Laboratories begin on Monday, 31 August 1998. We will do 13 experiments, as shown on the schedule provided. The purpose of this course is to show you how to do and analyze physical measurements. Working in groups of two, you will make measurements, tabulate and plot your data, and finally evaluate and analyze the results. So that your grades in the laboratory will reflect your efforts, you will be changing lab partners on the first lab of each month.
The basic requirements for labs are described in the introduction to your lab manual. Notice especially page 2, which list the essential requirements for lab reports, and a list of equations you are expected to memorize. You can expect to find questions based on this material in quizzes. This material is discussed in the introduction of the lab book. You will also receive a handout giving suggestions for writing conclusions to a lab report.
PREPARATION FOR THE LAB SESSIONS
You will find it very helpful to prepare well, i.e. read and study the materials for the laboratories before you come to class. Being prepared before you come to your lab session will enable you to finish on time, enjoy the lab more, learn more, and help you get a higher grade. During the first 10 minutes of every lab period (except for the first lab of the semester) a closed book quiz will be given and collected. These quizzes are, in principle, aimed at testing your readiness to perform that day's experiment. Only the material covered by the manual will be tested, but you may wish to refer to your physics textbook for further discussion of the material covered by the lab, particularly if this is a topic which your class has not covered yet. Please arrive on time or you will miss the quiz and the credit for it. A short description of the purpose of the experiment, in your own words, is also part of the preparation for the experiment, and will be initialed by the instructor at the start of the period. Since you are graded on answers to questions asked in the lab report, your instructor will help clarify the question if you do not understand what is requested, but do not expect the instructor to answer the question for you. You will find it worthwhile to prepare yourself before the lab with these questions in mind. All the materials to be graded (your lab report including data sheets, graphs, answers to questions, etc.) must be completed during your lab period and handed in to the instructor before you leave the lab.
The lab report consists of a cover sheet with your name, your student number, your lab partner's name and your section number. This cover sheet should also contain a short description of the purpose of this experiment and a conclusion based upon your observations and measurements. Both of these parts should be in your own words: do not just copy the manual!! Answer ALL of the questions included in each lab.
GRADES
Laboratory reports will be graded by your instructor on a 10 point scale and will be handed back at the beginning of the next lab. The points will be distributed as follows: purpose (1 pts), data (including accuracy), graphs, and calculations (4-5 pts) and answers to questions (2-3 pts) and conclusion (1-2 pts). Explain how you identified and tried to solve problems in the experiments, if there were any. If you see that your data was incorrect or your predictions of results were incorrect, explain why you were wrong. Avoid wordiness and excessive detail since no credit will be given for this.
Quizzes will in generally have 4 questions and will be graded on a 4 point scale.
Laboratory reports contribute about 70% to your grade and quizzes contribute about 30%.
Before determining your final grade, the lowest lab report and lowest quiz grade will be dropped (see below). Your grade will be based on the total number of points for the remaining labs and quizzes, giving a maximum of 178 points. Since the instructors for the various sections do not necessarily grade identically, the scores for a given instructor's sections will be considered as a group for grading purposes. Each of these groups will receive approximately the same average grade in the course, so that there is no advantage to having one instructor rather than another. Within the group, the grades will be assigned strictly in order of points achieved. This grade will be assigned by a curve, not a "straight scale" (for which there is no uniform definition in any case). In the past the average for the course was about 2.7 to 2.9.
MISSING LABS/MAKE-UP LABS
Labs missed for documented medical or other sound reasons may be made up by making arrangements with your instructor. No make-ups are allowed without an explanatory note. If you simply miss a lab without a reason, it will be counted as zero. Arrangements for a possible make-up should be initiated before the missed lab if possible, but in any case no later than 24 hours after you missed the lab. Arrangements for alternate attendance MUST be made during the preceding week if the reason for absence is a pre-scheduled event, such as field trips or religious holidays. Make-ups will involve approved special attendance in a lab later in the week, if an open space is available. Experience has shown that grades of students who miss EVEN ONE LAB are lower than those who attend and complete all labs. You can reach your instructor by phone at his office or by sending an e-mail message.
Your instructor is in charge of all aspects of laboratory procedures. Please confer with your instructor first if you have a problem, since they can ordinarily solve most problems. The laboratory coordinator for this course is Dr. Dylan Casey. His office hours are Monday, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. The office and phone numbers are: room 256D and tel: 432-0216. If you cannot make these office hours and would like to make an appointment, please feel free to call or send an e-mail to casey@pa.msu.edu. If you include a phone number, Dr. Casey will get back to you.
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Last updated on by D. Casey