2018_EJRNL_PP_ALEXANDER_VOLFSON_1.pdf
Terbatas  Ratnasari
» Gedung UPT Perpustakaan
Terbatas  Ratnasari
» Gedung UPT Perpustakaan
The present study describes the development and field testing of a simple apparatus-based diagnostic
instrument (SABDI) that examines undergraduate students’ understanding of the underlying physics
principles that explain how simple acoustic apparatuses work. SABDI comprises 13 items. Based on
previous research studies and the history of science, the 38 distractors of SABDI were designed to reflect
the following four categories of possible misconceptions: (a) direct and (b) incorrect emergent views of
sound; (c) explanations based on a device’s salient feature; and (d) wrong applications of physics
knowledge. Field testing carried out on 159 participants showed the salient features category to be the most
popular. SABDI is a valid and reliable tool that could be used to determine students’ thinking regarding
acoustic devices.