[Phys-L] Re: Ambiguous Question

[cliff <cparker@CHARTER.NET>]

> At least one student even wrote down the CM analysis and stated that the
> center of mass of the dog/boat system does not move.  The student
> indicated the boat would move away from the dock.  But the student
> finally wrote the answer as, "But hey, if the dog starts 20 meters from
> the dock and walks 3 meters toward the dock, he ends up 17 meters from
> the dock."

I would have given the student extra credit and praise in class for being
more insightful and articulate than I had been in writing the question.
Would the instructor have accepted a poorly articulated answer from a
student if the student argued "you know what I meant"?  A VERY large part of
what we are doing in a Physics classroom is teaching students to communicate
clearly.  That is a difficult thing to do.  We all have problems with that
(some more than others).  Students should see us struggle to be clear in our
questions and explanations.  Students should see us hold that clarity of
communications in high regard.  If you knew what I meant is good enough for
us why isn't it good enough for them?

> I would be inclined to give this student full credit (as well as all the
> others who answered 17 m even if they didn't give the CM information).
>
> Comments?
>
>
>
> Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
> Professor of Chemistry and Physics
> Bluffton University
> Bluffton, OH 45817
> (419)-358-3270
> edmiston@bluffton.edu
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