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PHY 495 Physics Seminar
Instructor: Dr. R. Herman
Class Meeting Times: MW 2:00-3:15 P.M., DL 213
Course Content:
Required Text: Montgomery, S.
L.
Course Description:
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PHY 495 - Physics Seminar
Provides instruction in communication skills related to presenting scientific information such as writing papers, presenting talks, and creating posters in LaTeX for physics and physical oceanography. Students may work with individual faculty in the department leading to a presentation on their research topic.
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Goals:
The broader goals of the course are provided under the Student Learning Outcomes. Students will gain experience
in working on their own outside the classroom, carefully reading and understanding the literature, organizing and
writing a research paper, and presenting their work. Students will chose a physics topic in line with the student's
background and under the supervision of a member of the department (referred to
here as the advisor). Students will make use of and synthesize knowledge from their previous course
work. They will demonstrate these goals while learning to communicate the physics subject matter as they revise both
their paper and presentations. Students will learn to make appropriate use of the latest research using library
resources such as textbooks and established journals.
- Develop competency in the communication of physics.
- Become familiar with the tools and methods of independent inquiry.
- Gain acquaintance with some of the latest scientific advances in the field.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will
- Demonstrate competence in independent reading and evaluation of physics resources.
- Develop skills in effectively and efficiently locating and utilizing resources for scholarship in physics such as textbooks and established journals.
- Carry out an effective literature survey to locate all current pertinent publications; summarize and record the content of each; and perform a critical review of the major works to identify the merits and weaknesses of each element - theoretical perspective, definitions, research designs, methods, instruments, data analysis, and conclusions
- Ensure that all research carried out is represented completely and accurately. References to the research findings of others are an integral component of any research.
- Evaluate the results of their searches based on relevance to topic, objectivity, accuracy and credibility of the information source, significance of the research, authority of the author, date published, and the type of information source (IL1, IL2).
- Practice scientific writing skills by reading and synthesizing the research of other scientists. When carrying out the background research for their topic, the student will read scientific papers, should make note of the format and style that is used in their field of interest (WI1).
- Be aware of the many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and access, and use information ethically and legally (IL3).
- Demonstrate the ability to employ an iterative writing process that includes invention, drafting, and revision in response to instructor feedback to complete a scientific writing project that is to be, at minimum, ten pages in length (WI2, IL4).
Course Requirements:
The Timeline:
Each student in the Physics Seminar will work under a
faculty member who will serve as the student's content
advisor and will also work with the PHY 495 instructor,
who is ultimately responsible for student grades. Since
students are expected to work on their paper and
presentation consistently throughout the semester, they
will be evaluated on how well they adhere to the
Schedule.
Method of Evaluation:
Your grades will be based upon your paper, presentation,
punctuality in completing all assigned work, and
attendance. Evaluation of both the written paper, the
oral presentation, and the poster will be conducted by
the instructor and the advisor. Additional faculty
present at the poster session may also be called upon
for input. These evaluations will be based on the
criteria described on the
Course Website. Presentations significantly less
than 30 minutes will not receive an A. The student is
also expected to adhere to the course schedule which is
tentatively provided under the
Schedule and responsibilities outlined above.
Your final grade will be based on
the following:
| Presentation |
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| Draft |
10% |
| Final |
15% |
| Poster |
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| Draft |
5% |
| Final |
10% |
| Paper |
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| Draft |
10% |
| Final |
20% |
| Class Work |
10% |
| Attendance |
10% |
| Adherence to Schedule |
10% |
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90-100 |
A |
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80-89 |
B |
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70-79 |
C |
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60-69 |
D |
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0-59 |
F |
Borderline grades may be modified by a plus, or a minus,
if the instructor determines that such grades are earned.
Attendance Policy:
Students are required to meet with the instructor on the
assigned dates (as well as at any other mutually
arranged times) and to attend all classes, student
presentations, and poster session. Students are also
expected to meet with their advisor several times a
month throughout the term. Failing to meet any of these
requirements may be grounds for receiving an F in this
course.
Student Responsibilities:
- Read and understand the background literature,
the number of papers depending on the difficulty of
the research topic. The chosen research topic should
be acceptable to both the advisor and the PHY 495
instructor. Formal approval will need to be granted
early in the semester.
- Write a research paper on the chosen topic. The
body of the paper should be approximately twelve to
fifteen typewritten pages using LaTeX. All papers
must have a title, an abstract, an introduction, a
body consisting of background material and methods,
results, a conclusion, and a bibliography.
- Provide the instructor and advisor the rough
draft and the final draft of the paper according to
the
Schedule. Students are expected to make all
suggested revisions.
- Provide the instructor with the presentation
title and abstract of at most fifty words according
to the
Schedule.
- Do a draft presentation in class and a final
presentation of about 30 minutes at the scheduled
time and preside over a question-discussion period
of 5-10 minutes immediately following.
- Attend and participate in each of the class
presentations and provide requested written
evaluations of each.
- Attend the end of semester poster presentation,
tentatively scheduled for Reading Day. Students
should work with their the advisor and practice the
poster presentation during the two weeks prior to
the public presentation. Use any suggestions from
these sessions to improve the final presentation.
- Adhere to all deadlines!
- Turn in electronic copies of the final paper and
all presentations.
Webpages:This syllabus as well as a variety of other
relevant information for this class is posted on the
internet. The website is located at
http://people.uncw.edu/hermanr/phy495/
You are encouraged to log onto this page often to check the homework assignments
and read text material. You can email me for help on using LaTeX or any other concerns with the topics
you are researching.
Artificial Intelligence Use Policy
Core Principles
Learning to use AI responsibly is an essential skill. You are encouraged to explore AI tools for brainstorming, idea generation, and research assistance while maintaining academic integrity and developing critical thinking skills.
Permitted Uses
- Small assignments: AI may be used for brainstorming, drafting, and iterative improvement.
- Research projects: AI may assist with literature review, organizing ideas, and refining arguments.
- All uses: Must be properly disclosed and attributed.
Requirements and Responsibilities
Attribution: All AI use must be acknowledged at the end of your submission. Include:
- Which AI tool(s) you used and how key prompts generated useful content.
- A brief description of how AI-generated material was incorporated or modified.
Verification: You are responsible for fact-checking all AI outputs. AI systems frequently generate inaccurate information and fake citations. Cross-reference all claims with reliable sources.
Quality Control: Effective AI use requires skillful prompting and critical evaluation. Minimum-effort prompts produce low-quality results that may harm your work.
Prohibited Practices
- Submitting AI-generated work as your own without attribution.
- Using AI-generated citations without verification.
- Relying on AI for factual claims without independent confirmation.
Academic Integrity
Failure to properly attribute AI use violates university honor code policies. While AI can enhance your work, it cannot replace your critical thinking, analysis, and original contribution to the assignment.
Additional Information
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Academic Honor Code: |
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All members of UNCW's community are expected to follow the
academic Honor Code. Please read the UNCW Honor Code carefully (as covered in the
UNCW Student Handbook). Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated in
this class. Please be especially familiar with UNCW's position on plagiarism as
outlined in the UNCW Student Handbook. Plagiarism is a form of academic
dishonesty in which you take someone else's ideas and represent them as your
own.
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Student Disabilities: UNCW Disability
Services supplies information about disability law, documentation procedures and
accommodations that can be found at
http://uncw.edu/disability/. To obtain
accommodations the student should first contact Disability Services and present
their documentation to the coordinator for review and verification.
Campus Respect Compact:
UNCW has recently instituted a Respect Compact
to affirm our commitment to a civil community, characterized by mutual respect.
That Compact will soon be affixed to the wall of each classroom and can be
accessed at:
https://uncw.edu/about/know-us/respect-compact
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