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DIAGNOSTIC/REMEDIAL TESTS IN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS
SOME NOTES FOR THE INSTRUCTOR

These Tests are, in part, directed towards unearthing and attempting to correct some of the many preconceptions/misconceptions which students bring to their initial studies of Physics. As is well known these are based on their everyday experiences and are often quite deeply ingrained and, if not rectified, can retard the student's progress. The last four test are probably more suitable for students starting tertiary physics.

Light

  1. The Nature of Light
  2. Images and Plane Mirrors
  3. Images and Curved Mirrors
  4. Images and Lenses

Mechanics I

  1. Movement-Basic Ideas
  2. Velocity and Acceleration
  3. Vectors
  4. Kinematics and Forces
  5. Newton's Laws

Heat

  1. The Nature of Heat
  2. The Transfer of Heat

Mechanics II

  1. Forces
  2. Work-Energy
  3. Momentum
  4. Prelude to Simple Harmonic Motion

The tests are in Word 97 format (about 3.9MB for tests 1 to 11) except for 12 to 15 which are Adobe PDF files. They are ready for downloading and subsequent printing (preferably double-sided) and distribution to students. From this point onwards the tests can be self-administered by the students. The tests are "take home" and can be done at the student's convenience as he or she comes to the appropriate section in class

The students work through the questions on the left hand (even-numbered) pages, keeping the right hand (odd-numbered) pages covered and at various stages check their responses against the answers on the right hand pages which in addition to giving the correct answer has a commentary on wrong answers hopefully initiating remediation of an unearthed misconception. In addition to the "questions and answers" there are a few instructional sidelights and "interludes".

Since the tests are in Word 97 the formatting may be slightly different with earlier or later versions (e.g. page breaks, which may result in the carry-over of the last lines of a page of "this version" on to a new and otherwise blank page in another version). This emphasises the need that, prior to printing, viewing and editing should be done using "Page Layout View" with "Print Preview" as a final Court of Appeal.

If the students choose to download from this Website they might, in the interests of economy and the forests choose to print only the even-numbered (question) pages and do their answer checking "on screen".

Teachers are, of course, able to edit the tests in any way they think fit excising any material perceived as extraneous or "over-kill" and indeed any comments or suggestions for improvement would be gratefully received by

Emeritus Professor Bill Rachinger,
School of Physics,
Monash University, P.O.27, Vic 3800 Australia
or Bill.Rachinger@sci.monash.edu.au