Course outline
VANT 148 and VANT 149 form a two-course, three-term sequence in which you explore scientific and mathematical research topics and approaches, carry out research projects and present them to your peers.
VANT 148: research modules
VANT 148 takes up the first two terms. In it, you will work through a series of eight modules, each taking roughly three weeks. The modules comprise the following tasks. Each of these tasks is to be done in groups, which will be assigned by your instructor.
1.
Pre-reading assignment.
This assignment will take place prior to the lecture described below. It consists of a short reading and a few questions. The goal is to introduce you to the vocabulary and basic concepts of the module.
2.
Lecture.
At the beginning of each module, there will be a lecture introducing more advanced concepts of the module as well as some research approaches. Attendance at these lectures is mandatory. The lecture may include a short quiz on material from the pre-reading.
3.
Assignment.
At the lecture, you will be given a research assignment of a few questions. The goal is to have you perform guided research. The questions may require you to do field work, perform measurements, analyze data, or do some other research-type activity. For the last two assignments of the course, you will submit drafts of proposals for research to be carried out in VANT 149.
4.
Office hours.
The instructors in the course will hold joint office hours every Monday from 2:00 to
3:00. The instructor in charge of the current module will always be at these office hours. The other instructors may also attend and form smaller working groups. This is a chance to ask questions about the assignment, see the instructors interact (remember that the material will be new for most of the instructors as well), and have open-ended discussions about research.
You are strongly encouraged to come to office hours prepared and ready to participate.
Research shows that students who attend office hours do better in their courses.
5.
Research problems.
At the end of each module, the instructor in charge of the module will suggest three research problems, which you may use or adapt when you start your own research in Term 2.
Unless otherwise noted, all submissions are to be typed and stapled. They will be graded for language and formatting as well as for correctness. Assignments are normally due on the same day as a VANT 148 lecture.
They should be handed in at the front of the classroom before the start of the lecture.
VANT 148: grade summary
Your final grade in VANT 148 is based on the six modules (80%) and the two drafts of your research proposal
(20%).
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VANT 148: schedule
Some key dates are listed in the following table.
Module Date(s) Notes
Computer Science Sept. 16
Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5 Office hours
Oct. 14 Assignment 1 due
Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Oct. 14
Pre-reading assignment 1 due
Lecture
Pre-reading assignment 2 due
Lecture
Mathematics
Data collection
Oct. 19, Oct. 26
Oct. 28
Oct. 28
Nov. 2, Nov. 9, Nov. 16
Nov. 18
Nov. 18
Nov. 23, Nov. 30
Dec. 4
Office hours
Assignment 2 due
Pre-reading assignment 3 due
Lecture
Office hours
Assignment 3 due
Pre-reading assignment 4 due
Lecture
Office hours
Assignment 4 due
Physics
Chemistry
Literature reviews
Proposals
Jan. 5 Pre-reading assignment 5 due
Lecture
Jan. 11, Jan. 18, Jan. 25 Office hours
Jan. 26 Assignment 5 due
Jan. 26
Feb. 1, Feb. 8
Pre-reading assignment 6 due
Lecture
Office hours
Feb. 12 Assignment 6 due
Feb. 23 Pre-reading assignment 7 due
Lecture
Feb. 29, Mar. 7, Mar. 14 Office hours
Mar. 15
Mar. 15
Proposal due
Pre-reading assignment 8 due
Lecture
Mar. 21, Mar. 28, Apr. 4 Office hours
Apr. 8 Final proposal due
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VANT 149: original research
VANT 149 takes place in Term 3. It is a project course, in which you carry out the research proposed in VANT
148, and present it at the Vantage year-end conference.
It is expected that the majority of this work will be self-directed.
Your instructor will be available for consultation, and you will be asked to submit assignments periodically to help you stay on schedule, but the expectation is that your group produce high-quality work with little guidance.
VANT 149 is done in pairs. You will be working with the same partner for the entire term.
Here are the assignments and tasks which you will be asked to carry out, in the order of their due dates. All of these are mandatory.
1.
Research plan.
Many research proposals from VANT 148 need revisions in order to be an acceptable start of a research project. Your instructor will advise you on what you need to do to complete your research plan.
2.
Working title and description.
The organizers of the year-end conference require a working title and two- to three-sentence description of your project in order to form the program.
3.
Research update.
It is expected that you will submit a detailed description of the progress you have made and the next steps you are planning to take. This description should be in plain English, and should be around a page in length. Your instructor may also ask you to submit updates at other stages of your research.
4.
Preliminary data.
If your research is experimental, you are expected to submit a data set which is organized coherently and statistically significant. You should consult with your instructor to determine if your data are sufficient.
For example, suppose you are researching the accuracy of the capstan equation when the radius of the capstan is varied. You are doing so by measuring the ratio of loading to holding force for capstans of 15 different radii using an apparatus of your own design. By this point, you should have built the apparatus and collected a large number of ratios for each of the radii. This data should be collected in a table, and the average ratios for each radius should be plotted on a graph.
If your research is non-experimental, you should be at an equivalent point. If you are creating a model, you should have created but not necessarily tested a preliminary model. If you are writing a program, you should have written and debugged a preliminary version of the program that performs a simplified version of the eventual task.
5.
Data interpretation.
If your research is experimental, you are expected to submit your complete data set which is organized coherently and demonstrably statistically significant. You are also expected to submit a preliminary draft of the “Discussion” section of your eventual report, in which you describe the data and interpret it. You will be judged on the quality of this interpretation. Generally speaking, a good interpretation gives coherent and substantive answers to the Why?
questions, not just the
What?
questions.
For example, consider the capstan equation research described in the previous item. By this point, you should have the average ratios for each radius plotted on a graph which includes error bars and an appropriate curve through them. In the draft of your “Discussion” section, you should have an explanation of the shape of the graph — increasing or decreasing? linear, quadratic, or something else? — from physical first principles. If your explanation relies on an easily testable hypothesis — for example, that rope-on-rope friction is a significant factor — then you should also have carried out this extended experiment.
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If your research is non-experimental, you should be at an equivalent point. If you are creating a model or writing a program, you should have completed the model or program, measured it as appropriate
(using real data or inputs if possible), and written a preliminary draft of the section of your eventual report in which you describe and explain the strengths and shortcomings of the model or program.
6.
Report.
You are expected to submit one draft of your report before the final draft. Your draft should normally include a title and abstract, as well as introduction, methods, results, discussion, acknowledgements and references sections. Your graphics should be professionally rendered and properly cited. As a rough guideline, your draft should be about 5 pages in length — but quality is always more important than quantity. You will receive detailed feedback on this draft.
7.
Presentation workshop.
A faculty member from the Academic English Program will run a workshop discussing the genres of research talks and poster presentations in the sciences and mathematics.
Attendance is mandatory. After this workshop, you will be asked to decide if you want to present your research in the form of a talk or a poster presentation.
8.
Final report.
The final draft of your report should incorporate the feedback given to you on your first draft. You will be graded on language, formatting, scientific and mathematical correctness, and the depth and clarity of your analysis.
9.
Presentation materials.
If you giving an oral presentation at the year-end conference, you are expected to submit electronic copies of your slides in advance. If you are giving a poster presentation, you are expected to have the poster printed out in advance. You are expected to submit one draft of your presentation materials along with your final report.
10.
Practice presentation.
Prior to the conference, you will be asked to give a practice presentation to a small group of your peers. At this practice, you will be given feedback by your instructor, as well as by a faculty member from the Vantage Academic English Program team.
11.
Conference presentation and participation.
Your presentation at the year-end conference will be graded on its clarity and format, and on your ability to answer questions. As an attendee, you will also be asked to complete evaluation forms for some of the oral and poster presentations you view.
VANT 149: grade summary
Your final grade in VANT 149 is based on your research plan (3%), working title and description (3%), research update(s) (3%), preliminary data (5%), data interpretation (10%), two drafts of your research report (50%), participation in the presentation workshop (3%) and practice presentation (3%), presentation materials (10%), and conference presentation and participation (10%).
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VANT 149: schedule
Some key dates are listed in the following table.
Date(s) Notes
May 13
May 20
May 27
June 3
Research plan due
Working title and description due
Research update due
Preliminary data due
June 10
June 17
Data interpretation due
Report due
June 20-24 Presentation workshops
June 30 Final report due
Presentation materials due
July 4-8 Practice presentations
July 18-19 Conference
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