Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab
written by
Timothy Roach
A major goal of many intermediate physics labs is learning methods of data analysis. In our Modern Lab course we introduce these methods in a planned sequence, with labs explicitly designed to match the sequence, so that students learn increasingly more sophisticated methods as the semester progresses. The first lab has them investigate repeated measurements of a single quantity (the speed of electromagnetic pulses and speed of light) and introduces the concept of error propagation. In the second lab they use a functional relation (lambda vs. sinq ), for calibration of a diffraction grating, using residuals to optimize the fit. Later labs introduce Gaussian and Poisson probability distributions, and Least-Squares fitting of functions (including non-linear minimization). In addition, we provide here a few examples of how either methods or experiments can be adapted in order to support a coherent sequence of learning.
2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College
Part of the BFY Conference series
College Park, MD: July 22-24, 2015
Pages 88-91
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<a href="https://advlabs.aapt.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=13814">Roach, Timothy. "Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab." Paper presented at the 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College, College Park, MD, July 22-24, 2015.</a>
T. Roach, , presented at the 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College, College Park, MD, 2015, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13814&DocID=4235).
T. Roach, Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab, presented at the 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College, College Park, MD, 2015, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13814&DocID=4235>.
Roach, T. (2015, July 22-24). Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab. Paper presented at 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College, College Park, MD. Retrieved December 4, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13814&DocID=4235
Roach, Timothy. "Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab." Paper presented at the 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College, College Park, MD, July 22-24, 2015. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13814&DocID=4235 (accessed 4 December 2024).
Roach, Timothy. "Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab." 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College. College Park, MD: 2015. 88-91 of BFY Conference. 4 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13814&DocID=4235>.
@inproceedings{
Author = "Timothy Roach",
Title = {Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab},
BookTitle = {2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College},
Pages = {88-91},
Address = {College Park, MD},
Series = {BFY Conference},
Month = {July 22-24},
Year = {2015}
}
%A Timothy Roach %T Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab %S BFY Conference %D July 22-24 2015 %P 88-91 %C College Park, MD %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13814&DocID=4235 %O 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College %O July 22-24 %O application/pdf
%0 Conference Proceedings %A Roach, Timothy %D July 22-24 2015 %T Sequential Introduction of Data Analysis Methods in the Modern Lab %B 2015 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College %C College Park, MD %P 88-91 %S BFY Conference %8 July 22-24 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13814&DocID=4235
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