PHYSICS PROBLEM SOLVING

Episode Flowcharts
Many statements related to the steps of the problem-solving strategy. Although
these appear to be procedural, they usually contain important physics. For example,
Group 4A paid close attention to the strategy as is seen in the episode in Table 3-16 (p.
104). Their statements about the Target Variable and the Question being asked in the
problem are integral parts of the problem-solving strategy (For a summary of the
problem-solving strategy, refer to page 33 in Chapter 2). These steps are designed to
help the group determine what variables they are to solve. Hence they do relate to the
construction of an adequate physics description, and I decided they should not be
excluded from the analysis.
The flowchart of this episode (Figure 3-1, page 105) contains a set of symbols,
one for each statement type. Each symbol is numbered and the number is the same as a
line number in the corresponding episode transcript. The statement abbreviations are the
same as those in the transcripts and the speaker’s initials are also included. The arrows
indicate the “flow” of the argument. There are some important points to be made about
the interpretation of the flowcharts. First, the lines indicate a connection with what
preceeds or follows a given symbol. If the thought was left “dangling,” the arrow would
not terminate on another symbol. Second, if a statement refers to back to a prior, non-
sequential statement, a dotted arrow is drawn to show the connection. That is, if the
Support in line 36 referred back to the Claim in 31, a dotted arrow would connect those
symbols.