Important Information for PHYS 126 Labs

Important Information for PHYS 126 Labs
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T.A. Contact Information
• Name: Alex Tetarenko
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.ualberta.ca/∼tetarenk
• Office: CCIS 2-100
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Lab Coordinator Contact Information
• Name: Wladek Rudzinski
• Email: [email protected]
• Office: CCIS L2-183
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Schedule
You will complete 5 labs and 4 tutorials over the course of the term on Monday (H11) or Wednesday
(H51) from 2pm-5pm (schedule also available on my website under teaching tab).
H11
Tutorial 1: Jan. 20, Tutorial 2: Jan. 27, Tutorial 3: Feb. 3, Lab 1: Feb. 10, Tutorial 4: Mar. 3, Lab
2: Mar. 10, Lab 3: Mar. 17, Lab 4: Mar. 24, Lab 5: Mar. 31
H51
Tutorial 1: Jan. 22 , Tutorial 2: Jan. 29, Tutorial 3: Feb. 5, Lab 1: Feb. 12, Tutorial 4: Mar. 5, Lab
2: Mar. 12, Lab 3: Mar. 19, Lab 4: Mar. 26, Lab 5: Apr. 2
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Advanced Preparation
To be done before coming to the lab:
• Read over the lab procedure in order to understand the general process.
• Double check the schedule each week to make sure you don’t miss a lab session.
To bring with you to the lab:
• Laptop
• USB stick
• Calculator
• Pen/Pencil
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Missed Lab Sessions
If you miss a lab:
• for a legitimate reason, you may apply for an excused absence. If you choose this option you
must fill out an excused absence form (available at my website under the Teaching tab) and
hand it in to me. You are only allowed one of these.
• Otherwise, you may arrange for a makeup lab during another lab session. It is your responsibility
to arrange this with the TA of the other lab section. If you choose this option please inform me
that you are doing so.
• There is no excused absence for tutorials.
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Lab Reports and Data Collection
• While you may work in groups (of up to 3 people) to collect data, lab reports must be written
individually.
• I must initial a page of your raw data before you leave the lab. This page must then be included
at the back of your final report. This is to ensure you are collecting your own data rather then
bringing in pre-collected data.
• An important part of scientific writing is how you present your results. Your report should be
logical, clear and concise enough that the reader would be able to understand what you did,
why you did it, and the significance of your results without having done the lab.
• Reports must be typed.
• Reports are due in the drop box (with my name on it) at 5:00pm of the day following your lab.
The drop boxes are located outside room L2-039.
• Reports are to be a maximum of 4 pages long (not including the title page).
• For an outline of what your report should include see attached document.
• What to include in tutorials:
– Title your tutorial (e.g. Tutorial 1- Viscous Flow)
– Name, Lab Section, TA and Date
– Each question should be clearly labelled (e.g. Problem 1)
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– Each question should be answered in a clear, concise and organized way. I should be able
to follow your thought process.
– Show your work! I need to see what you did not just an answer.
– Include all equations used in calculations.
– Label equations so you can refer to them in your problem (e.g. From equation (1) we can
see...)
– Put a box around your final answer to each problem
– Include a final sentence that describes your answer in words (e.g. Our calculations show
that the mass of saturn is ...)
– You have the option of whether to type or write up tutorials with pencil (not pen) and
paper. I suggest pencil and paper, as this is good practice for writing up assignments and
exam questions.
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Plagiarism
While you are allowed to collect data in a group and are encouraged to work together in a group
setting to solve problems, this does not mean you are allowed to blatantly copy each others work. All
lab reports are individual. Please write them in your own words.
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Grading
• You must obtain at least 50% in Labs/Tutorials to pass the class
• Lab/Tutorial marks count for 15% of your grade
• Simple rules on how to do well on the Labs/Tutorials:
– Please follow the lab template and tutorial instructions I gave you. They are there to make
your life easier not harder!
– Put the effort in and do the work!
– When I mark I try and give you as many marks as possible, so show your work (Even if
you get the answer wrong, you can still get some marks!)
– Ask questions (it doesn’t matter how basic the questions are, if you don’t understand the
basics you will have a hard time understanding the more complicated stuff).
– Proofread your Tutorials/Labs before you hand them in. HINT: Read them out loud, it is
easier to catch mistakes and determine if what you are saying makes sense.
– It is also a good idea to have a friend/roommate look at your work. Can they follow your
thought process?, Can you teach them what your doing and why using only your work on
the page? If not, you need to make some corrections to your work.
– Disorganized and messy work will not be tolerated.
– Being able to communicate you thoughts/ideas, explain your reasoning and display your
work in a clear and organized way is very important in Physics (and really any other
scientific field as well).
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