Introductory Physics Laboratories: A review paper in partial fulfillment of the general exam requirements Dedra Demaree December 13, 2004 Abstract This paper reviews introductory physics labs. The history of physics labs is discussed, with emphasis on novel course developments during the Sputnik Era. Modern physics labs are considered as labs which have been developed after the advent of computers and physics education research. These modern teaching ap- proaches are discussed in detail with focus on answering three questions: what problems did this method attempt to overcome, were the labs successful in reach- ing their goals, and how was this success determined. A discussion of the problems, goals, and assessment techniques is presented. 1