University Physics and Engineering Students’ Use of Intuitive Rules, Experience, and Experimental Errors and Uncertainties

The present study uses the intuitive rules theory as a framework to examine whether some of the difficulties in dealing with errors and uncertainties observed among students in the university physics laboratory can stem from their use of intuitive rules. The study also examines the relationship between the use of intuitive rules and laboratory experience level. Based on interviews with 20 students and a research sample, which included 52 students, having different laboratory experiences, our findings show that students used the intuitive rules in the tasks they were provided. Moreover, students with less laboratory experience used the intuitive rules more frequently than students with more laboratory experience. Understanding the influence of intuitive rules on students’ performance, when dealing with experimental data, may be a great help to educators in designing better learning environments to address related science and engineering practices.