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Physics Bibliography
Prepared by Peter Sands, PhD I am assuming awareness of journals devoted to teaching science at the college level, and of similar journals in mathematics. In my annotations, I have tended toward description rather than evaluation, which I leave to the more capable hands of mathematicians. I have also tried to annotate more recent works, on the assumption that those works will summarize the research adequately for those who wish to know more. Articles marked with a single asterisk below were abstracted in the Academic Search Full Text Elite Database available to campus users through the Golda Meir Library Web pages at: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Library/Info/db.html. Articles marked with a double asterisk are copied from the Georgia State University Writing Across the Curriculum subject bibliographies at: http://WWW.GSU.EDU/~wwwwac/.
Allie, S., and Buffler, A. (1997). Writing-intensive physics laboratory reports: Tasks and assessment. Physics Teacher, 35 (7), 399-404. Looks at the importance of teaching undergraduate science students effective communicative techniques in writing. Description on the traditional theory curriculum in undergraduate physics at the introductory level; Features of most undergraduate physics courses; Details on experiments conducted; What experiments revealed.*
Focuses on directed writing as the modification of true-false examinations. Description of directed writing; Example questions of directed writing examinations; Author's comments on the learning process in teaching physics.*
Bazerman explores the dialectic between reading and writing that occurs in the sciences by examining the reading processes of seven research physicists. He concludes that their need to conduct research and their understanding of the field shape their reading process. This results in a complicated scheme of selection of reading material. He uses reader response criticism and cognitive psychology models to question the idea of a fixed text.**
Presents the author's response to the article `Writing to Learn,' by Judith and Calvin Kalman, which appeared in the July 1996 issue of the `American Journal of Physics' periodical. Clarifications on the discussion with physics students about drafts; Criticisms on the teaching methods proposed by the authors.* _____ (1995). Guest comment: Teaching writing to teach physics. American Journal of Physics, 63 (7), 587. Discusses the importance of teaching writing in physics. Reasons for teaching writing with physics; Results indicating that teaching writing has stimulated pedagogical ideas and excitement for teachers at Bucknell University.*
Describes techniques faculty can use to teach writing in science courses, using lab reports. Discusses steps in writing a lab report, how much information should be given by teacher, and how to simplify grading.**
Describes use of learning logs for herself and her physics students to "clarify . . . thinking, to explore the ideas of science, to search for connections between theory and practice, and to ask questions" (328).
Argues for an analogy between teaching and writing (as explaining), claiming that writing-as-explanation in learning logs helps students understand concepts of physics. Notes that journals are a low-impact way to introduce writing practice to a class. Kalman, J., Kalman, C. (1996). Writing to learn. American Journal of Physics, 64 (7), 954-956. Comments on Stephen Becker's article 'Teaching Writing to Teach Physics.' Results of analyses of student attitudes; Recognition of the improvement of student writing as a pedagogical purpose; Background on the writing procedure employed at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada to ensure students are aware of the concepts underlying the topics.*
This editorial raises the questions of what constitutes scientific literacy and how can science educators ensure that students develop the scientific and technological literacy necessary for self- and social-empowerment as adults. He calls for some consensus on the part of science educators in defining what that scientific literacy would include. He suggests that educators must engage the "why" of science education in addition to the "what" and "how."** _____ (1995) Scientific literacy: where do we go from here? Journal of Research in Science Teaching 32 (10), 1007-1009. This editorial calls for science educators to link science to daily lived experience in order to ensure that childhood science literacy translates to adult science literacy. In addition, educators need to convince the public that it is in their self-interest to be literate in science. He defines scientific literacy, following the work of M.H. Shamos, as: "a) having an awareness of how the science/technology enterprise works, (b) having the public feel comfortable with knowing what science is about..., (c) having the public understand what can be expected from science, and (d) knowing how public opinion can best be heard in respect to the enterprise." **
Focuses on the use of writing as means to explore scientific concepts. Students' preparation of written responses to scientific problems posed; Students' discussion of the scenario given; Construction of poster diagram that responds to the posed problems; Formation of concepts based on the ideas presented; Attitudes of students in the writing tasks.*
Rymer interviewed nine scientists and conducted one formal case study of the writing of a journal article, to compare conventional assumptions about writing processes in scientific writing; she concludes that actual practice is much more recursive and more like the full range of strategies employed in other forms of professional, academic writing than the conventional, linear representation suggests. Rymer suggests that her research may indicate the need to expose students to a variety of formal and informal writing tasks in their science classes to better teach effective scientific writing as part of the whole range of scientific activity.
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