Process 7 |
| from Arons, A. B. (1997), Teaching Introductory Physics (Wiley, New York) |
| Performing hypothetico-deductive reasoning; that is, given a particular situation, applying relevant knowledge of principles and constraints and visualizing, in the abstract, the plausible outcomes that might result from various changes one can imagine to be imposed on the system. |
| Opportunities for such thinking abound in almost every course. Yet students are most frequently given very circumscribed questions that do not open the door to more imaginative hypothetico-deductive reasoning. These restricted situations are important and provide necessary exercises as starting points, but they should be followed by questions that impel the student to invent possible changes and purse the plausible consequences. |