SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, ITS LABORATORY PRACTICES AND THE PRODUCTION OF SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES AS A WAY OF RE-SIGNIFYING KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

This report summarizes a high-school scientific initiation intervention at the full-time technical school ECIT Advogado Nobel Vita (Coremas, Paraíba, Brazil), designed to reframe knowledge and improve academic performance through three integrated research lines: Botany (implementation of a school herbarium and garden), Genetics (ABO/Rh blood typing), and Water Quality (monitoring of physico-chemical parameters). The aim was to bridge theory and practice, foster scientific literacy, and strengthen competencies aligned with Brazil’s BNCC, mobilizing reading, writing, and quantitative analysis descriptors. Methodologically, student teams were trained in biosafety, laboratory procedures, and scientific writing; field and bench analyses were conducted using pH meters, oximeters, conductivity meters, and total solids determinations, complemented by microscopy and anatomy sessions. In Botany, a partnership with UFCG (Patos Campus) supported training and production of herbarium exsiccatae, while the school garden expanded contextual learning. In Genetics, incoming students were blood-typed, with data curation and discussions on compatibility and citizenship. In Water Quality, systematic measurements of pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and solids informed environmental interpretations and technical projects in the Aquaculture program. Outcomes included higher engagement, autonomy, and retention, reduced dropout, and improvements in internal assessments; externally, a consolidated rise in the IDEPB index was observed, reaching 4.15 (2018), alongside gains in Mathematics and reinforced reading and writing practices. We conclude that locally grounded scientific initiation, supported by institutional partnerships and safe laboratory routines, effectively develops inquiry competencies, integrates knowledge domains, and sustains improvements in performance and the school’s scientific culture.