Re: calculus-based physics final exam

[Hugh Haskell <hhaskell@MINDSPRING.COM>]

At 15:34 -0400 4/16/03, Aaron Titus wrote:
> BTW the ACS publishes such exams for chemistry. I wish APS would do the
> same thing.
That is one way that the ACS maintains a certain amount of control
over curricula in chemistry. If APS and/or AAPT wanted to influence
the physics curriculum, they could do the same.

However, this is a slippery slope, since there are any number of
agencies that assert control over curricula, including the Feds. And
they need to be careful. If the test is too easy, their purpose will
be defeated, and if it is too comprehensive, or too difficult, no one
will use it, and again, their purpose will be defeated. So they have
to learn to walk that fine line. I suspect, over the years, that the
ACS has gotten reasonably good at walking that line.

Hugh
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Hugh Haskell
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<mailto:hhaskell@mindspring.com>

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