Between-student testing and response-curve method¶
Research Method · All research methods
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 associational),q2· 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study
Description¶
The between-student method, first used in physics by Sayre and Heckler, gives short conceptual quizzes to different sub-groups of the population in successive weeks, avoiding test-retest effects. Plotting average performance over weeks yields a "response curve" sensitive to the current topic of instruction and to exams or homework. The conventional pre/post test corresponds to only the first and last points on the curve and "can miss much of the dynamic evolution of understanding."
Accounts¶
- Between-student testing and the response curve as a method for revealing the dynamics of student understanding: The between-student method, first used in physics by Sayre and Heckler, gives short conceptual quizzes to different sub-groups of the population in successive weeks, avoiding test-retest effects. Plotting average performance over weeks yields a "response curve" sensitive to the current topic of instruction and to exams or homework. The conventional pre/post test corresponds to only the first and last points on the curve and "can miss much of the dynamic evolution of understanding." (Clark et al. (2010))
Claims¶
- Correct responses to Newton's Third Law questions rose while forces were taught, peaked at the end of that instruction and fell back toward chance by the end of the quarter [+M]
- Instruction on scalar electric potential produces a pronounced dip in correct vector-based Newton's Third Law responses in E&M [+M]
Related Research Methods¶
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Key Sources¶
- Clark, J. W., Sayre, E. C., and Franklin, S. V. (2010). Fluctuations in Student Understanding of Newton's 3rd Law. arXiv preprint. https://arxiv.org/abs/1009.0260. doi:10.48550/arxiv.1009.0260
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
research-method |
id |
between-student-testing-and-response-curve-method |
title |
Between-student testing and response-curve method |
description |
The between-student method, first used in physics by Sayre and Heckler, gives short conceptual quizzes to different sub-groups of the population in successive weeks, avoiding test-retest effects. |
status |
review |
moved_from |
theory/between-student-response-curve-method |
generated |
by process:sweep-kinds on 2026-10-10 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — clark-2010 |
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