Research Article

From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs

Volume: 17 Number: 1 April 28, 2026
TR EN

From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs

Abstract

This study aims to identify the specific difficulties gifted students encounter when constructing graphs related to the concept of solubility—a skill central to scientific thinking and data interpretation. A qualitative case study design, allowing for an in-depth examination of gifted students’ graph-drawing processes, was utilized. A total of 64 gifted middle school students were presented with tabulated data showing the solubility of five chemical compounds in water at various temperatures and were asked to draw corresponding solubility–temperature graphs. Students’ graphs were analyzed using the Temiz and Tan (2009) graph-drawing rubric, which consists of nine qualitative criteria addressing key components of graph construction. The analysis focused on identifying patterns, recurring errors, and qualitative characteristics of students’ graphing performances. The findings revealed that many gifted students struggled with key components of graph construction, particularly scaling and labeling the axes, accurately placing data points, and connecting them appropriately. Only a small percentage of students fully met all criteria, indicating that graphing difficulties persist even among high-ability learners. These results underscore the importance of explicitly teaching graphing skills, which are often overlooked in gifted education. The study contributes to the limited body of research on gifted students’ graphical representational skills, specifically their ability to visually represent and organize scientific data through graphs, and provides insights for designing targeted instructional interventions to enhance their scientific process competencies.

Keywords

References

  1. Ayas, A., Çepni, S., Johnson, D. and Turgut, M., F. (1997). Kimya öğretimi, Bilkent, Ankara: YÖK/Dünya Bankası Milli Eğitimi Geliştirme Projesi Yayınları.
  2. Bayazıt, İ. (2011). Öğretmen adaylarının grafikler konusundaki bilgi düzeyleri. Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 10(4), 1325 -1346.
  3. Beichner, R. J. (1994). Testing student ınterpretation of kinematics graphs. American Journal of Physics, 62(8), 750-762.
  4. Beler, Ş. (2009). İlköğretim 8. sınıf öğrencilerin fotosentez konusu ile ilgili grafikleri okumada ve yorumlamada karşılaştıkları güçlüklerin belirlenmesi. [Yayınlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi.
  5. Bengtsson, L. A. and Ottosson, T. (2006). What lies behind graphicacy? Relating students’ results on a test of graphically represented quantitative information to formal academic achievement. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 43(1), 43-62. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20087
  6. Bilal A-S. and Salihah, A. (2024). A systematic literature review of knowledge graph construction and application in education. Heliyon, 10(3), e25383.
  7. Biswal, S. and Behera, B. (2023). Enhancing science process skills through inquiry-based learning: A comprehensive literature review and analysis. International Journal of Science and Research, 12(8), 1583-1589. https://doi.org/10.21275/SR23817121415
  8. Bowen, G.M. and Roth, M.W. (2005). Data and graph ınterpretation practices among preservice science teachers. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 42(10), 1063-1088. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20086

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Other Fields of Education (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

April 11, 2026

Publication Date

April 28, 2026

Submission Date

May 26, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 7, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 17 Number: 1

APA
Coştu, F. (2026). From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 17(1), 236-257. https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1706226
AMA
1.Coştu F. From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs. WAJES. 2026;17(1):236-257. doi:10.51460/baebd.1706226
Chicago
Coştu, Fatma. 2026. “From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs”. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi 17 (1): 236-57. https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1706226.
EndNote
Coştu F (April 1, 2026) From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi 17 1 236–257.
IEEE
[1]F. Coştu, “From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs”, WAJES, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 236–257, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.51460/baebd.1706226.
ISNAD
Coştu, Fatma. “From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs”. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi 17/1 (April 1, 2026): 236-257. https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1706226.
JAMA
1.Coştu F. From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs. WAJES. 2026;17:236–257.
MLA
Coştu, Fatma. “From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs”. Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 17, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 236-57, doi:10.51460/baebd.1706226.
Vancouver
1.Fatma Coştu. From Table to Graph: Exploring Gifted Students’ Difficulties in Drawing Solubility Graphs. WAJES. 2026 Apr. 1;17(1):236-57. doi:10.51460/baebd.1706226