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American Journal of Physics

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written by Robert J. Beichner
Recent work has uncovered a consistent set of student difficulties with graphs of position, velocity, and acceleration versus time. These include misinterpreting graphs as pictures, slope/height confusion, problems finding the slopes of lines not passing through the origin, and the inability to interpret the meaning of the area under various graph curves. For this particular study, data from 895 students at the high school and college level was collected and analyzed. The test used to collect the data is included at the end of the article and should prove useful for other researchers studying kinematics learning as well as instructors teaching the material. The process of developing and analyzing the test is fully documented and is suggested as a model for similar assessment projects.
American Journal of Physics: Volume 62, Issue 8, Pages 750-62
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Assessment
= Instruments
- Research Design & Methodology
- Student Characteristics
= Ability
General Physics
- Physics Education Research
- Lower Undergraduate
- High School
- Reference Material
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
- Researchers
- Educators
- text/html
- application/pdf
- application/postscript
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Access Rights:
Available by subscription
Restriction:
© 1994 American Journal of Physics
Accession Number:
4741003
DOI:
10.1119/1.17449
Keywords:
acceleration, education, graphs, kinematics, physics, positions, teaching, testing, velocity
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created June 13, 2005 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
September 27, 2007 by Rebecca Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
August 1, 1994
Other Collections:

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Record Link
AIP Format
R. Beichner, , Am. J. Phys. 62 (8), 750 (1994), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17449).
AJP/PRST-PER
R. Beichner, Testing student interpretation of kinematics graphs, Am. J. Phys. 62 (8), 750 (1994), <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17449>.
APA Format
Beichner, R. (1994, August 1). Testing student interpretation of kinematics graphs. Am. J. Phys., 62(8), 750-62. Retrieved October 3, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17449
Chicago Format
Beichner, Robert. "Testing student interpretation of kinematics graphs." Am. J. Phys. 62, no. 8, (August 1, 1994): 750-62, https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17449 (accessed 3 October 2024).
MLA Format
Beichner, Robert. "Testing student interpretation of kinematics graphs." Am. J. Phys. 62.8 (1994): 750-62. 3 Oct. 2024 <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17449>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{ Author = "Robert Beichner", Title = {Testing student interpretation of kinematics graphs}, Journal = {Am. J. Phys.}, Volume = {62}, Number = {8}, Pages = {750-62}, Month = {August}, Year = {1994} }
Refer Export Format

%A Robert Beichner %T Testing student interpretation of kinematics graphs %J Am. J. Phys. %V 62 %N 8 %D August 1, 1994 %P 750-62 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17449 %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Journal Article %A Beichner, Robert %D August 1, 1994 %T Testing student interpretation of kinematics graphs %J Am. J. Phys. %V 62 %N 8 %P 750-62 %8 August 1, 1994 %M 4741003 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.17449


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