Re: A list of textbook misconceptions

[Hugh Haskell <hhaskell@mindspring.com>]

> I did not anticipate the obvious, that people would add items to the list
> at about the same time and that we will have several incomplete lists in
> circulation. As a punishment I will impose it on myself the task of adding
> your items to the list, without any changes. Send them to me and I will
> append them, provided they are short (say 4 to 5 lines, maximum). A list is
> not a replacement for threads related to individual items. Unless somebody
> objects I suggest that only COMMON misconceptions to be found in TEXTBOOKS
> are listed in the form that states the POSTIVE (what is true rather than
> what is wrong) aspects. Please send me your items in the format which will
> minimize editing (to me in private) and will append them. I will keep
> posting the updated list till it stops growing. It does not have to be a
> very long list to be useful. We can even publish it somewhere as a collective
> contribution from this list (phys-L will the only author).
>
> Student misconceptions should not be part of THIS list; start one if you
> feel it can be useful. To edit your items ask for the updated list to be
> e-mailed to you (also in private) and then post it as the most updated list.
> I do not want to do any editing, or to remove items. DO NOT CONFUSE this
> thread "ABOUT THE LIST" with thread "LIST OF TEXTBOOK MISCONCEPTIONS" under
> which all updatings will be made. I am a little sorry for starting the list
> but what is done is done .... Let us see how it goes.
>
>                        Ludwik Kowalski    kowalskiL@alpha.montclair.edu

I was about to send a note suggesting just what you have done, Ludwik. It
is important that a list like this be in a consistent form, and it is
probably best that the item that is wrongly presented in a text be
correctly presented here to avoid further propagation of error. I would
like to add one further suggestion to make the list more authoritative, and
that is that anyone posting to this list include at least one text that
actually presents the misconception as fact, including a page reference, so
those using the text don't have to spend too many hours searching for the
suspect item.

Of course, there is an outstanding set of textbook misconceptions already
out there, albeit not is as convenient a form as this list might be, and
that is the accumulation of Mario Iona's columns in TPT over lo these many
years. If anyone wants to start a search for things to add to this list,
the file of Mario's columns would be a good place to start and can be used
to check later editions to see if the errors have in fact been corrected.

I hope this flies. It's a good idea.

Hugh

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

Let's face it. People use a Mac because they want to, Windows because they
have to..
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