Question List

Question Number Personal/Professional Statement Expert Response How important for earning a good grade in this class was...
1 When doing an experiment, I try to understand how the experimental setup works. Agree ... understanding how the experimental setup works?
2 If I wanted to, I think I could be good at doing research. Agree NA
3 When doing a physics experiment, I don't think much about sources of systematic error. Disgree ... thinking about sources of systematic error?
4 If I am communicating results from an experiment, my main goal is to create a report with the correct sections and formatting Disgree ... communicating results with the correct sections and formatting?
5 Calculating uncertainties usually helps me understand my results better. Agree ... calculating uncertainties to better understand my results?
6 Scientific journal articles are helpful for answering my own questions and designing experiments Agree ... reading scientific journal articles?
7 I don't enjoy doing physics experiments. Disgree NA
8 When doing an experiment, I try to understand the relevant equations. Agree ... understanding the relevant equations?
9 When I approach a new piece of lab equipment, I feel confident I can learn how to use it well enough for my purposes. Agree ... learning to use a new piece of laboratory equipment?
10 Whenever I use a new measurement tool, I try to understand its performance limitations. Agree ... understanding the performance limitations of the measurement tools?
11 Computers are helpful for plotting and analyzing data. Agree ... using a computer for plotting and analyzing data?
12 I don't need to understand how the measurement tools and sensors work in order to carry out an experiment. Disgree ... understanding how the measurement tools and sensors work?
13 If I try hard enough I can succeed at doing physics experiments. Agree NA
14 When doing an experiment I usually think up my own questions to investigate. Agree ... thinking up my own questions to investigate?
15 Designing and building things is an important part of doing physics experiments. Agree ... designing and building things?
16 The primary purpose of doing a physics experiment is to confirm previously known results. Disgree ... confiming previously known results?
17 When I encounter difficulties in the lab, my first step is to ask an expert, like the instructor. Disgree ... overcoming difficulties without the instructor's help?
18 Communicating scientific results to peers is a valuable part of doing physics experiments. Agree ... communicating scientific results to peers?
19 Working in a group is an important part of doing physics experiments. Agree ... working in a group?
20 I enjoy building things and working with my hands. Agree NA
21 I am usually able to complete an experiment without understanding the equations and physics ideas that describe the system I am investigating Disgree ... understanding the equations and physics ideas that describe the system I am investigating?
22 If I am communicating results from an experiment, my main goal is to make conclusions based on my data using scientific reasoning Agree ... making conclusions based on data using scientific reasoning?
23 When I am doing an experiment, I try to make predictions to see if my results are reasonable. Agree ... making predictions to see if my results are reasonable?
24 Nearly all students are capable of doing a physics experiment if they work at it. Agree NA
25 A common approach for fixing a problem with an experiment is to randomly change things until the problem goes away. Disgree ... randomly changing things to fix a problem with the experiment?
26 It is helpful to understand the assumptions that go into making predictions. Agree ... understanding the approximations and simplifications that are included in theoretical predictions?
27 When doing an experiment, I just follow the instructions without thinking about their purpose. Disgree ... thinking about the purpose of the instructions in the lab guide?
28 I do not expect doing an experiment to help my understanding of physics. Disagree NA
29 If I don't have clear directions for analyzing data, I am not sure how to choose an appropriate analysis method. Disgree ... choosing an appropriate method for analyzing data (without explicit direction)?
30 Physics experiments contribute to the growth of scientific knowledge. Agree NA
Question Number Personal/Professional Statement Expert Response
1 When doing an experiment, I try to understand how the experimental setup works. Agree
2 If I wanted to, I think I could be good at doing research. Agree
3 When doing a physics experiment, I don't think much about sources of systematic error. Disgree
4 If I am communicating results from an experiment, my main goal is to create a report with the correct sections and formatting Disgree
5 Calculating uncertainties usually helps me understand my results better. Agree
6 Scientific journal articles are helpful for answering my own questions and designing experiments Agree
7 I don't enjoy doing physics experiments. Disgree
8 When doing an experiment, I try to understand the relevant equations. Agree
9 When I approach a new piece of lab equipment, I feel confident I can learn how to use it well enough for my purposes. Agree
10 Whenever I use a new measurement tool, I try to understand its performance limitations. Agree
11 Computers are helpful for plotting and analyzing data. Agree
12 I don't need to understand how the measurement tools and sensors work in order to carry out an experiment. Disgree
13 If I try hard enough I can succeed at doing physics experiments. Agree
14 When doing an experiment I usually think up my own questions to investigate. Agree
15 Designing and building things is an important part of doing physics experiments. Agree
16 The primary purpose of doing a physics experiment is to confirm previously known results. Disgree
17 When I encounter difficulties in the lab, my first step is to ask an expert, like the instructor. Disgree
18 Communicating scientific results to peers is a valuable part of doing physics experiments. Agree
19 Working in a group is an important part of doing physics experiments. Agree
20 I enjoy building things and working with my hands. Agree
21 I am usually able to complete an experiment without understanding the equations and physics ideas that describe the system I am investigating Disgree
22 If I am communicating results from an experiment, my main goal is to make conclusions based on my data using scientific reasoning Agree
23 When I am doing an experiment, I try to make predictions to see if my results are reasonable. Agree
24 Nearly all students are capable of doing a physics experiment if they work at it. Agree
25 A common approach for fixing a problem with an experiment is to randomly change things until the problem goes away. Disgree
26 It is helpful to understand the assumptions that go into making predictions. Agree
27 When doing an experiment, I just follow the instructions without thinking about their purpose. Disgree
28 I do not expect doing an experiment to help my understanding of physics. Disagree
29 If I don't have clear directions for analyzing data, I am not sure how to choose an appropriate analysis method. Disgree
30 Physics experiments contribute to the growth of scientific knowledge. Agree
Question Number How important for earning a good grade in this class was...
1 ... understanding how the experimental setup works?
2 NA
3 ... thinking about sources of systematic error?
4 ... communicating results with the correct sections and formatting?
5 ... calculating uncertainties to better understand my results?
6 ... reading scientific journal articles?
7 NA
8 ... understanding the relevant equations?
9 ... learning to use a new piece of laboratory equipment?
10 ... understanding the performance limitations of the measurement tools?
11 ... using a computer for plotting and analyzing data?
12 ... understanding how the measurement tools and sensors work?
13 NA
14 ... thinking up my own questions to investigate?
15 ... designing and building things?
16 ... confiming previously known results?
17 ... overcoming difficulties without the instructor's help?
18 ... communicating scientific results to peers?
19 ... working in a group?
20 NA
21 ... understanding the equations and physics ideas that describe the system I am investigating?
22 ... making conclusions based on data using scientific reasoning?
23 ... making predictions to see if my results are reasonable?
24 NA
25 ... randomly changing things to fix a problem with the experiment?
26 ... understanding the approximations and simplifications that are included in theoretical predictions?
27 ... thinking about the purpose of the instructions in the lab guide?
28 NA
29 ... choosing an appropriate method for analyzing data (without explicit direction)?
30 NA