MPEX Sample Survey
MPEX Sample Survey
MPEX Sample Survey
Here are 34 statements which may or may not describe your beliefs about this course. You are asked to rate
each statement by circling a number between 1 and 5 where the numbers mean the following:
Answer the questions by circling the number that best expresses your feeling. Work quickly. Don't over-
elaborate the meaning of each statement. They are meant to be taken as straightforward and simple. If you
don't understand a statement, leave it blank. If you understand, but have no strong opinion, circle 3. If an
item combines two statements and you disagree with either one, choose 1 or 2.
All I need to do to understand most of the basic ideas in this course is just read the
1
text, work most of the problems, and/or pay close attention in class.
All I learn from a derivation or proof of a formula is that the formula obtained is
2
valid and that it is OK to use it in problems.
7 I read the text in detail and work through many of the examples given there.
10 Physical laws have little relation to what I experience in the real world.
23 The main skill I get out of this course is learning how to solve physics problems.
When I solve most exam or homework problems, I explicitly think about the
26
concepts that underlie the problem.
"Understanding" physics basically means being able to recall something you've read
27
or been shown.
Spending a lot of time (half an hour or more) working on a problem is a waste of
28 time. If I don't make progress quickly, I'd be better off asking someone who knows
more than I do.
A significant problem in this course is being able to memorize all the information I
29
need to know.
The main skill I get out of this course is to learn how to reason logically about the
30
physical world.
I use the mistakes I make on homework and on exam problems as clues to what I
31
need to do to understand the material better.
To be able to use an equation in a problem (particularly in a problem that I haven't
32
seen before), I need to know more than what each term in the equation represents.
It is possible to pass this course (get a "C" or better) without understanding physics
33
very well.
Learning physics requires that I substantially rethink, restructure, and reorganize the
34
information that I am given in class and/or in the text.
MPEX Version 4.0, ©U. of Maryland PERG, 1997