General Information

Course Objectives

Organization

Course Requirements

Grading

Calendar

Physics 400 Fall 2008

General Information

Kevin Crosby
DSC 204 x5855
kcrosby@carthage.edu
http://personal.carthage.edu/kcrosby
Office Hours: WF 3-4:30; TR 10-11AM

Course Prerequisites

Senior Standing in Physics

Textbooks and other supplies

Required Texts:

• The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd. Ed., Michael Alley (Springer).

Optional Texts:

• Guide to Laxtex 2e

Software Used in the Course:

• A LateX Distribution
  • PC users can consider MixTex (Current version 2.7)
    • http://www.miktex.org/
  • PC users will also need an IDE: TeXnicCenter
    
    • http://www.toolscenter.org/
  • Mac users shoud consider TeXShop/MacTex
    • http://www.tug.org/mactex/

Course Objectives

This course is intended to give physics students with senior standing the skills necessary to undertake a physics research project, and to develop, write, and present a well-defined senior thesis proposal to a physics-literate audience.

Course Organization

1. Faculty Research Interviews

You will be required to talk to faculty members about the research projects that they are involved to help you assess what you might like to pursue for your thesis project.

2. Topic Selection and Advisor Assignment

Each student will work with a single faculty member on a topic of mutual interest. Part of the purpose of this course is to help you decide which project may be right for you.

3. Topic Review

A 1-2 (journal) page summary of your project proposal focusing on context and central research questions will be due by mid-semester.

4. Oral Presentations

Each student will write a report on their project research and deliver a public presentation on the research proposal. Your written report must be made available to all faculty at least two days prior to the public presentation.

5. Written Report

The written report will be in proper journal format, will present a comprehensive historical context for your research, and will demonstrate a complete analysis of the research question, including experimental and/or analytical methods, error and uncertainty analyses, and a summary of anticipated results in the context of existing literature on the topic.

Requirements

• Attend all class meetings
• Attend assigned colloquia
• Read assigned material and participate in discussions
• Prepare and deliver research talks
• Prepare Research Proposal for Senior Thesis including introduction and background to your problem, and a bibliography sufficient to show historical context for your work.

Blackboard

http://blackboard.carthage.edu
You will be required to enroll in this Physics course on Blackboard. You can find it in Blackboard's Course Catalog in the Physics folder. There, you will find announcements, supplementary course materials, and communication capability with the instructor and fellow students. Course evaluations will also be administered through Blackboard.

Grading and Policies

• Attendance (including assigned colloquia) 5%
• Advisor Reports 20%
• Topic Review 10%
• Faculty Review of Oral Presentation 30%
• Peer Evaluation of Oral Presentation 5%
• Written Report 30%

Academic Honesty

Students are bound by the terms of the Carthage College Academic Honesty Contract in the Student Handbook. Any act of academic dishonesty is sufficient cause for failure of the course.

Course Calendar

Course Calendar is available here.

Necessary revisions will be distributed in class.