Ranking Task Exercises in Physics

A supplement for courses in Algebra-Based Physics and Calculus-Based Physics.

• A unique resource for physics instructors who are looking for tools to incorporate more conceptual analysis in their courses. This supplement contains approximately 200 Ranking Task Exercises which cover all classical physics topics (with the exception of optics). Ranking Tasks are an innovative type of conceptual exercise that asks students to make comparative judgments about a set of variations on a particular physical situation. Those who have used Ranking Tasks have found that they frequently elicit students' natural ideas, rather than a memorized response, about the behavior of a given physical system. In addition, asking students to consider the same situation in a variety of ways often helps them begin to correct any misconceptions they may have: When students realize that they have given different answers to variations of the same question, they begin to think about why they responded as they did in each case. This, in turn, prompts them to consider which responses they believe in more strongly, and why.
• In the Prentice Hall Series in Educational Innovation.