Education and Academia Articles

Tag Archive for: education

Carl Sagan

When Pro Scientists Explain Using Pop Science

/
19 Comments
Abstract There is so much to say about the many endeavors by professional scientists to explain to us the world. The list is long: Carl Sagan, Harald…
teaching physics

A Lesson In Teaching Physics: You Can’t Give It Away

/
1 Comment
A central principle of Physics Forums regarding homework help is not to provide solutions on demand but to guide students along a path to the answer.  The…
what if physics questions

How to Avoid Breaking Physics With Your “What If” Question

/
5 Comments
We get a lot of "what if" questions here on Physics Forums. This article will explore three different types and then some suggestions for students who…
science major advice

Aiming High and Managing Distractions as Keys to Success for Science Majors

/
2 Comments
Over the years, I've noticed some distinct trends among the physics and chemistry majors I've mentored and worked with.Those with GPAs in the 3.8-4.0…
workethic

Why Work Ethic Is a Key to Success for Science Majors

/
25 Comments
After earning a 4.0 GPA in his first semester as a Physics major at an esteemed state university, our son (and homeschool grad) attributes his…
coldquestioning

How to Ask Questions Effectively and Avoid Cold Questions

/
71 Comments
We frequently get questions such as these:"What is energy?""What are Cooper Pairs?""What is conservation of momentum?"etc...etc.And…
learned

What Is The Most Important Thing That You Learned?

/
10 Comments
I mentioned in an earlier Insight what I think are the most important things you can learn by being on Physics Forums. This time, I tackled the question…
boatramps

Real Research in Unexpected Places; Boat Ramps

/
4 Comments
Read part 1 -Backyards, Barns, BayousWhen I was offered a job at the Air Force Academy, it seemed like an opportunity to exercise both my commitment…
fakenews

The Problem of Fake News and Science Reporting

/
107 Comments
During and even after the recent US election campaign, numerous reports of fake news, made-up news, and other kinds of news were deemed either outright…
whystudyphysics

Why Study Physics? A Bit Goes a Long Way!

/
6 Comments
If you don’t plan to become a scientist or an engineer, is there a good reason to study physics?  I say, “Yes,” because knowing just a little bit…
govandteachers

Blaming Government for Teacher and Scientist Failures in Integrity

/
46 Comments
The article, "Governmental policy is wrecking science," makes some interesting points but is fundamentally in error, because government policy is only…
mathiq

Am I Cut Out for Mathematics or Sciences?

/
22 Comments
We often get threads from new members asking whether they are cut out for mathematics/physics/engineering/whatever. For some reason, they have become discouraged…
complexscience

Thoughts on the Complexity of Modern Science

/
122 Comments
Science today is incredibly complex. Anyone who ever did scientific research knows that, but many in the general public seem to be completely unaware of…
goingbacktoschool

A Guide to Going Back to School For Math or Science

/
5 Comments
Motivations for creating the series I came to Physics Forums originally to read ZapperZ’s thread about becoming a physicist back in 2013. It was one…
doubt

Dealing with Doubt as a Science Student

/
0 Comments
Doubt, as odd as this may sound, can be essential to our living.  We all make decisions and later have questions on whether we made the right choice or…
imagination

Why Imagination Without Knowledge Is Ignorance Waiting to Happen

/
15 Comments
Introduction My feelings on people who think that imagination is more important than knowledge are well-known. These people simply are parroting Einstein's…

Why You Should Not Use Wikipedia As Your Primary Source

/
108 Comments
It is no secret to anyone who has read my posts in this forum for a while that I do not like Wikipedia. I think that there's a fundamental flaw with the…
learnfrompf

The Most Important Thing You Can Learn from Physics Forums

/
15 Comments
It is a bit pompous of me to think that I can tell you the most important thing you can learn from Physics Forums (PF). After all, each one of us here…
math obvious

Lessons From My Experience Teaching Math

/
20 Comments
My #1 goal, when I teach a math class, is to convey a certain way of thinking about math. It's quite different from what my students have done before,…
alternative careers

Alternative Careers for a Physics Graduate

/
1 Comment
  We are still discussing the final year of your undergraduate education. So far, we have covered what you need to consider if you…
surviving college

How to Survive the First Year of College As a Physics Major

/
2 Comments
Part II: Surviving the First Year of College This part covers the survival tips of the first two undergraduate years. So now you’re in college,…
Early Physics Education in High schools

Early Physics Education in High Schools For Physics Majors

/
5 Comments
So You Want to Be a Physicist: A 22 Part Guide  Introduction: The motivation for creating the series One of the most frequent questions…
crackpot

A Layman’s Guide to Detecting Pseudoscience

/
0 Comments
It seems nowadays that we are getting swamped with science. But not the science of the valid kind. Science is where people follow scientific methods based…