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Examiners' practical work requirements & timetable
The following notes were compiled from last year's Examiners' instructions. The procedures for those taking Prelims and Finals this year are expected to be the same. In due course, instructions for the current year will be posted on the Examiners' notices web page, Course noticeboards in the Teaching Course foyer in the DWB and on the second-floor landing of the Clarendon Laboratory, Lindemann Building and these will give the definitive version of the Examiners' requirements.
The timetable for submission of practical work is as follows:
| | handed in during week (not before) by noon Friday | ready for collection by |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims Folders containing logbook(s), Accounts, scripts and data | Trinity week 1 | Trinity week 9 |
| Part A Report on Practical work sent to Examiners | Trinity week 5 | |
| Part B BA & MPhys Report on Practical work sent to Examiners | Trinity week 5 | |
| Part B BA Project report or essay - 3 copies | Trinity week 1 at Exam Schools | retained by Examiners |
| Part C MPhys Project report first draft to supervisor | Hilary week 8 | |
| Final draft to supervisor | Monday week 0 Trinity | |
| Report final version to Examiners - 3 copies + CD | Trinity week 1 at Exam Schools | retained by Examiners |
| project logbooks, computer output etc. to supervisor | Trinity week 1 | TT when the Finals class list has been posted |
Prelims
You are required to submit your first-year practical folder and logbook to the Examiners by noon of Friday of Trinity Term week 1. The Examiners will assess your practical work along with your written examination papers. If evidence of practical work submitted is insufficient, the following penalties will be applied: (a) distinction at Prelims will not be possible; (b) failure to complete the quota (15 days) without good reason, will be deemed by the Examiners as failure in Prelims and the candidate will be required to complete the outstanding practicals either by an examination or by completing them alongside second year study, before entry to the Part A examination will be permitted.
You should include, at the front of your practical folder, a contents table which includes an index of the completed experiments, Accounts (OP01, OP03, CO1x) and Report (CO5x) together with the marks (S/S+) awarded. A print of your record page from the MS is ideal.
Finals, Part A and Part B
The practical contribution for Part A and Part B is a potential 50 marks made up as follows:
| | Part A | Part B |
|---|---|---|
| Experiments | 15 | 15 |
| Oral skills | 15 | |
| Written skills | 15 | |
| Assessed practical | 20 | 20 |
Experiments: 15 marks i.e. the maximum will be awarded for completing all experiments S/S+. Failure to complete the quota will attract the following penalty: (a) 5 marks wil be deducted for each missed two-day experiment; (b) if more than 3 two-day experiments are missed the student can drop a class.
Oral/Written skills: up to 15 marks for Oral skills in Part A, or Written skills in Part B.
Assessed practical: up to 20 marks awarded by a senior demonstrator for a practical chosen at random from the student's logbook. The marks will be based on the content of the logbook and the understanding of the experiment demonstrated by the student as described below.
Students presenting a signed logbook entry for the correct experiment will start with 10 marks. marks can be added or subtracted in the range -1 to +2 for each of the following:
(1) good presentation;
(2) error analysis where appropriate or well commented/structured code for computing practicals;
(3) organization of data;
(4) understanding of the physics underpinning the experiment;
(5) general condition of the entire logbook and entries therein.
An average student with an average logbook can expect to achieve ~15 marks.
S+ marks will not be taken into account in this formal marking, but they will continue to be used by the Examiners for practical prizes and commendations.
If the student is offering a second short option as part of his/her practical requirement, the short option mark will be appropriately scaled.
The Examiners expect to award prizes and commendations for good practical work. Commendations may also be made termly by the individual laboratories, and good extensions of basic practicals are likely to be regarded highly.
Finals, Part C MPhys only
You will perform a project in Hilary Term. Details can be found in the MPhys projects handbook. There is no other practical work in Part C of the MPhys.
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Last update: January 7th 2009 jcw