How To Find Me
| Telephone: | 501.450.5910 |
| FAX: | 501.852.2286 |
| E-Mail: | njaustin@uca.edu |
| Office: | Room LSC 176B |
| Office Hours: | MWF 8:00−9:00 MWF 10:00−11:30 or by appointment |
When to Come to Lab
| Section | Day | Time |
| 21256 | Tuesday | 8:00−10:40 |
| 21262 | Tuesday | 10:50−1:30 |
Labs meet in LSC 114
Download the Lab manual
The entire lab manual is worth your download. It contains all the lab handouts. It also contains important reference material for the data acquisition software, basic error analysis principles, and the guidelines for your written report.
Advance Preparation: All lab information is posted on this course web. You are expected to consult this page the online course calendar prior to the lab session. There is usually a lab handout for each exercise. Make yourself a copy of the handout in advance. Occasionally, lab information will be provided in lab; you must still consult this page to find out if that will be the case. If the handout is online, no paper copies will be provided by the instructor. A complete lab manual can be found here. In addition to the handouts, the manual also contains information about your error analysis report, plus various other bits and pieces that you will find useful.
Make sure that you have downloaded, printed, and read the lab assignment before your lab session. Review the sections of the text that pertain to the exercise. Make a note of any questions that you might have, and bring any supplies indicated (i.e., having your own ruler or protractor can be helpful, and you must always bring basics like your notebook, clicker, a calculator, pencil, eraser, and paper). You should know before you come to lab what critical information you shouldn't be leaving the lab without.
Lab Notebook: You will be keeping a formal notebook of all your class and lab activities. Buy a quadrille–ruled, hardbound notebook with sewn–in pages. The notebook should contain your class notes, example problems, lab procedures, data, reduction, error analysis, and conclusions. You will be allowed to use your notebook during lab quizzes and for the problem-solving portion of each exam.
Quizzes: Each lab session will begin with a quiz. Quizzes will be brief, and refer specifically to the exercise or experiment immediately preceding it. You should expect a variety of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions. You may also be asked to demonstrate previous results using calculations, sketches, or diagrams. Quizzes are designed to be completed in about 15 minutes, and you will be permitted to use only your notebook as a reference. The lab quizzes will begin promptly, so be on time. If you wander in 10 minutes late, you are cutting into your own time, and you will not get extra time to finish up the quiz. Always remember to bring your clicker to lab: no clicker, no quiz (and no make up quiz, either). All quiz solutions will be posted online.
Experiments: There are ten experiments scheduled for the semester. All will count toward your grade, and there are no make up labs. There is neither the time nor the available lab space to set up previous experiments for you to complete at your convenience. If you miss a lab, you are forfeiting the points for that week's quiz. In the event that we manage to squeeze more than ten quizzes into the semester, only the top ten scores will count towards your grade.
Work in groups. While rugged individualism may be the American way, it won't get you far in lab. Most exercises are such that they require a minimum of three hands or six eyes. You may choose your own lab partners, but you also must assume the responsibility for your selection. If you are having a conflict with a group, either work it out or excuse yourself and join another group. You are not required to work with the same people each week.
Error Analysis: You will be required to prepare and submit an error analysis report, but you may select which lab to report on. You must choose from the labs presented on the in-lab sign up sheet, and selections will be first come/first served. You should work with the members of your lab group, and you will be allowed to submit a single report for the entire group. More details are found in the lab manual.
Late Work: Late error analyses will not be accepted. Due dates will depend on the individual; not everyone will be writing up the same labs, so not everyone will have the same due dates. You are repsonsible for knowing and meeting your own due dates. Typically, you will have two weeks to complete your error analysis following the lab session when you completed the experiment.
Attendance: Expect to attend lab every week, and be prepared to stay. Do not schedule doctor's appointments during lab. Do not tell your boss that you can work during lab time. Do not tell your girl-/boy-friend that you will meet them at Starbucks during lab time. Do not tell your best friend that you will be happy to shop for wedding dresses during lab time.
If you are unable to attend a lab session due to illness or extreme circumstances, your first attempt should be to attend an alternate section. If this is not possible, you must notify me within 24 hours of the due date (via e-mail is best) to receive any kind of consideration. You will be required to provide proof of the extenuating circumstance (i.e., doctor's note, accident report, traffic citation, etc.). Multiple or extended illnesses will be dealt with as necessary on a per-case basis, but you will be required to provide rigorous documentation. Three lab absences will result in an automatic grade of F for the semester.