UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICS STUDENTS CONCEPTIONS OF MATHEMATICS

A Conceptions of Mathematics Questionnaire was developed, designed to provide an indicator of the nature of students' conceptions of the sub ject matter they were studying. The scales of the questionnaire were b ased upon a set of conceptions of mathematics identified in an earlier phenomenographic study of students studying mathematics. The scales r epresented fragmented and cohesive conceptions of mathematics. Evidenc e was found supporting both the validity and reliability of the scales . A fragmented conception was found to be associated with a surface ap proach and a cohesive conception was found to be associated with a dee p approach to studying mathematics.