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ERIC Number: EJ860254
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-May
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
EISSN: N/A
Do You Prefer to Have the Text or a Sheet with Your Physics Exams?
Hamed, Kastro M.
Physics Teacher, v46 n5 p290-293 May 2008
Many high school and introductory college physics instructors ponder the choice between "open text" exams versus "facts and formulae sheet" exams. Other alternatives are closed book/closed notes exams or an instructor-prepared sheet of facts and relevant formulas. There is no agreement on merit. Rehfuss strongly opposes allowing students to use formula sheets while taking physics exams despite acknowledging that such use is common practice. Cone responded to Rehfuss by defending the use of such sheets and outlining the benefits of a "cheat sheet." Debate over the use of a "cheat sheet" or other resources during exams is not limited to the physics community. Skidmore and Aagaard studied the relationship between testing conditions and student test scores for students in teacher education. Two decades earlier Boniface, Dorsal and Cundiff, and Hindman published papers on the use of texts and/or sheets during examinations in psychology and education. Others, such as Pullen et al. focused on studying the discarded cheat sheets themselves. Humorously, in October 2005 "The New York Times" reported an unusual museum exhibit of "cheat sheets" and the different ways students had cheated at a particular university.
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://scitation.aip.org/tpt
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools; Higher Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A