Expert physicists' views on "true definite positions" in experimental physics

As part of our research on student thinking about measurement and uncertainty, we studied students’ perceptions of the existence of a true, definite value in physics experiments [1]. In addition to asking students questions about the existence of a true value, we surveyed physics professors to get a sense for what an expert response includes. What we found is that there is no single common response from experts, and that their perspectives are varied and nuanced. In this talk, we will explore the expert responses further, identifying common themes and discourses. We will use these themes and discourses to argue for physics education researchers to develop and evaluate instructional materials that better represent the subjective, non-deterministic, and uncertain underpinnings that bring expert physicists joy.

[1] Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 20, 010154 (2024)