| Unit name | Practical Physics III: Research Skills and Group Project |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHYS30033 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Sarua |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
1st and 2nd year lab units |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Physics |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why this unit is important
This unit will be a capstone to your general laboratory training, both in the practical physics and in collaborative work. You will have the opportunity to apply everything you have learned in years one and two as you conduct research based experiments under the guidance of a supervisor and write a technical paper as part of a team on a particular aspect of Physics. These are essential skills in preparation for your final year project and beyond
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit represents the summation of your general laboratory training. In years one and two, you moved from fundamentals of laboratory practice to conducting investigative experiments, and this will give you the chance to undertake more research-based experiments. These experiments are such that the results may not already be known and will give you the chance to become more expert in your practice of Physics, recognising your development as a physicist and seeing your place in the Physics community.
An overview of content
In the laboratory, you will complete one research-based investigation under the guidance of an academic supervisor; this investigation will be authentic and will further develop your experience of modern instrumental techniques. You will learn to solve advanced experimental problems as well as vital skills of fault-finding and corrections!
As a team, you will be placed in a group of around eight students to produce a technical paper on an area of pure or applied physics. This will then be supplemented by the preparation of a ‘popular account’ in the style of a magazine article to enhance public understanding of your technical research. Finally, you will work as a group to prepare a presentation on the topic.
For International Mentoring- Instead of working on a group project, you will also have the option to undertake a position on the International Mentoring scheme; you will be a mentor to a group of students studying Physics overseas. These students come from carefully selected schools and colleges overseas. You will deliver a number of one-hour tutorials spread over 12 weeks using an online conferencing tool, and these will be delivered in English. Numbers taking this option are restricted depending on the placements available; if you are unsuccessful in being awarded an International Mentor position, you will instead undertake the group project component of the unit.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Focussing on a single research-based investigation will allow you to gain expertise in the instrumentation used in the investigation. You will learn how to optimise the equipment in order to gain the best possible results, and develop your understanding of instrumental and technical analysis which can be readily applied to other instrumentation and techniques.
In your group work you will develop your skill in managing teams, including the appropriate delegation and appointment of responsibility within the group. Group work is challenging, and you will recognise the value of open and effective communication within your group.
This will set you up well for pursuing an independent research project, whether in your final year of study, or as you undertake employment within Physics.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit, you will:
You will be allocated to supervised laboratory sessions for the purpose of carrying out your experimentation, and you will have regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss your experimental results. Additionally, you will be guided to the appropriate resources and scientific research tools to support your experimentation outside the scheduled classes.
Within your group work, you will appoint an editor for your group who will have overall responsibility, but who should delegate tasks to others. You will be assisted in your work by an academic, and you will schedule regular meetings with the group supervisor. As a group you will define your own frequency of meetings and how best to meet (whether online or in person), however it is recommended that you meet weekly with the group supervisor.
Your overall time commitment to the unit should be around 180-200 hours, in line with the University Workload Statement. This should be spread equally between the group work and the laboratory investigations, and cover all aspects of the work required for the unit, from designing the experiment outside the laboratory, through to carrying out the experiment, analysing results, meeting with your supervisor and, ultimately, writing the reports. Similarly, the time should cover the initial group scheduling, through all group meetings and independent research in support of the group work, and meeting your supervisor and the preparation and delivery of all aspects of the assessment.
2PHYS013U Physics with Scientific Computing In lieu of Group Work, which is covered elsewhere in the Scientific Computing programme, students on the Physics with Scientific Computing programme will be assigned a special topic to explore on computer interfacing. This will be assessed through a technical report in the second half of the unit.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare for summative tasks:
You will have many opportunities for feedback in the laboratory; discussions with demonstrators in the laboratory, input from your academic supervisor and from the technical staff in the laboratory. You will have regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss experimental results; this will help you refine your experiments and optimise your results.
In your group work, you will have an appointed academic to support the group and to provide scientific and stylistic input. Through meetings, you will gain feedback on your function as a team as well as guidance on how to prepare and produce the appropriate outputs to communicate the findings of your investigation.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark
The summative assessment in the laboratory will come from:
In group work, you will be assessed by:
When assessment does not go to plan
This unit is 100% coursework and does not have a resit opportunity except in a supplementary year; it is therefore expected that you engage with the content throughout and submit your work in a timely manner. If you are unable to engage it is important you discuss with your tutor early so that appropriate mitigation strategies may be identified and implemented quickly.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PHYS30033).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
