Symbols in physics: first year undergraduate students experiences

Symbols are a cornerstone of the written language of physics and mathematics but inconsistencies in their use pose a challenge to students.. This paper reports on interviews held with first year undergraduate physics students, focused on their early experiences with symbols in university physics. We found students reported being confused by the symbolic aspects of their studies in physics over and above the concepts being taught. Many students highlighted difficulties as the symbolic notation used in high school mathematics and physics differed to their tertiary experiences. Additionally, the extent of the multiple uses of a single symbol, and the multiple symbols used for a single concept were at times problematic for students. These experiences highlight the need for greater attention to be focused on early undergraduate students’ prior symbolic knowledge, and the formation of explicit connections between the varied nomenclature both within physics, and between physics and mathematics.