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Physics First, TEN POSTING RULES



In her 7/8/00 Phys-L post "Physics First" Olga Livanis writes:

"Any more comments on the Physics-Chemistry-Biology science sequence
for high school students?"

Judging from Olga's six recent Phys-L posts on this subject, I think
she (and possibly other Phys-L'ers) may be unaware that "Physics
First" has been much discussed on Phys-L.

To see this go the great Phys-L Listserv archives at
<http://mailgate.nau.edu/archives/phys-l.html>, click on "Search the
archives", and then type "physics first" into the subject slot to
obtain (as of today) 84 hits over the time span 6/12/96 to 7/8/00.

Similarly for other relevant discussion groups:

1. In Biology:

a. go to the Biopi-L archives at
<http://listserv.ksu.edu/archives/biopi-l.html>
and obtain 3 hits over the time span 2/25/99 to 3/6/00.

b. go to the Biolab archives at
<http://biology.clemson.edu:591/biolab/search.htm>
type "physics first" into the Subject slot with "match all words
between fields" to obtain 28 hits all in January of 1999.

2. In Chemistry go to the Chemed-L archives at
<http://www.optc.com/chemed-l-thread/> and type "physics first" with
"Match" set at "All" and "Format" set at "Long" to obtain 412 hits,
but judging from the first 20, none of them may be relevant to
"physics first". Unfortunately, Chemed-L doesn't have the marvelous
Listserve search capacity of Phys-L or Biopi_L.

More generally, here are TEN POSTING RULES that might help discussion
lists (IF they have easily searchable archives) move "beyond forums
for exchanging tidbits and opinions, to structures which rapidly
capture knowledge-value and foster rapid accumulation and growth of a
community's capability."(1) (Some of these rules are cogently
discussed by Dan MacIsaac in "Etiquette for PHYS-L and Similar
Electronic Mailing List Postings" at the Phys-L homepage
<http://purcell.phy.nau.edu/phys-l/>):

1. Search the archives of a list before asking a question or opening
a new topic (it may already have been discussed ad nauseam).

2. Use subject headings that accurately convey the topic of the post
(especially important for following threads in archive searches).

3. Indicate the specific post (date, discussion list, title, and name
of poster) to which you are responding.

4. Quote only the relevant sections of that post and not the complete
post (as occurs when you hit the "reply" button).

5. NEVER send attachments to lists (they will often appear as pages
of code and may introduce viruses).

6. Give complete and accurate sets of references.

7. Give instructions for accessing referenced posts by means of the
archives (often unused by list subscribers).

8. Think before posting.

9. Carefully proofread your posts prior to posting - check English,
spelling, and grammar; remove all ambiguous and offensive material.

10. Use a brief signature which includes your affiliation, mailing
address, and (if you have one) your homepage.


Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
24245 Hatteras Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>


REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES
1. J. Roschelle and R. Pea, "Trajectories from Today's WWW to a
Powerful Educational Infrastructure," Educational Researcher,
June-July 1999, 22-25, 43; see also refs. 2,3.

2. Roy Pea, "New Media Communications Forums for Improving Education
Research and Practice," in E. Condliff Lagemann and L.S. Shulman
(eds.) "Issues In Education Research" (Jossey-Bass, in press); on the
web at
<http://www.sri.com/policy/ctl/html/contexthome.htm>.

3. R.R. Hake, "What Can We Learn from the Biologists About Research,
Development, and Change in Undergraduate Education?" AAPT Announcer
29(4), 99 (1999); available on the web at
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake> as [WhatLearn.pdf, 1/31/2000,
204K]. The potential of the WWW as a mechanism for promoting
interdisciplinary synergy in education reform is emphasized. The
Appendix contains: (a) "Undergraduate Physics Education Needs
Revitalization," discussing both pedagogical and
political/institutional problems, (b) 81 references relevant to the
presentation.