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Physical Review Physics Education Research
written by Philip Eaton, Keith Johnson, and Shannon D. Willoughby
Traditionally, multiple choice assessments are graded in a dichotomous manner, where selecting the correct option for a question awards 1 point and the selection of an incorrect option awards 0 points. As a result of this grading scheme, all incorrect response options are treated as being equally incorrect regardless of potential differences in their relative correctness, intentional or otherwise. We propose a partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) that allots points to the incorrect responses. This was done using slope parameters from the two-parameter logistics nominal response model (2PLNRM), a model from polytomous item response theory (PIRT). The resulting scores from the partial credit model represent student growth towards a proper Newtonian mindset, as measured by the FCI. Observations indicate that this model accounts for student progression through prominent misconceptions (i.e., impetus) as their world views become more Newtonian. As expected, we find that student total scores increase as a result of the model, but the average overall gains on the assessment are essentially unchanged. The data used in this analysis were maintained and organized by PhysPort and included about 20,000 responses from first semester introductory physics courses at multiple universities. Ultimately, this partial credit model allows instructors to more accurately gauge the growth of their students over the course of instruction. Additionally, as a result of these partial credit scores, we are able to identify potentially malfunctioning questions on the FCI that may be sources of error in measuring student abilities.
Physical Review Physics Education Research: Volume 15, Issue 2, Pages 020151
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Classical Mechanics
- General
Education - Basic Research
- Assessment
= Conceptual Assessment
= Instruments
- Research Design & Methodology
= Data
= Validity
- Sample Population
- Student Characteristics
= Ability
= Skills
General Physics
- Physics Education Research
- Lower Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
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License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Rights Holder:
American Physical Society
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151
Keyword:
FCI validity
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created June 15, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
June 1, 2022 by Caroline Hall
Last Update
when Cataloged:
December 23, 2019
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AIP Format
P. Eaton, K. Johnson, and S. Willoughby, , Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 15 (2), 020151 (2019), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151).
AJP/PRST-PER
P. Eaton, K. Johnson, and S. Willoughby, Generating a growth-oriented partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 15 (2), 020151 (2019), <https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151>.
APA Format
Eaton, P., Johnson, K., & Willoughby, S. (2019, December 23). Generating a growth-oriented partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory. Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res., 15(2), 020151. Retrieved December 10, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151
Chicago Format
Eaton, P, K. Johnson, and S. Willoughby. "Generating a growth-oriented partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory." Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 15, no. 2, (December 23, 2019): 020151, https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151 (accessed 10 December 2024).
MLA Format
Eaton, Philip, Keith Johnson, and Shannon Willoughby. "Generating a growth-oriented partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory." Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 15.2 (2019): 020151. 10 Dec. 2024 <https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{ Author = "Philip Eaton and Keith Johnson and Shannon Willoughby", Title = {Generating a growth-oriented partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory}, Journal = {Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res.}, Volume = {15}, Number = {2}, Pages = {020151}, Month = {December}, Year = {2019} }
Refer Export Format

%A Philip Eaton %A Keith Johnson %A Shannon Willoughby %T Generating a growth-oriented partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory %J Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. %V 15 %N 2 %D December 23, 2019 %P 020151 %U https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Journal Article %A Eaton, Philip %A Johnson, Keith %A Willoughby, Shannon %D December 23, 2019 %T Generating a growth-oriented partial credit grading model for the Force Concept Inventory %J Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. %V 15 %N 2 %P 020151 %8 December 23, 2019 %U https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.020151


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