Representation and content in student's exam note sheets
Abstract
Various forms of representation are used to understand physics concepts. This study aims to reveal the representations used by students in summarizing their physics teaching materials. The observed representations include mathematical equations, verbal statements and graphs. The participants were students who attended lectures in two academic years, namely 2016 and 2018. Students were permitted to freely write a summary of lecture material that would be used as resources during the exam. The research investigated the types of representations used and their percentages. In addition, the content in the summary was also taken into consideration. The results showed that the representation of mathematical equations or formulas, verbal explanations and graphs were used by 100%, 97% and 40% of the total students, respectively. This finding is also reflected in the percentage of paper area used in the summary; the uses of formulas are 60%, verbal explanations are 32.5% and the remaining 4.2% are graphs. Most note sheets contain almost all of teaching material. This students’ tendency should be considered for teaching strategy.
References
Chang, W. (2012). The impact of using formula sheets for physics examinations. 2nd International Conference The Future of Education, 4–6. http://ir.ncue.edu.tw/ir/handle/987654321/16535
Chang, W., & Shieh, R. S. (2013). Exploration of the value of using a formula sheet for physics examinations. European Journal of Physics, 34(6), 1411–1422. https://doi.org/10.1088/0143-0807/34/6/1411
Cone, D. I. (2003). Benefits of a “Cheat Sheet.†The Physics Teacher, 41(9), 509–510. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1631614
Danielian, S. A., & Buswell, N. T. (2019). Do support sheets actually support students? A content analysis of student support sheets for exams. 2019 Pacific Southwest Section Meeting. https://peer.asee.org/31824
de Raadt, M. (2012). Student created cheat-sheets in examinations: Impact on student outcomes. Proceedings of the Fourteenth Australasian Computing Education Conference (ACE2012), 123, 71–76. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.5555/2483716.2483725
Hamed, K. M. (2008). Do you prefer to have the text or a sheet with your physics exams? The Physics Teacher, 46(5), 290–293. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2909747
Harper, K. A. (2006). Student problem-solving behaviors. The Physics Teacher, 44(4), 250–251. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2186244
Hernández, C., & Tecpan, S. (2018). Correct answers with wrong justifications? Analysis of explanations in classical mechanics with FCI test. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1043, 012056. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1043/1/012056
Hill, N. B. (2016). MAUVE: A new strategy for solving and grading physics problems. The Physics Teacher, 54(5), 291–294. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4947158
Kuo, E., Hull, M. M., Gupta, A., & Elby, A. (2013). How students blend conceptual and formal mathematical reasoning in solving physics problems. Science Education, 97(1), 32–57. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21043
Mason, A. J., & Singh, C. (2016). Impact of guided reflection with peers on the development of effective problem solving strategies and physics learning. The Physics Teacher, 54(5), 295–299. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4947159
McCaskey, T. L. (2013). Using student notecards as an epistemological lens. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1513, 290–293. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4789709
McCaskey, T. L. (2015). Potential danger in pre-populating exam note sheets with formulas. The Physics Teacher, 53(6), 363–366. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4928354
McCaskey, T. L. (2014). Understanding student preparation of exam note sheets. 2013 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, 249–252. https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2013.pr.050
Meltzer, D. E. (2005). Relation between students’ problem-solving performance and representational format. American Journal of Physics, 73(5), 463–478. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1862636
Mualem, R., & Eylon, B.-S. (2007). “Physics with a smileâ€â€”Explaining phenomena with a qualitative problem-solving strategy. The Physics Teacher, 45(3), 158–163. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2709674
Niss, M. (2017). Obstacles related to structuring for mathematization encountered by students when solving physics problems. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 15(8), 1441–1462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-016-9754-6
Paquin, J. D., Miller, M. L., & Barron, J. (2020). Efficacy of learning with course-provided equation reference sheets in engineering education. Fall ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Meeting. https://peer.asee.org/36046
Rehfuss, D. E. (2003). Formula sheet caveat. The Physics Teacher, 41(6), 375–376. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1607822
Rojas, R., & Robles, P. (2018). Graphic representation of quasi-static heat exchange. The Physics Teacher, 56(6), 386–388. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.5051154
Santosa, I. E. (2021). Analysing students’ problem solving skills on the topics of modern physics. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2019(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2019/1/012026
Song, Y., Guo, Y., & Thuente, D. (2016). A quantitative case study on students’ strategy for using authorized cheat-sheets. 2016 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2016-Novem(October), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2016.7757656
Song, Y., & Thuente, D. (2015). A quantitative case study in engineering of the efficacy of quality cheat-sheets. 2015 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2015(February 2017), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2015.7344082
Van Heuvelen, A., & Zou, X. (2001). Multiple representations of work–energy processes. American Journal of Physics, 69(2), 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1286662
Wallace, C. S., Chambers, T. G., Prather, E. E., & Brissenden, G. (2016). Using graphical and pictorial representations to teach introductory astronomy students about the detection of extrasolar planets via gravitational microlensing. American Journal of Physics, 84(5), 335–343. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4943035
Wiener, G. J., Schmeling, S. M., & Hopf, M. (2017). An Alternative Proposal for the Graphical Representation of Anticolor Charge. The Physics Teacher, 55(8), 472–474. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.5008340
Zuza, K., Garmendia, M., Barragués, J. I., & Guisasola, J. (2016). Exercises are problems too: Implications for teaching problem-solving in introductory physics courses. European Journal of Physics, 37(5), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1088/0143-0807/37/5/055703
Authors
Copyright (c) 2022 Momentum: Physics Education Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Momentum: Physisc Education Journal allows readers to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of its articles and allow readers to use them for any other lawful purpose. 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The Authors submitting a manuscript do so with the understanding that if accepted for publication, copyright of the article shall be assigned to Momentum: Physics Education Journal