Senior Project Guidelines

Physics Senior Project

Guidelines for the student

As stated in the catalogue, the senior project “is not a mere report or semester paper, but a significant piece of independent study, research, or creative work.” The Physics Department views the senior project as a capstone that offers students the opportunity to advance their intellectual development to the next level and prepare them for the future, whether that be in graduate school or the broader workplace. Working independently and consistently are necessary but not sufficient conditions for the completion of a successful senior project.  In addition, students should work to

  • understand the broader context and motivation of the project
  • evaluate and follow the literature, while developing the ability to focus on the relevant papers and sections of papers
  • integrate knowledge from prior coursework

For two-semester senior projects, student efforts should be focused in the first semester on introductory material, preliminary results, and plans for future work, while the second semester should emphasize results and interpretation. It should be noted that all responsibility for the senior project lies with the student. The advisor is an important part of the process, but the student should not expect to wait upon the advisor to issue directives. Instead, the advisor should be viewed as an expert resource from whom guidance about specific research issues may be obtained.

The Physics Department supports students who choose to conduct the research for their senior project under the mentorship of a faculty member outside the Physics Department. That faculty member will serve the role of First Reader and will participate in Roundtable Discussions, Oral Presentations, and grading as the First Reader. Grades will be determined using the same rubric as that used for all other Senior Projects in the Physics Department. Students conducting their senior project under the mentorship of a faculty member outside the Physics Department will register for the section of Senior Project (Phys 600, Phys 610, Phys 620) corresponding to the second reader who will be responsible for assigning the grade determined by the Physics Department.

All students are expected to write a research proposal as part of the Junior Seminar requirement, as determined by the Junior Seminar instructor. The proposal written by those students planning on conducting their Senior Project research as part of the requirements of a double major, or under the mentorship of a faculty member outside the Physics Department, must include a detailed description of the physics involved in the research proposal. Such proposals will be reviewed by the entire department, and recommendations will be made if necessary.  

In addition, all students conducting their senior project for physics credit are required to attend Senior Seminar, typically scheduled for Friday afternoons. This includes students who are conducting their senior research under the guidance of a faculty member outside the Physics Department, as well students who are double majors and are fulfilling the senior project for both departments. Senior Seminar is a time for students to share their research with other students in the Physics Department. The Senior Seminar instructor guides the students through the preparation of  materials for oral and written presentation and is responsible for 10% of each student’s grade.

Grades may be withheld until the student properly attends to his/her laboratory space, including properly storing all samples, disposing of waste, and cleaning equipment.

Schedule and deadlines

First semester:

  • Proposal due by the end of the sixth full week
    • informal presentation/discussion
    • skeleton/outline of project with bibliography (~2-3 pages)
  • Progress report due by the end of the 11th full week
    • Oral presentation
    • First version of paper to first and second reader
    • Final version of paper due by the end of the last full week

Second semester:

  • Roundtable progress report to first and second reader by end of 5th full week
  • Senior project due by the end of the 10th full week
    • Oral presentation
    • Paper
  • Final bound version of paper due by end of 12th week

Written work and oral presentations

Written work in first semester:
Recommended format:

  • Introduction and Background: includes previous work in field
  • Theory
  • Methodology / Experimental Plan
  • Preliminary Results
  • Future Work
  • References: It is expected that the vast majority of references will be from peer reviewed sources.

Oral presentation in first semester:

  • Follow format of written paper
  • ~10-15 slides for a ~15-20 minute presentation, plus questions
  • Numbering slides can be helpful

Written work in second semester:
Recommended format:

  • Abstract
  • Introduction and Background
  • Theory
  • Methodology / Experimental Plan
  • Results and Analysis
  • Conclusion and Discussion
  • References: It is expected that the vast majority of references will be from peer reviewed sources.

Three copies of the written work should be bound after corrections from the oral have been incorporated.

Oral presentation in second semester:

  • Follow format of written paper
  • Numbering slides can be helpful
  • ~15-20 slides for a ~25-30 minute presentation
  • Up to ~25 minutes of questions

RUBRIC

FALL percent grade percent
1st reader 2nd reader A+ 97 – 100
Written 1. Background/Introduction 4 4 A 93 – 97
  2. Methodology 3 3 A- 90 – 93
  3a. Results/Future Work (fall) 3 3 B+ 87 – 90
  3b. Analysis/Discussion(spring) 0 0 B 83 – 87
  4. References 2 2 B- 80 – 83
  5. Quality of Writing 3 3 C+ 77 – 80
Sub-Total – written 15 15 C 73 – 77
Oral 6. Organization 5 5 C- 70 – 73
  7. Thoroughness 5 5 D+ 65 – 70
  8. Questions 5 5 D 60 – 65
Sub-Total – oral 15 15 F < 60
Quality 9. Context/Motivation 2 2
  10. Independence 5 XXX
  11. Consistency 5 XXX
  12. Literature 5 XXX
  13. Integrate with Prior Coursework 4 4
  14. Overall Quality 4 4
  15. Communicate to non-specialist XXX 5
Sub-Total – quality 25 15
TOTAL 49.5 40.5

 

SPRING percent grade percent
1st reader 2nd reader A+ 97 – 100
Written 1. Background/Introduction 2 2 A 93 – 97
  2. Methodology 4 4 A- 90 – 93
  3a. Results/Future Work (fall) 0 0 B+ 87 – 90
  3b. Analysis/Discussion(spring) 4 4 B 83 – 87
  4. References 2 2 B- 80 – 83
  5. Quality of Writing 3 3 C+ 77 – 80
Sub-Total – written 15 15 C 73 – 77
Oral 6. Organization 5 5 C- 70 – 73
  7. Thoroughness 5 5 D+ 65 – 70
  8. Questions 5 5 D 60 – 65
Sub-Total – oral 15 15 F < 60
Quality 9. Context/Motivation 2 2
  10. Independence 6 XXX
  11. Consistency 5 XXX
  12. Literature 3 XXX
  13. Integrate with Prior Coursework 4 4
  14. Overall Quality 4 4
  15. Communicate to non-specialist XXX 6
Sub-Total – quality 24 16
TOTAL 48.6 41.4