Using the Rasch Model to Measure Students' Argumentative Ability in the Context of Socioscientific Issues About the Covid-19 Pandemic

Argumentation plays an important role in developing critical thinking patterns and increasing understanding or interpretation of a main idea of the existing problems, besides that students need arguments to strengthen understanding and knowledge in the learning process. Socioscientific Issues is a combination of social issues involving moral and ethical components and their relevance to science. This study aims to determine the argumentation ability of junior high school students in the context of socioscientific issues with the topic of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The research method used is descriptive research with careful decision making and description of an educational phenomenon. The subjects of this study were 133 students consisting of grade 9 in several junior high schools in Abab District, Penukal Abab Lematang Ilir Regency. The technique of collecting research data is by means of a test with a total of three questions in the form of essays. The research data were analyzed using the Rasch model using Winstep software. The results showed that the argumentation skills of junior high school students averaged 57.29 logit, this means that on average students are able to present arguments by providing reasons that support the argument