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Physics & Astronomy

Michael Ware

Physics 416, Fall 2009

Course objectives

This course is designed to help you write your senior thesis, to consolidate your professional writing skills, and to develop life-long habits for writing-in-physics.

Course expectations

The main expectation is that, during the semester, you will have turned in a well-written senior thesis. I also expect that you will have demonstrated fluency in the different aspects of professional writing. Finally I expect that you will have shown your ability to give serious thought to the process and significance of communication in your discipline through participation in class discussion, feedback to peers, and integration of academic and professional standards in your own writing.

Evaluation

You will be evaluated throughout the semester on senior thesis writing progress, on general writing and communication skills, and on your mastery of course materials. The final grade will be determined using the following method:

  • 50% for assignments directly related to the thesis manuscript account for one half of the grade
  • 40% for other homework assignments
  • 10% for participation

Assignments need to be turned in on time, and should be turned in electronically unless explicitly stated otherwise. Since some assignments require the input of your research advisor, you will want to share assignments with him well in advance of the deadline.

Reference Material

Schedule

Here are the topics covered in class and the assignments to be completed. Note that homework, quiz, and Thesis points have different weights in the final grade; they should not be compared directly. Thesis assignments (50% of your grade) are denoted by T1, T2, etc., homework assignments (40% of your grade) are denoted by H1, H2, etc., and quizzes/participation assignments (10% of your grade) are denoted by Q1, Q2, etc. The schedule is tentative and may be updated during the semester.


Topic Assignments
1 Course intro   
Student Intro
Writing & Verbal Exercises
H1. Title and 50-word descriptive paragraph of your thesis. (10pts)
H2. Read Einstein paper. (5pts)
T1. Read a paper of your choice related to your thesis. (2pts)
Q1. Read Incredibly useful advice for physics students writing a senior thesis and  So you have to write a senior thesis. (5pts)
2 Importance of Reading
Structure of paper
Reading: how to do it - methods
H3. Report on reading habits. See instructions. (5pts)
H4. Find a copy of Physics Today, May 2004, and read David Mermin's article. See instructions. (5pts)
3 Review 50-word abstracts
Outline of Thesis
T2. Develop an Outline of your thesis. See instructions. (7pts)
Q2. Read Thesis Structure (experimental/computational). (5pts)
4 Structure & Logical Flow of Thesis
Intro to WinEdt
Q3. Select Topics to search in Library (2pts)
Q4. Read Getting started with Latex (5pts)
Q5. Read Structure of an early and later version of a thesis chapter (5pts)
5 Visit HBLL 
Data base searching (JC)
H5. Search for References for Theses (5pts)
T3. Enter at least ten sources that are relevant to your thesis into a BibTeX file. Place your outline into a LaTeX file that references your bibliographic sources. (5pts)
6 Look at Thesis Outlines
Bibliography Syntax (Intro to Bibtek)
Q6. Read Making a bibliography with Latex (5pts)
7 Look at Thesis Outlines
Ethics
Q7. Read Ethics Lecture notes (5pts)
H6. Ethics assignment See instructions. (12pts)
8 Look at Thesis Outlines
Zoom in on 1st chapters
Q8. Read Making a Table of Contents, Index, and Appendix in WinEdt (5pts)
T4. Write two or three introductory paragraphs in chapter 1 of your thesis including background and motivation. (2pts )
9 Analyze Student Writing
TeX details
Q9. Read Making Formal Front Pages of a Thesis in WinEdt (5pts)
T5. Complete a draft of Chapter 1 of your thesis. Be sure to get editorial input from your advisor. It's okay if the outline section near the end of the chapter remains a little sketchy until after you write other chapters. Please submit in PDF format. (12pts)
10 Review Ethics Assignment
Analyze Student Writing
Q10. Read Compiling your Thesis as a PDF (5pts)
T6. Include at least one figure in chapter 1 of your thesis. If necessary, you may genarate a figure from a later chapter of your thesis. (4pts)
11 Appropriate Graphs & Schematics
TeX details
Q11. Read chapter 17 of Introduction to MatLab (Phys. 330). (5 pts)
12 Generating and Inserting Figures
Analyze Student Writing
13 Revising Prose, Richard Lanham, Video
LLRC #: VC 11758 call 2-5282
T7. Complete a draft of Chapter 2 of your thesis. Be sure to get editorial input from your advisor. (12pts)
14 Analyze Student Writing
15 Kaleidagraph
Follow-up on Graphs & Figures
16 Work on Thesis
17 Work on Thesis
18 Work on Thesis T8. Revised draft of Chapters 1&2 of your thesis. Be sure to get editorial input from your advisor. (12pts)
19 Analyze Student writing
Revisit Overall Thesis Structure
H7. Write Spring Research Abstract. (8pts)
20 Analyze student writing
21 Review Talk Title/Abstracts
Revisit Thesis Structure
22 Work on Thesis T9. Draft of chapter 3 to the end of the thesis. (12pts)
23 Work on Thesis
24 Work on Thesis T12. Final Thesis body. (75pts)
25 Thesis Abstract T11. Thesis Abstract. (8pts)
26 Work on Thesis Draft of Complete Thesis (5)
27 Elements of Good Talks Present a talk (3)
28 Elements of Good Talks H8. Prepare a 15 minute presentation based on your thesis. (20pts)
29 Work on Thesis
30 Talks by Those who missed Spring Research
31 Choosing a Journal H9. Write a one-paragraph justification for your choice of particular journal for publishing your research. Mention possible alternative journals. Download a copy of your journal's guidelines for authors. (4pts)
32 Editing a colleague's writing H10. Edit copy of your partner's thesis. (10pts)
33 Refereeing
Responding to Criticism
34 Work on Journal Article H11. Write a draft of your journal article. (15pts)
35 Work on Journal Article
36 Proposal Writing
37 Popular Audience - Press Release H12. Write a press release about your work for a popular audience - 200 words. (5pts)
38 Work on Journal Article H13. Final draft of journal article. (20pts)
39 Writing a Resume
Lloyd ?  Career placement services
H14. Resume. (5pts)
40 Persuasive Writing
Memos
H15. Write a memo to Chair. Turn in a copy for the course and send it also to the chair. (10pts)
41 Webpage H16. Create a personal research webpage including resume and 100-200-word blurb(s) for a popular audience. (10pts)
42 Writing in Physics Occupations  
Final Turn in completed thesis with all final edits.

 

Honor code

I expect all students in the class to abide by the BYU honor code. I encourage collaboration between students in this class, except when I state explicitly that the work is to be done individually. Writing in physics requires its own code of ethics, which we will encounter and discuss in class.

Preventing sexual harassment

BYU's policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university but to students as well. If you encounter sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination, or other inappropriate behavior, please talk to your instructors, contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895 or 367-5689, or contact the Honor Code Office at 422-2847.

Students with disabilities

BYU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability that may adversely affect your success in this course, please contact the University Accessibility Center at 422-2767. Services deemed appropriate will be coordinated with the student and instructors by that office.

 
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