REFERENCES
1.
For a more detailed discussion, see, for example,
J. S.
Touger
, “When words fail us
,” Phys. Teach.
29
(2
), 90
(1991
);A. B. Arons, A Guide to Introductory Physics Teaching (Wiley, New York, 1990).
2.
R. R. Harrington, “A Investigation of Student Understanding of Electric Concepts in the Introductory University Physics Course,” unpublished dissertation, University of Washington, 1995.
3.
L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington, Tutorials in Introductory Physics, Preliminary Edition (Prentice–Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1998).
4.
L. C. McDermott and the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington, Physics by Inquiry, Vol. III (to be published). (Volumes I and II published by Wiley, New York, 1996).
5.
More recently we conducted an investigation with middle school students and college students enrolled in a course for non-science majors. In this investigation we asked students to account for the attraction between a balloon (rubbed with fur) and a wall. The results from this investigation are consistent with the findings described in this paper but are more difficult to interpret.
6.
For an article that discusses other aspects of student understanding of transfer of charge, see
C.
Guruswamy
, M. D.
Somers
, and R. G.
Hussey
, “Students’ understanding of the transfer of charge between conductors
,” Phys. Educ.
32
(2
), 91
–96
(1997
).7.
For a partial list of articles documenting such difficulties, see Section A on “Conceptual Understanding” in L. C. McDermott and E. F. Redish, Resource letter on Physics Education Research, Am. J. Phys. (to be published).
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© 1999 American Association of Physics Teachers.
1999
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