PHYS2300 – Physics Laboratory Skills Spring 2014

T Th 14:00 – 16:00
Allison 300

Dr. M. Fogle
111 Allison Labs/ 247 Leach Science Center
fogle@physics.auburn.edu
Office Hours: Mon, Wed 9:30 – 11:00 am or by appt

Dr. Maddox
300 Allison Labs
maddox@physics.auburn.edu

The course web page is:

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/classes/phys/2300/fogle/index.html
or use the web alias
http://www.auburn.edu/phys2300 and select Fogle

All of the resources, texts, supplemental documents, homework, schedule, etc. can be
found at this web site. Students should check the course website regularly for updates.

Course Overview
This course covers basic laboratory skills that are applicable to almost any laboratory
environment. The most useful of these skills are a basic knowledge of electronic circuits
and computer-instrument interfacing. A majority of the course will be spent discussing
basic electronic components, circuits and models as well as designing data flow programs
in LabVIEW for data acquisition and control.
As a part of this course, students will be exposed to keeping a laboratory notebook,
writing a project white paper for a scientific audience and using the cumulative
knowledge obtained in the course to develop a project consisting of student-built circuits
integrated with a LabVIEW software component.

Laboratory Notebooks
A considerable portion of your grade will be determined by how well you conduct you
lab exercises and keep your lab notebook. See the course web page for more details
regarding laboratory notebooks.

Projects
At the end of the course, time will be allocated for students to work on a cumulative
project (in groups of no more that two students). It is expected that this project will use a
combination of electronics techniques learned during the course (the use more advanced
circuits and components is also encouraged) as well as a LabVIEW control or interface
component. Students will be expected to keep design and construction notes in their
laboratory notebooks as well as write a white paper that explains the details of their
project to a scientific audience. The white papers will be posted on the course website
and faculty will be asked to make anonymous comments and critiques for student
feedback. Each project will be briefly presented (hopefully with a working
demonstration) to the class at the end of the semester.

Homework
Homework will be assigned (and posted on the course website) to supplement the topics
we are discussing. Assignments are due as indicated by the course schedule found on the
curse website (unless modified by the instructor during the semester). Homework turned
in after the assigned due date will suffer a considerable penalty.

Exams
There will be two exams during the semester. A mid-term exam will cover the topics that
have been discussed up to the time of the exam. The final exam will be inclusive of all
topics that have been discussed throughout the semester.

Course Grading
Lab Performance (Attentiveness, Attendance, Lab Notebooks) 30%
(This is partly formed from subjective observations by Drs. Fogle and Maddox while you conduct labs and
projects. Your lab notebooks will play a vital part in communicating that you are learning to conduct lab
activities properly. Attendance is vital for the class as you will learn most things by doing!)
Project (including white paper, class presentation, etc) 20%
Homework 20%
Exams (Mid-term and Final grades averaged) 30%