PHY3137 Project and General Problems

2007-2008

Aims

Project work not only gives students the opportunity to carry out research or a detailed investigation into a specific area of experimental or theoretical physics but also requires them to develop and apply analytical and problem-solving skills in a context where they won't be told the 'right' answer but must discover, and validate it themselves. This may involve devising explanations or solutions, use of the library, computer, and other resources, working in small groups, and in the presentation and communication of their work in written and oral form.

This module assesses the student's ability to apply basic physics to unfamiliar situations.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to:

Module Specific Skills

• investigate an area of physics in a systematic way using appropriate experimental and/or theoretical techniques;
• systematically record their work in a notebook;
• demonstrate an awareness of the general requirements of safety regulations;
• identify any specific hazards associated with their particular project and/or its environment, describe the associated procedures for safe working, and explain the rationale for such procedures;
• appropriately complete risk assessment forms (such as those published by the School or the University Safety Office) a required by their particular project;
• include consideration of safety aspects in the design of experiments;
• design, execute and check a solution to a physical problem;
• solve problems and check solutions by considering and/or exploiting: dimensional analysis, symmetry, scaling properties, functional form, algebraic validity, limiting values and special cases, numerical reasonableness and units, etc.;
• make and justify appropriate estimates and approximations;
• identify the basic physical laws relevant to solving problems involving unfamiliar systems;

Discipline Specific Skills

• research and write project report;
• report results and conclusions in a formal written report;
• retrive information from data-bases and libraries;
• prepare a poster and deliver an oral presentation;
• transform textual and/or diagrammatic descriptions of systems into mathematical models;
• identify relevant and irrelevant information in a stated problem and supplement it with the general and subject-specific knowledge required to obtain a solution;
• discover and present solutions to unfamiliar problems;
• present written solutions to problems in a manner that makes clear the methods, reasoning and assumptions used;

Personal and Key Skills

• organise a programme of work;
• interact with other group members;
• write reports containing original material or analysi;
• use computers appropriately.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Self-study, supervised project work, tutorials

Assignments

One formal written report, one poster presentation, two oral presentations. Problems sheets issued though tutors.

Assessment

Project work (30%), oral presentations (15%) plan and formal report (15%) plan and poster presentation (15%). One 90-minute examination (25%).

Syllabus Plan and Content

In the first semester, students work on the first project and must write-up the project in a formal report which must be handed in after the Christmas vacation. This will be a 2500-word word-processed report. It will review the background to the project, outline the work done and the results obtained in the project.

The second semester follows a similiar pattern, except that the final report is in the form of a poster presentation which will which will be displayed on the first-floor corridor wall.

Details of the various exercises and the assessment criteria are given in the BSc Final Year Projects section of the School handbook.

The examination may consist of problems on any area of physics. However, these will be soluble by applying laws and techniques included within the non-optional physics modules common to the Combined Honours programmes. Students will find past examination papers, distributed by PhysSoc, a useful guide to the style of problems that they can expect to encounter in the assessment.

Core Text

Supplementary Text(s)

Formative Mechanisms

Supervision and assistance is available from project supervisors and/or laboratory demonstrators during the project periods. In-session assessments are returned marked to students with a report sheet of brief comments which are amplified and explained in discussion with the students.

The 'General Problems' part of this module, assessed by examination, is supported by tutorials. Students are able to monitor their own progress by attempting problems sheets distributed through the tutorial system.

Evaluation Mechanisms

Feedback from students is gathered by direct student-staff interaction and also via the usual student representation mechanisms.