The solutions to a problem involving calorimetric balance and
electricity are analyzed. This problem was solved by 80 students
participating in a Physics Olympiad. Solutions are categorized following
different criteria. One of them is an external performance index, such as the
standards employed in a competition, enabling the classification of solutions
as successful or non-successful. An “Instructional” dimension is proposed
for the analysis of performance, attending to the presence/absence of
conceptual and procedural elements. Indicators are also designed on the
basis of results from studies on the differences between experts and
novices. The results from the different categorizations allow for the
description of certain characteristics of the solvers as well as considerations
regarding the indicators that can be used in Physics classrooms to evaluate
students’ proficiency in the problem-solving task.