Enhancing Students’ Graphing and Data Analysis Skills in Physics Laboratory Courses Through Guided Practice

Graphing and data analysis are essential skills in physics laboratories, yet many first-year students face challenges in accurately representing and interpreting experimental data. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a guided practice intervention in improving these skills among 23 undergraduate physics students at Raya University. A classroom-based action research design with a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test approach was implemented over four weeks, embedding scaffold, step-by-step guidance into regular laboratory sessions. Quantitative data from assessments and qualitative data from student reflections, surveys, and observations were collected to evaluate the intervention. Pre-intervention assessment revealed notable weaknesses in graph construction, use of computational tools, and data interpretation. Following the guided practice, students’ average scores improved from 10 to 18 out of 20, with the largest gains observed in graphing, MATLAB application, and result analysis. Post-assessment of the experiment “Measuring Local Acceleration Due to Gravity” yielded an average value of 8.72 m/s², within 11.11% of the standard, demonstrating the accuracy and effectiveness of the intervention. Qualitative findings indicated increased confidence, improved conceptual understanding, and enhanced scientific reasoning. These results suggest that scaffold guided practice significantly enhances procedural and conceptual competencies in experimental physics. The study provides a replicable instructional model for strengthening STEM laboratory learning, particularly for students who require additional support in foundational physics skills.