General Physics Lab
Section 03
Instructor: Charlie Ogg
Email:
cogg@usf.edu ,
Charlie.ogg@gmail.com
Office hours: T R 3:00 – 4:00 pm
M F 1:00 – 2:00 pm
This course is part of the University of South Florida’s Foundations of
Knowledge and Learning Core Curriculum. It is certified for Natural Sciences
(Physical Sciences) and for the following dimensions: Critical Thinking, Inquirybased Learning, Scientific Processes, and Quantitative Literacy.
Welcome to general physics lab. Please read the syllabus and make sure to attend
every session your TA provides for Q&A, office hours, and general information
through TEAMS meetings or announcements.
No lab meetings the week of the 22nd of August! Lab meetings
begin the 29th of August.
NOTE: You have until 4:00 pm Friday the 26th of August to
complete a syllabus quiz or you will be dropped from the lab.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will demonstrate the skills to apply
mathematics such as calculus, algebra and trigonometry to real physical
problems. (2) Students will display skill in professional data analysis using
Excel. (3) Students will learn to identify experimental error and uncertainty from
laboratory experiments and consider this information in their analysis.
Minimization of random error and potentially learning to compensate for any
systematic error is included. (4) Students will learn to demonstrate good
presentation skills.
Course outline:
• Your labs BEGIN August 29th. Attendance is MANDATORY in general
physics lab.
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Read both the sequence and syllabus before the 29th. You need to know
in advance what experiment you are performing. Why wait for someone
to inform you?
The labs are in-person and are meant to (hopefully) re-enforce some
concepts you learned in lecture. But, being it is a lab course, it is also
meant for you to learn lab skills and critical thinking. Please approach the
course with that in mind.
The in-person labs are designed to work with a partner or “group” at a
table. For table or partner labs, participate, explore, ask questions, and do
not worry about past experience in lab or physics. You are here to learn
and enjoy doing it.
Whatever deliverables you are asked to turn in, make sure you turn them
in with the format you are asked to do so. There will be times where data
sheets are expected BEFORE you leave, which may be followed up by
Excel spreadsheet analysis that is (explained) by the TA.
Keep your cell phones stowed away (unless you are in an emergency
mode, and the TA should know the circumstances).
Finally, be kind and respectful TO ALL in the lab room. No
swearing, insulting, harassing, or disrespectful treatment to fellow
students or the TA (or by the TA) is allowed. Please note we reserve
the right to not only remove you from the lab roster, but to inform
the appropriate personnel on campus after doing so.
OFFICE HOURS: The Lab Instructor will have office hours via TEAMS. The Lab
Instructor should record these sessions for student reference. (Note: Email is not the best
idea all the time. These sessions are meant to ask your questions then. Please note that the
Lab Instructor simply cannot possibly answer emails on a regular basis. Please remember
this when all session times are announced. Only send emails when something of
confidentiality needs to be addressed or when emergencies arise. The student may copy
me (Dr. Gerald Woods) at gwoods@usf.edu if preferred so that I know the TA was
notified.
REQUIRED TEXTS: A Laboratory Manual
for Introductory Physics, Woods.
To purchase the manual either digitally or hardcopy, go to
https://www.bkstr.com/usftampastore/home, and put
the course name (e.g. 50075 would be the ID
number to PHY 2048L-002). It is not expensive and
will be used for Fall term (Physics 2) as well. If
you are in Physics 2, you may use the manual you
bought for Physics 1.
Please note you will not be able to perform the
experiments without the manual. The TA will
periodically check.
COURSE GRADING: Please follow the instructions including reading all emails the
Lab Instructor sends you throughout the semester in knowing what
to prepare for each week. Assignments/quizzes are all uploaded in
Canvas. Due dates are clearly provided. Late work for this course
is not accepted unless there is a documented reason that
prevented you from turning it in on time.
Your course score will be converted to a letter grade using the scale below:
(A=90-100, A- = 89, B+=85-88.9, B = 80-84.9, B- = 79, C+ = 75-78.9, C = 70- 74.9, C= 69, and so forth)
Note: 100 % of your grade will
be from on-line quizzes (you get
a minimum of two attempts), and
all lab assignments Each
spreadsheet must have wellorganized tabs for data entry
(labeled), graphs and results
from analysis, and a tab for
summary and answers to
questions provided for that lab.
Note: All data is to be reviewed
by the TA before exiting the lab.
MAKE-UP POLICY: In the event that you cannot perform the tasks within the module,
please provide documentation (USF travel, illness, other emergency reasons….) and we
will work with you to allow you to complete the missing work. In the event multiple
TEAM meetings, labs, quizzes are missing, you must either drop the course, get a
medical withdraw, or take zeros for grades. No exceptions!
The Lab Director’s office hours (Dr. Gerald Woods) to discuss the above issues are
by appointment only (gwoods@usf.edu ; subject heading “appointment for lab
issue”) and any email sent must include your Lab Instructor. In other words, I will
not address any issue unless the Lab Instructor is also in the loop. If the matter is
one that must have confidentiality, then we can schedule a TEAMS meeting between
the two of us and the Department Chair.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: Please read the sections of the university’s Undergraduate
Catalog regarding cheating and its consequences. We will vigorously pursue cases of
academic dishonesty and will not compromise. Simple solution: Don’t do it.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: You are entitled to a ‘level playing field’ and I
encourage you to take the steps necessary to make that happen. A Memorandum of
Accommodations from the Office of Student Disability Services is a prerequisite for
receiving accommodations. Accommodated examinations through the Office of Student
Disability Services require two weeks’ notice. They are located in SVC 1133 (phone
813-974-4309). The memorandum
MUST be submitted via email to the
TA. They will be the ones setting up
the course.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS FOR
IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION
1. The student SHOULD
CONSIDER wearing a mask.
Washing hands and social
distancing is a must.
2. Your schedule and what you must complete will be discussed well before the first
in-person lab.
3. Wiping down your area with sanitizer supplied is not only a safe thing, but a
courteous thing.
4. Look over your sequence. Check your Canvas course every day for updates,
module input, announcements, and grades. Note: The TA (MIGHT) ask you to
meet in the adjacent lab room for the next lab!
5. THERE IS NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED ON THE LAB TABLES!
IMPORTANT CONTACTS IF NEEDED
1. Dr. Gerald Woods
(ISA 4219)
974-7351
gwoods@usf.edu (email is best)
2. Campus Police
974-2628 or 911
Final tips to ensure a proper grade:
1. Check units, spelling,…..
2. Label your graphs properly and CLEARLY, and provide
summaries which clearly address the topic at hand. What you
indicate in these summaries is a direct reflection of your
understanding of the subject matter at that moment in time.