Outline:

In this module, students will conduct a single extended physics practical assignment over the course of around seven weeks. The practical assignment will involve complex instrumentation and is supported by a non-prescriptive dossier containing a general description, guidance and references. Students are required to research the literature and plan for their own practical work. They will also complete a worksheet on the treatment of experimental data and undertake extensive analysis of their own results by employing advanced statistical analysis techniques. The use of data analysis specific software is actively encouraged. Students will keep a detailed record of their practical work and from this will write an interim and final formal report of their findings.

Aims:

The aim of the course is to develop advanced practical and instrumentational physics skills, with emphasis on independent literature research and planning, record keeping, advanced data acquisition and analysis, and reporting.

Teaching and Learning Methodology:

This module is delivered via practical and observational work, in which students focus on one extended experiment using complex instrumentation. Students are provided with dossiers of information rather than prescriptive scripts. Under the guidance of demonstrators and expert technical advisors, students are therefore expected to research the literature and to seek out additional information, and to plan their experimental work. Demonstrators are on hand to help students understand experiments, overcome difficulties as they arise and check that lab books are being properly kept. Students are expected to submit an interim progress report midway through their assignment, so that the demonstrators can gauge progress. Students then prepare a formal report based on the record kept in their notebook and feedback from the interim report and viva.

In addition to timetabled practical hours, it is expected that students engage in self-study in order to master the concepts and material. This can take the form, for example, of further reading in journals, textbooks and online resources.

For the Treatment of Experimental Data component, students work independently outside formal class, through an instruction text designed to reinforce and introduce new techniques. The module leader will be available for any students who request individual help. Assessment of this component is via one problem sheet set during the course.