PHYSICS PROBLEM SOLVING

(^) Summary
These new definitions led to the refinement of the prototype patterns so that
groups that used a large number of Modified Claims or Alternate Claims could be
distinguished from those that did not. I edited each transcript, double-checking my
classification of Claims, Modified Claims, and Alternate Claims. I then re-drew the
prototype flowcharts for all 14 groups. Table 3-20 (page 115) summarizes the basic ideas
of the Modified Claim and the Alternate Claim categories.
The process of defining the Modified Claims and Alternate Claims is typical of a
qualitative case study research method. The important thing to note is that these new
statement categories were not imposed on the data a priori, but rather grew out of the
need to interpret the data, and were suggested by the data.
(^) Does a Group Have a Self-Consistent Pattern of Argument Construction?
I found that 12 of the 14 groups exhibited a unique, single prototype pattern, and
two of the groups exhibited a dual prototype pattern (Figure 3-7, page 118). These 16
prototype flowcharts are reproduced in Appendix D.
Dual4B Pattern ,5B
2
2A,2B,2D,3A,3B Single Pattern
4A,4C,4D,5A,5C,6B,7A
12
Prototype Patterns^16
Figure 3-7. Prototype Patterns.