IFYPH002 Physics
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IFYPH002 Physics
Coursework 2 - Laboratory Research Project
2016-17
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS
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This coursework is a take-home assessment.
Formal Report length: 1200 - 1500 words, plus calculations, diagrams, references etc.
This coursework contributes 10% towards your overall grade for this module.
There are 100 marks in total.
Referencing should use the NCUK Harvard style format.
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IFYPH002 Physics
COURSEWORK 2
Your teacher will discuss Coursework 2 with you around the 20th week of teaching. Once the
details of the investigation have been given out you will have 1 week to research and design a
suitable technique for the experimental procedure. At the end of this week you will submit
your design document. You teacher will need to assess this for safety and minimum
effectiveness and return it to you, with feedback, before you carry out the experimental
investigation. It may take up to 3 weeks before your teacher returns the design documents to
you.
You will be allowed time (4 hours maximum) to carry out your investigations, after which you
will submit your formal report by the 28th week of teaching. Your Centre will provide you with
the exact times and dates for submission.
The following guidelines are taken from Appendix B of the Physics syllabus.
a. The topic for the research investigation should be provided by the Physics teacher and
the detailed experimental procedure devised by the student.
b. The research project would normally use a computer-based analysis of the data.
c. Laboratory work will preferably be undertaken individually.
If through limitations on equipment, time and resources this is not possible, students
may work in pairs in the laboratory, as long as it can be positively identified that both
students have contributed equally to setting up the apparatus, testing it is working and
taking measurements.
d. Each student must make his/her own record of measurements. All pre-laboratory
planning and post laboratory writing up will be performed individually.
e. It is recommended that students keep a laboratory practice notebook in which to
record relevant findings, useful techniques and reflections useful in future laboratory
work.
f.
The extent to which a student has achieved each criterion should be given a mark as
indicated. The marks should then be added and expressed as a percentage of the total
possible mark.
g. Markers should always bear in mind the correspondence between marks and grades.
For example it would be incorrect to assign a mark greater than 80% to a course work
unless the piece of work is of A* grade. Appendix A in the syllabus provides guidelines
on the standards expected to achieve a particular grade.
h. Laboratory assessment conditions:
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Students should be provided with details of the research topic and allowed to
design the experiment in their own time, either individually or in pairs. They
should not have performed the experiment before.
The design phase should take no longer than one week.
The teacher should collect in the design document at the end of the week. This
will be either an individual document, or if the students have been working in
pairs, a joint document. (This will be worth 10% of the overall mark). The
design should be evaluated for safety and for minimum effectiveness before the
experiment is carried out. The original is retained by the teacher for marking.
The teacher should make feedback comments and discuss these with the
student(s).
Students should take no materials into the lab other than an electronic
calculator, their laboratory notebook and what is required to record the
procedure and results.
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IFYPH002 Physics
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A copy of the procedure with feedback comments and amendments is then used
for the actual experimental work (unless the design is unsafe or fails to meet
minimum effectiveness criteria, in which case the student is given a centredevised procedure).
The laboratory session should take up to four hours to complete.
After completion of the laboratory session students should work alone to perform
data analysis and write the lab report. (This will be worth 90% of the overall
mark).
Formal Report Guidelines
Format: All assessments should be written up using a word processor
Number of Words: 1200 - 1500 words, plus calculations, diagrams, references etc.
The final report should contain:
a. Introduction and theory
b. The procedure
c. The results
d. The analysis
e. Discussion/Conclusion
The Research Project
Determination of the Planck constant using LEDs
You will need to research and design a suitable circuit to obtain results that will allow you to
determine a value for the Planck constant. When your design has been approved for safety
and at least minimum effectiveness, you will be given time to carry out the experimental
investigation. Following this you will need to prepare a formal report of your investigation.
You are encouraged to refer to the assessment criteria and the marking scheme provided so as
to ensure you have covered all of the relevant points.
Assessment Criteria
Maximum number of marks for Coursework 2 is 100.
It is important that the students are made aware of the list of criteria used in the
assessment
Initial Planning
The Planning section is marked out of 10 and is worth 10% of the overall mark for Coursework
2. It should be submitted as a joint report where 2 students are working together.
• Lists all required equipment
• States how to measure quantities with appropriate instruments
• Justifies choice of instruments to be used with reference to scale and measuring technique
• Demonstrates knowledge of correct measuring technique (e.g. repeated readings)
• Identifies and states how to control all other relevant quantities to make it a fair test
• States which is the independent variable and which is dependent.
• Draws an appropriately labelled diagram of the apparatus to be used
• Comments on all relevant safety aspects of the experiment
• Discusses how the collected data will be used
• Identifies the main sources of uncertainty and/or systematic error
• Is well organised and methodical, using appropriately sequenced actions
Final Report
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IFYPH002 Physics
The Final Report is marked out of 90 and is worth 90% of the overall mark for Coursework 2.
It should be submitted as an individual report.
Introduction and theory (10 marks)
• The title and aim of the experiment should be clearly described
• Theory should be introduced and references cited correctly
Procedure (15 marks)
• The equipment should be correctly assembled and tested
• The equipment should be operated effectively
• Diagrams should be labelled and clear
• The procedure should be clearly explained in the student's own words
Results (15 marks)
• Observations, including repeat observations where appropriate, should be recorded
accurately along with realistic uncertainty values
• Correct units should be given for all physical quantities
• Measurements should be taken over an appropriate range
Analysis (30 marks)
• Data should be processed to obtain a straight line graph, where possible
• Graphs should be correctly titled with sensible scales and axes
• Points should be plotted accurately
• A best fit line should be drawn
• The gradient should be determined correctly using a large triangle, or a least squared fit
• The gradient and intercept should be used appropriately
• Data should be processed and displayed appropriately
• Relevant physics principles should be discussed
• Calculations should be carried out correctly and checked for accuracy
• Uncertainties in calculated values should be determined correctly
Discussion (10 marks)
• Valid conclusions should be clearly stated
• Realistic modifications should be suggested to improve the experiment
Style (10 marks)
• The report should be appropriately structured with subheadings
• The report should not contain grammar or spelling errors
• A good academic style of writing should be used
• References should be cited and a reference list in Harvard style should be provided
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