login - create an account - help
written by
Lillian C. McDermott, Mark Rosenquist, and Emily Van Zee
Some common errors exhibited by students in interpreting graphs in physics are illustrated by examples from kinematics. These are taken from the results of a descriptive study extending over a period of several years and involving several hundred university students who were enrolled in a laboratory-based preparatory physics course. Subsequent testing indicated that the graphing errors made by this group of students are not idiosyncratic, but are found in different populations and across different levels of sophistication. This paper examines two categories of difficulty identified in the investigation: difficulty in connecting graphs to physical concepts and difficulty in connecting graphs to the real world. Specific difficulties in each category are discussed in terms of student performance on written problems and laboratory experiments. A few of the instructional strategies that have been designed to address some of these difficulties are described.
American Journal of Physics: Volume 55, Issue 6, Pages 503-513
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!
Record Link
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=2739">McDermott, L, M. Rosenquist, and E. Van Zee. "Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics." Am. J. Phys. 55, no. 6, (June 1, 1987): 503-513.</a>
AIP Format
L. McDermott, M. Rosenquist, and E. Van Zee, , Am. J. Phys. 55 (6), 503 (1987), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15104).
AJP/PRST-PER
L. McDermott, M. Rosenquist, and E. Van Zee, Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics, Am. J. Phys. 55 (6), 503 (1987), <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15104>.
APA Format
McDermott, L., Rosenquist, M., & Van Zee, E. (1987, June 1). Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics. Am. J. Phys., 55(6), 503-513. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15104
Chicago Format
McDermott, L, M. Rosenquist, and E. Van Zee. "Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics." Am. J. Phys. 55, no. 6, (June 1, 1987): 503-513, https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15104 (accessed 25 April 2024).
MLA Format
McDermott, Lillian C., Mark Rosenquist, and Emily Van Zee. "Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics." Am. J. Phys. 55.6 (1987): 503-513. 25 Apr. 2024 <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15104>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{
Author = "Lillian C. McDermott and Mark Rosenquist and Emily Van Zee",
Title = {Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics},
Journal = {Am. J. Phys.},
Volume = {55},
Number = {6},
Pages = {503-513},
Month = {June},
Year = {1987}
}
Refer Export Format
%A Lillian C. McDermott %A Mark Rosenquist %A Emily Van Zee %T Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics %J Am. J. Phys. %V 55 %N 6 %D June 1, 1987 %P 503-513 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15104 %O text/html
EndNote Export Format
%0 Journal Article %A McDermott, Lillian C. %A Rosenquist, Mark %A Van Zee, Emily %D June 1, 1987 %T Student difficulties in connecting graphs and physics: Examples from kinematics %J Am. J. Phys. %V 55 %N 6 %P 503-513 %8 June 1, 1987 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15104 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. |
Save to my folders