A FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT RESEARCH ON INFORMAL<br>INFERENTIAL REASONING

Informal inferential reasoning is a relatively recent concept in the research literature.<br>Several research studies have defined this type of cognitive process in slightly<br>different ways. In this paper, a working definition of informal inferential reasoning<br>based on an analysis of the key aspects of statistical inference, and on research from<br>educational psychology, science education, and mathematics education is presented.<br>Based on the literature reviewed and the working definition, suggestions are made for<br>the types of tasks that can be used to study the nature and development of informal<br>inferential reasoning. Suggestions for future research are offered along with<br>implications for teaching.