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True weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on an object. However, if the object accelerates, its measured weight is different from its true weight. Similar observations can be made when the object is submerged in water. An object's weight in water is its apparent weight, which is equal to the difference between its true weight and the buoyant forces.
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Updated: Nov 25, 2025

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity
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What factors impact student performance in introductory physics?

Eric Burkholder1, Lena Blackmon2, Carl Wieman1,3

  • 1Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.

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|December 17, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Student success in introductory physics depends more on attitudes and outside interactions than prior preparation. Understanding these factors can help instructors support all students in physics courses.

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Area of Science:

  • Physics Education Research
  • Higher Education

Background:

  • Incoming student preparation, measured by concept inventories and standardized test scores, explains a portion of physics course performance.
  • A significant variation in physics exam scores remains unexplained by traditional preparation metrics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate factors contributing to success in introductory physics beyond established preparation measures.
  • To understand why some students excel in physics irrespective of their initial academic standing.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative study involving interviews with 34 students.
  • Focus on students with low concept inventory prescores and math SAT/ACT scores.

Main Results:

  • Student use of instructional resources had minimal impact on course performance.
  • Student characteristics, attitudes, and out-of-classroom interactions significantly influenced physics course performance.
  • Unexpected common practices and attitudes were identified among successful students.

Conclusions:

  • Factors beyond traditional academic preparation play a crucial role in student success in introductory physics.
  • Instructor guidance can be informed by understanding the impact of student attitudes and social interactions.
  • Further research can explore interventions targeting non-cognitive factors to improve physics education outcomes.