PHAS1240: Procedures, Notebooks, Formal Reports and Data Analysis

1
PHAS1240 Procedures, Notebooks, Formal Reports
and Data Analysis

• Dr. Neal Skipper (n.skipper_at_ucl.ac.uk)
• Dr. Christine Bull (christine.bull_at_ucl.ac.uk)

2
PHAS1240 Lectures on 23rd and 30th October 2006

• Some General Comments on Procedures
• Laboratory Notebooks
• Formal Reports
• Data Analysis an example (please bring
  stopwatch and calculator next week)

3
Please Note Times/Places for Web Sessions this
week

• Monday 23rd October 14.00 - 17.30, in
  Christopher Ingold G20 cluster room (i.e. in the
  Chemistry building).
• Tuesday 24th October 14.00 - 17.30, in Cruciform
  B12 cluster room.
• Thursday 26th October 14.00 - 17.30, in
  Cruciform B12 cluster room.
• ?

4
Some General Comments on Procedures Section 3 of
Student Handbook

• Your Responsibilities
• Be sensible Safety is everyones
  responsibility.
• Read and follow instructions in the handbook
  ask if you have any problems.
• Attend Lab sessions and work hard!

5
Some General Comments on Procedures Section 3 of
Student Handbook

• Doing Experiments
• Read any instructions try to plan what you are
  going to do.
• Keep a record in your notebook as you go along.
• Apparatus will have been checked, but breakages
  can happen. Let a demonstrator or technician know
  if you are having problems.
• Please do not move apparatus from one bench to
  another.
• Feedback is always welcome!!

6
Some General Comments on Procedures Section 3 of
Student Handbook

• Handing in work and Marking
• Please post work into the brass letter-box
  outside lab 1, on time.
• Penalties are levied for late work.
• First marking will include comments to help you
  understand what you need to do to improve.
• Second marking will be done later to moderate all
  marks.
• Please let Chris Bull know if you are unhappy
  with first marking.
• ?

7
Some General Comments on Procedures Section 3 of
Student Handbook

• Demonstrators and Technicians
• Demonstrators and Technicians are there to help,
  but may not (should not!) have immediate answers
  to all questions!
• Please dont be afraid to ask for help.

8
Some General Comments on Procedures Section 3 of
Student Handbook

• Why do we do Practicals?!
• Physics is often a practical subject (where
  practical could include work done on a
  computer).
• We often learn best by playing with things with
  our hands (and eyes and ears).
• Practicals should reinforce or preempt material
  in lectures.
• Practicals should be fun!

9
Some General Comments on Procedures Section 3 of
Student Handbook

• Labs online
• http//www.cmmp.ucl.ac.uk/nts/teachinglabs

10
Laboratory Notebooks Section 4 of Student
Handbook

• Why do we need to keep a Notebook
• We must have a record of what we did.
• This may come in handy if we discover something
  or if we are challenged over what we have done!
• Or if we are asked to write a (formal) report or
  paper based on our work.
• Or if someone wants to repeat what we have done
  (for example if the equipment breaks what has
  happened?).

11
Laboratory Notebooks Section 4 of Student
Handbook

• Someone Who Did Not Keep a Notebook
• Andrew Gilligan did not keep a record of his
  interview with Dr David Kelly (Andrew has a
  Degree in History!).
• Andrew wrote it up later on his palmtop and on
  meal receipt (which he lost!).
• Andrew couldnt remember details made mistakes!
• Andrew lost his job!!
• ?

12
Laboratory Notebooks Section 4 of Student
Handbook

• Someone Who Did Keep a Notebook
• Susan Watts did keep a record of her interview
  with Dr David Kelly (Susan has a Degree in
  Physics!).
• Susan could remember details made no mistakes!
• Susan did not lose her job!!
• ?

13
Laboratory Notebooks Section 4 of Student
Handbook

• Someone Elses Who Did Keep a Notebook
• Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (All the
  Presidents Men).
• Bob and Carl kept their jobs.
• President Nixon did not!
• ?

14
Laboratory Notebooks Section 4 of Student
Handbook

• Be Like Susan, Bob, Carl and Neal
• Keep a Notebook as you go along!!

15
Laboratory Notebooks Section 4 of Student
Handbook

• Content of a Notebook
• Title, Names and Dates
• Page numbers
• Aim and Plan (may change!)
• Safety any procedures
• Notes taken as you perform the experiments,
  observations and background reading
• Diagrams with scale
• Tables of readings
• Graphs plotted as you go along
• Analysis and Discussion, including uncertainties
• Conclusions and Feedback

16
Laboratory Notebooks Section 4 of Student
Handbook

• Uncontent of a Notebook
• Copying of everything in the lab script.
• The notebook should be legible, but not
  copper-plate neat.

17
Formal Reports Section 5 of Student Handbook

• A Formal Report is
• A summary of an experiment or project.
• That can be read to understand the experiment and
  the main results and conclusions.

18
Formal Reports Section 5 of Student Handbook

• A Formal Report Should Contain
• A Title Page including name, date and abstract.
• Introduction
• Method
• Results and Analysis
• Conclusion
• References
• Appendices if needed
• In around 4 pages (very general guide)

19
Formal Reports Section 5 of Student Handbook

• A Suitable Format for a Formal Report
• American Journal of Physics
• http//scitation.aip.org/ajp/
• But doesnt need to be double column.

20
Data Analysis Appendix III of Student Handbook

• Some General Comments.
• A worked Example Ratio of Specific Heats of
  Ideal Gases, ?.
• Please bring a stopwatch and calculator next
  Monday.