A quantitative method to analyse an open-ended questionnaire: A case study about the Boltzmann Factor

Abstract

his paper describes a quantitative method to analyse an open- ended questionnaire. Student responses to a specially designed written questionnaire are quantitatively analysed by not hierarchical clustering called k-means method. Through this we can characterise behaviour students with respect their expertise to formulate explanations for phenomena or processes and/or use a given model in the different context. The physics topic is about the Boltzmann Factor, which allows the students to have a unifying view of different phenomena in different contexts