What Makes Physics Difficult

Abstract

According to many students, introductory physics is difficult. We are investigating what students believe makes physics difficult and what can be done to overcome these difficulties. Our investigation includes an initial free-response survey given to approximately 1400 students in an introductory physics course and a second survey, which was given to approximately 400 students in another semester, distilled from the responses to the first survey. Also faculty members and teaching assistants (TAs) for physics courses are asked to complete the second survey. Our findings show that the perceptions of the students and faculty members are different in terms of difficulties which students have in a physics course. The perceptions of students and TAs are mostly the same. Both students and faculty members agree that student-related factors, such as not studying more have the most influence on students' success in physics.

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