Categorizing different approaches to teaching measurement and uncertainty

As part of a larger project investigating how instruction shifts student thinking about measurement and uncertainty, our goal is to identify different characteristics of laboratory instruction as related to measurement and uncertainty. Using previous research results as a guide, we coded instructional materials for introductory physics lab courses based on three different categories: data spread, variability, and measurement quality; sources of variation in measurement; and limitations and principles of measurement uncertainty. We propose several course profiles based on the findings. Future work will correlate course profiles with potential shifts in student thinking as measured by a pre- and post-course survey.