Scribd
Upload
150 views3 pages

Physics-I and II Lab-Syllabus

This intensive 5-day physics laboratory course covers experiments equivalent to those in PHYS E-1axl and PHYS E-1bxl, including mechanics, fluids, electricity, magnetism, waves, and optics. Students work in groups of 2-3 and receive the same grade for collaborative lab reports. Reports are graded on a 5-point scale, with scores determining the final letter grade. Students must arrive on time, actively participate, and submit their own lab reports online each day to receive credit. Accommodations are available for students with disabilities.

Uploaded by

Thomas Lim
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
150 views3 pages

Physics-I and II Lab-Syllabus

This intensive 5-day physics laboratory course covers experiments equivalent to those in PHYS E-1axl and PHYS E-1bxl, including mechanics, fluids, electricity, magnetism, waves, and optics. Students work in groups of 2-3 and receive the same grade for collaborative lab reports. Reports are graded on a 5-point scale, with scores determining the final letter grade. Students must arrive on time, actively participate, and submit their own lab reports online each day to receive credit. Accommodations are available for students with disabilities.

Uploaded by

Thomas Lim
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

PHYSICS E-1lab: Intensive Laboratory for Physics I,

II January 2016

Instructors Gregory Kestin, PhD; [email protected]; Science Ctr. 117c


Erik Bauch; [email protected]

Prerequisites PHYS E-1ax, or equivalent preparation in physics (mechanics).


Experience with electricity, magnetism, waves, or optics is recommended, but not
assumed.

Course description

This intensive hands-on experimental course is meant to complement PHYS E-1ax and PHYS E-
1bx. Students complete laboratory experiments equivalent to those covered in PHYS E-1axl and
PHYS E-1bxl. Experiments include aspects of measurement, force and motion, fluids and
diffusion, electric and magnetic fields, circuits, waves, and optics. (2 credits) Working in groups,
you will develop experimental and collaborative skills.

Course Policies and Expectations

Students work together in groups of three when possible (two students at a minimum). All data,
graphs, answers to questions, and conclusions are a collaborative effort within the group.
Actively working together is an important requirement for succeeding in the course.
Each group member is assigned the same grade for the submitted work (see lab grading
procedure below). Students must arrive on time for their lab; you will not be allowed to
participate in your group if you are late. Student must attend each of their lab sections. If you
miss a lab without an excused absence you will receive a zero for the experiment.

Lab Handouts and Materials

All lab handouts will be posted on the course website. Students should read each handout before
attending lab. Also bring pens or pencils, scratch paper and a calculator. All other Lab materials
and equipment will be supplied in your lab section.
Lab Report Submission

Each day students will work on two or more experiments. All data, graphs, analysis, and
conclusions will be compiled into lab reports for that day. We encourage students to complete
and submit their lab reports before leaving lab at the end of the day; if any aspects of the reports
are incomplete they must be completed and submitted that night before the next day’s meeting.
Each student must submit his or her own copy of the reports by logging in to the course website
and uploading a PDF of the reports. Time permitting, we encourage students to show their
reports to an instructor before uploading it. We may be able to offer advice or suggestions to
improve the report before it is submitted.

Lab Grading Procedure

The complete lab report for each day is graded on a scale of 0-5. Every member of the group
receives the same grade. The grading is based on the following rubric.

The group clearly understands the major lab concepts. Minor mistakes and careless errors
can appear insofar as they do not indicate a conceptual misunderstanding. The lab is very
5
neat and well organized.

The group understands the main concepts and problem-solving techniques, but has some
4 minor yet non-trivial gaps in their reasoning. The lab lacks a little in neatness and
organization.

The group has partially understood the problem. The group may have started out
3 correctly, but gone on a tangent. Some aspects of the lab are incomplete. The lab is
disorganized or hard to read/follow.

The group has a poor understanding of the lab. They may have gone in a not-entirely-
2 wrong but unproductive direction, or attempted to solve the problem using pattern
matching or by rote.

The group did not understand the problem. They may have written some appropriate
1 formulas or diagrams, but nothing further. Or, they may have done something entirely
wrong.

The group wrote nothing or almost nothing.


0 Note: Individual students will receive a zero for a lab experiment if they do not actively
participate in their group or they miss the lab without an excused absence.
Course Letter Grade

Each student begins the course with 12 points. Any reports that achieve a 4 or 5 grade will not
reduce this number. Reports that receive a 3 will reduce the grade by 1 point.  Reports that
receive a 2 reduce the grade by 2 points.  Reports that receive a 0 or 1 reduce the grade by 3
points. At the end of the term the course letter grade is determined by the following scheme:  A =
12 points, A– = 11 points, B+ = 10 points, B = 9 points, B– = 8 points, C+ = 7 points, C = 6
points, C– = 5 points, D+ = 4 points, D = 3 points, D– = 2 points, and F = 1 or fewer points.

Missed Labs, and Cancellations

Any student who does not attend or complete a lab experiment will receive zero credit for that
experiment.

The course instructors may need to reschedule a lab section due to a cancelation caused by
inclement weather or other emergency. A cancelled lab will be rescheduled to an evening
session, Tuesday through Friday.

Academic Integrity

In this course lab partners are expected to work together on experiments. Submitted data,
calculations, answers to questions, and conclusions are a collaborative effort by lab partners.
Each member of the group will sign off on the submitted work.

Accommodations for students with disabilities

Students needing academic adjustments or accommodations because of a documented disability


must present their Faculty Letter from the Accessible Education Office (AEO) and speak with
the professor before the class begins. Failure to do so may result in the Course Head's inability to
respond in a timely manner. All discussions will remain confidential, although Faculty are
invited to contact AEO to discuss appropriate implementation.

Lab Room/Schedule All lab sections meet in Science Center Room 115

The intensive lab course meets for 5 days starting on Monday January 12th and ending on Friday
January 16th. The in lab hours are 9am to 5pm each day with a one hour break for lunch.
Students should expect to spend additional time each day outside of the lab finishing lab reports,
reading supplemental handouts, and preparing for the next day’s experiments.

You might also like