PHYSICS PROBLEM SOLVING

(^)
Table 2-9 (page 65) summarizes the results of the qualitative data collection. The
table contains descriptive information on each group such as the gender and performance
makeup of the group. The rankings High, Medium, and Low were determined from the
student’s standing in class at the time of the problem. This standing was based on the
class-wide examinations. A one-word or phrase description attempts to summarize the
group in as concise a word as possible. The longer comments actually elaborate upon
this one-word classification. Later, these one-word descriptions will hold true in the
patterns of argument construction found in this study.