analogy involves a mapping of features between the analogue and the target to demonstrate the structural similarities in the two systems" (Taber, 2013, p.1380)

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Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.