Transforming physics laboratory work from 'cookbook' type to genuine inquiry

Abstract: 'Cookbook' style laboratory tasks have long been criticised for the lack of critical and independent thought that students need in order to complete them. We present an account of how we transformed a 'cookbook' lab to a genuine inquiry experiment in first year physics. Crucial features of the work were visits to see other teaching laboratories, understanding student preparedness and the selection of an appropriate experiment to develop. The new two session laboratory work is structured so students make decisions related to the method of a basic experiment in the first session and then have freedom to investigate any aspect they wish to in the second. Formative feedback on laboratory notebook keeping is provided by short online activities.