Margaret Clark has the right idea. When I said that what I teach
is conceptual physics I should have said what I *try* to teach is
conceptual physics. She makes her students accountable for learning
the concepts. That a student can write the correct equations need
indicate no more than the question I have asked him is sufficiently
similar to one he has seen "done correctly" that the memorized
algorithm can be retrieved and recycled. I think that is why dull
students always seem to want more worked examples; they want to be
saved from having to learn the concepts since there is no apparent
reward for learning them!
The Clark method question may become a replacement for what I have
been asking. I have one question (to which I'm afraid I probably
know the answer). Is it possible to get teaching assistants to
grade such examination questions properly? I know that I am
fortunate to have such assistance; many don't. With 200-300
students in the course (and two courses to teach, the other one
smaller) I have come to depend strongly on assistance in marking.