Instructor: Dr. Randall D. Peters, Office: Willet Science Center 115, Phone 301-2747
Office Hours: MWF 2:00-2:30, TR 9-10, or by appointment
e-mail: peters_rd@mercer.edu
personal homepage
http://physics.mercer.edu/hpage/peters.html
departmental homepage
Class: W 4:30-5:30 WSC 109
Prerequisite: PHY 162
Physics seminar is a weekly one-hour seminar, which familiarizes students with current topics in physics and other areas of science and engineering. Seminar speakers will consist of a mixture of students, Mercer faculty members and invited guests. Students are expected to provide written summaries of each presentation. Each student will present a single 50 minute seminar. The details of these requirements are described below.
Attendance:
Attendance is mandatory. You are expected to attend all seminars and to actively participate by asking questions or joining the discussion. If you miss a class due to a valid excuse, as defined by the university handbook (illness, emergency, class trips with prior notification), you will be given a make up assignment. Missing a class due to an unexcused absence will result in a deduction of 5 points from your final grade.
Summaries:
You will write a summary of each presentation. The summary need not be lengthy, but it should include definitions of new terms, a description of the main idea, discussion of any experiments, and conclusions. Your summaries are due at the beginning of the next seminar. Summaries are graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory (S/U). If I do not receive your summary on time, it will be treated as an unsatisfactory. You are allowed one unsatisfactory before receiving a deduction. Each unsatisfactory will result in a deduction of 5 points from your final score.
Presentation:
Each student is required to give one presentation. Students are free to choose the topic for the presentation, subject to the instructor’s approval. Students may find the following journals helpful in selecting topics; Physics Today, American Journal of Physics, Physical Review, Scientific American, Nature and Science. Students are required to visit with the instructor no later than one week before their presentation. The purpose of this visit is to discuss the details of the presentation and any problems.
Presentations will be about 50 minutes long and delivered in a professional manner. The presentation will comprise 100% of your grade before deductions.
Grades: Presentations are graded on a 100-point scale, and evaluated in the following categories.
1. Understanding of the material (25)
2. Engaging the audience (25)
3. Questions / discussion (25)
4. Organization (25)
100-A-90-B-80-C-70-D-60
Cell phones and Pagers: Out of courtesy for all those participating in the learning experience, all cell phones and pagers must be turned off before entering any classroom, lab, or formal academic or performance event.
DOCUMENTED DISABILITY
STATEMENT
Students with a documented disability must inform the instructor
at the close of the first class meeting. The instructor will refer you to
the Student Support Services office for consultation regarding evaluation,
documentation of your disability, and a recommendation as to the accommodation,
if any, to be provided. Students must provide instructors with an accommodation
form from Student Support Services listing reasonable accommodation to sign
and return to Student Support Services. The Student Support Services office
is located on the 3rd floor of the Connell Student Center.
If you do NOT consult with the instructor
and follow up at the Student Support Services office during the first two
weeks of classes, as provided above, you will thereby waive any claim to
a disability and the right to any accommodation pertaining thereto.