Alternative Final Project - for 2021

Your final project should be an interesting research project that requires research into the literature, some significant theory, and experiment if possible. You have two weeks for the final project - two lab days, with the third being the presentaiton - so you should be looking at putting about 20 hours into this project. The final projects are done individually. Your project can be your own research project, or can be researching one of the questions from list provided. It must include background research, and some significant analysis of relevant theory with calculations, possibly an experiment, and a write-up in PowerPoint or some other presentation software (no additional writeup).  Final presentations will be on the last class meeting of the semester, 5/5, starting at 1:00 pm.

If you are going to do an experiment, I can cover minor costs of supplies or help you find stuff around the lab. You are responsible for your own supplies, and need to submit receipts to me before the end of the school year for reimbursement. An experiment can definitely enhance a project, but is not a necessary part of your project. The theory and analysis needs to include some advanced physics beyond our 100-level physics classes.

Your presentation should be 8-15 minutes in length, and should be as complete as possible without boring us with excruciating detail.  If you would like PowerPoint help or pointers in preparing a presentation, be sure to make an appointment with me.

Schedule (and % of grade):

• (5%) You must come up with an idea by the end of our lab on 4/21 and submit that on Moodle. Only one person can work on any particular project, so it is first-come, first-served. You can choose a question from the list, or come up with your own research question. The questions you can choose from are the problems that were proposed for the United States Young Physicists Tournament: see usaypt.org, and click on "past tournaments"; each year has four possible problems for you to consider.  
• (5%) You must have a complete outline of what you will do for the project by 9 am, Friday 4/23: your plans for any experiment and what theory you plan to do. Your outline must clearly indicate what you will do to take the 20 hours of work.
• (10%) By lab on 4/28, you must have an annotated bibliography - must be done with the literature search that is relevant, must have a list of that literature, and must have a short paragraph for each paper describing what it contributes to the knowledge of your project. We do not need to meet on 4/28, but I will be in lab if you need me.
• (5%) If you are doing an experiment, you must finish the experiment before the end of Sunday 5/2. All equipment must be put away in the lab. If you are doing theory only or are at home, you must show some progress on calculations - share a document showing what you have done so far with a physics calculation.
• (5%) You must ask at least two questions or make two comments during the final presentations (relevant to your colleagues' research).
• Your presentation will be in lab on Wednesday 5/5. You are not required to turn in your presentation file.
  • (45%) Quality of Results and/or Analysis
  • (25%) Quality of Presentation

The 5% grades are mostly based on timeliness, but could take into account quality/completeness.

please just pay attention to the above and ignore the legacy information below

Final Project

Your final project does not need to be too big in scope.  It could be a lab like any of the other labs we have done this semester. The final projects are done individually. I can talk with you about possible experiments, but look at the list below. It should include background research, relevant theory, an experiment, and a write-up in PowerPoint or some other presentation software (no additional writeup).  Final presentations will be on the last class meeting of the semester, 5/5, starting at 1:00 pm.

Your presentation should be 8-15 minutes in length, and should be as complete as possible without boring us with excruciating detail.  If you would like PowerPoint help or pointers in preparing a presentation, be sure to make an appointment with me.

Schedule (and % of grade):

• (5%) You must come up with an idea by the end of our lab on 4/21 and submit that on Moodle. Only one person can probably work on any particular experiment, so it is first-come, first-served. You can choose an experiment in the list, or come up with your own through further research. I do not guarantee that I have all equipment needed for all the experiments on the list, so we might have to make some purchases: You need to be able to tell me specifically what you need. Sooner than 4/21 is better.
• (5%) You must have a complete outline of what you will do for the project by 9 am, Friday 4/23.  Please transmit that to me with any equipment needs: it is up to you to find all the equipment you need (with my or other faculty's help, of course, if you do not know where things are). If you need me to order anything, you must let me know specifically what you need me to order (part number, link, etc.).
• (5%) You must meet with me during or before lab time, 4/28 to show physical progress with the lab.
• (5%) You must finish the experiment before the end of Sunday 5/2. All equipment must be put away.
• (5%) You must ask at least two questions or make two comments during the final presentations (relevant to your colleagues' research).
• Your presentation will be in lab on Wednesday 5/5. You are not required to turn in your presentation file.
  • (50%) Quality of Experimental Results and Analysis
  • (25%) Quality of Presentation

The 5% grades are mostly based on timeliness, but could take into account quality/completeness.

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