BSc Project (S5)

PHYS30881 BSc Project (S5) 10 Semester 1 Undergraduate Level 6 Clive Dickinson Unit coordinator Department of Physics & Astronomy 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0 <div style="border:1.0pt solid windowtext;padding:1.0pt 6.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;">FormatAll BSc students (3 year) must take the BSc dissertation unit. The project takes place during the first 9 weeks of S5 (PHYS30881), or alternatively the first 9 weeks of S6 (PHYS30882). It is expected that students will spend ~1.2 days per week working on the project. It must be completed and handed in at the end of this 9 week period.  Students are assigned at the start of S5 a project selected from their list of choices which is timed to take place when they are free from their experimental programme (PHYS30180/30280). The supervisor will outline possible approaches and offer guidance and advice during the course of the project.</div> <div style="border:1.0pt solid windowtext;padding:1.0pt 6.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;">FormatAll BSc students (3 year) must take the BSc dissertation unit. The project takes place during the first 9 weeks of S5 (PHYS30881), or alternatively the first 9 weeks of S6 (PHYS30882). It is expected that students will spend ~1.2 days per week working on the project. It must be completed and handed in at the end of this 9 week period.  Students are assigned at the start of S5 a project selected from their list of choices which is timed to take place when they are free from their experimental programme (PHYS30180/30280). The supervisor will outline possible approaches and offer guidance and advice during the course of the project.</div> <div style="border:1.0pt solid windowtext;padding:1.0pt 6.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;">The educational aims of the BSc dissertation are to:1. enable students to explore in depth a topic of personal interest in the physical sciences.2. enhance information search and selection skills specific to a particular project.3. develop such transferable skills as scientific report writing and oral presentation.4. facilitate self-reliance and the application of project management skills (i.e. time management, use of resources) to the successful completion of the project. </div> <figure class="table"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="634"><tbody><tr><td style="border:1.0pt solid windowtext;padding:0cm 5.4pt;width:47.95pt;" width="64">ILO 1</td><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:windowtext;border-left-style:none;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:solid;border-width:1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:top;width:324.0pt;" width="432">apply knowledge of physical science to the planning and development of a research/technical project.</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:windowtext;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;width:47.95pt;" width="64">ILO 2</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid windowtext;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid windowtext;border-top-style:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:top;width:324.0pt;" width="432">use a range of primary source material including library and on-line resources.</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:windowtext;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;width:47.95pt;" width="64">ILO 3</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid windowtext;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid windowtext;border-top-style:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:top;width:324.0pt;" width="432">critically evaluate information and techniques when deciding upon research methodologies and analysis, using criteria that can be defended.</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom-style:solid;border-color:windowtext;border-left-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-top-style:none;border-width:1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt;width:47.95pt;" width="64">ILO 4</td><td style="border-bottom:1.0pt solid windowtext;border-left-style:none;border-right:1.0pt solid windowtext;border-top-style:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt;vertical-align:top;width:324.0pt;" width="432">manage time and resources to optimal effect to produce a dissertation to a given deadline.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <div style="border:1.0pt solid windowtext;padding:1.0pt 6.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;">Syllabus: FormatAll BSc students (3 year) must take the BSc dissertation unit. The project takes place during the first 9 weeks of S5 (PHYS30881), or alternatively the first 9 weeks of S6 (PHYS30882). It is expected that students will spend ~1.2 days per week working on the project. It must be completed and handed in at the end of this 9 week period.  Students are assigned at the start of S5 a project selected from their list of choices which is timed to take place when they are free from their experimental programme (PHYS30180/30280). The supervisor will outline possible approaches and offer guidance and advice during the course of the project. </div>The student will carry out an individual study of a current topic in physics, which should show evidence of original thinking. The project can take many different forms – for example, it may have a design element or a simulation/analysis element. In some cases, it may be largely a review of the literature for a specific topic, but with some scope for critical evaluation and/or own work. Whatever the focus is, the dissertation should contain a comprehensive literature review. The focus of the project should be clearly on the physics, broadly construed; students unsure whether their planned approach meets this criterion should discuss the issue with their supervisor. The student will write a report along the lines of a scientific article.  The length of the report should be between 4000 and 6000 words.  At the end of the project the student will give a 5 minute presentation followed by a 25 minute question and answer session. <div style="border:1.0pt solid windowtext;padding:1.0pt 6.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;">The students will have a weekly meeting with their supervisor. They will also have the opportunity to submit a full draft dissertation to their supervisor in advance of the final submission, on which they will be given feedback. After the interview, additional feedback will be given by the assessors.</div> 4 Dissertation 50% 6 Project output (not diss/n) 25% 7 Oral assessment/presentation 25% PHYS20101 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Pre-Requisite Compulsory PHYS20141 Electromagnetism Pre-Requisite Compulsory PHYS20171 Mathematics of Waves and Fields Pre-Requisite Compulsory PHYS20352 Statistical Mechanics Pre-Requisite Compulsory PHYS20302 Quantum Mechanics 2 Pre-Requisite Compulsory PHYS20151 Properties of Matter Pre-Requisite Compulsory N Literature will be specific to each topic. But useful resources on scientific writing and critical evaluation will be useful can be found in the My Learning Essential resources:<ol><li>Writing scientific reports: <a href="https://www.education.library.manchester.ac.uk/mle/report-writing-scientific/#/">https://www.education.library.manchester.ac.uk/mle/report-writing-scientific/#/</a></li><li>Critical evaluation: <a href="https://www.education.library.manchester.ac.uk/mle/being-critical/">https://www.education.library.manchester.ac.uk/mle/being-critical/</a></li></ol><h1>For Information and advice on Link2Lists reading list software, see: </h1><a href="http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/academicsupport/informationandadviceonlink2listsreadinglistsoftware/">http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/academicsupport/informationandadviceonlink2listsreadinglistsoftware/</a> 0 0 100