A three-tier system for assessing concept map links: a methodological study

A novel method is described for analysing concept maps for research and analysis purposes. The coding system rates the use, the stability, and the complexity of each link, which is a unique way of representing students' knowledge. The analysis scheme affords a look at how students may integrate new knowledge into their existing structures and may be used for assessment purposes or research on how students learn. This coding system was successfully applied to a sample of 56 complex concept maps that had been generated from student interviews on the topic of chemical bonding. The coding system is of particular use when analysing complex concept maps with a large number of concept nodes and links. The system described here was also particularly useful for assessing complex, non-hierarchical concept maps.