Treatment of Statistics and Error in Introductory Physics Lab Manuals: A Comparison Study

• Jimmy Gonzalez Nuñez ^[1] ; John R. Walkup ^[2]
  1. [1] Johns Hopkins University

     Johns Hopkins University

     Estados Unidos

     
  2. [2] The Standards Company LLC, Norman, OK
• Localización: The Physics Teacher, ISSN 0031-921X, Vol. 62, Nº. 7, 2024, págs. 591-594
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Many students experience their first practical application of statistics and error analysis conducting activities in their introductory physics laboratory courses, where they learn definitions, concepts, and skills they will use for the rest of their academic and postgraduate career. This study analyzed the use of statistical methods in introductory physics labs by comparing a collection of lab manuals from two-year community colleges and four-year universities. Our analysis reveals substantial inconsistencies in the treatment of statistics and error among the sampled manuals for labs aimed at science and engineering students. Most notably, wide disparities surfaced in terminology and relationships, along with an absence of some topics that warrant a concerted treatment.