FINAL-YEAR PROJECTS:
PHYSICS (PH4111, PH5101)
ASTROPHYSICS (AS4103, AS5101)

Dear All,

Here is a week-by-week breakdown of what you need to do for final-year projects. The programme will be similar to the one of last year. Please read this carefully and block out relevant dates in your diary accordingly.

Donatella Cassettari

October 2012


Semester 1
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Weeks 1 – 4: Provide two or more essay + project descriptions for database. Please think carefully about the distinction between BSc projects and MPhys - the latter involve more than twice as many hours' project work in Semester 2. Also please bear in mind that students should not be put in the position of having to request after-hours lab access unless you have clear and legitimate arrangements in place for their supervision. If you intend to co-supervise with a postdoc, make sure that at least one of you will be present and available throughout the second semester to supervise.

Weeks 5 – 6: Be available to discuss projects with interested students.

Week 7: Project allocations decided. Expect students to contact you to schedule kickoff meetings. (At kickoff meeting, discuss what might be in the review essay, consider what kit might need to be ordered in for Semester 2 experimental work, etc.)

Week 12: Review feedback from inaugural peer-review meetings. Expect students to contact you for an appointment for project kickoff meetings late in week 1 of semester 2. Agree a date when you are able to provide verbal or email feedback on draft essay in late Jan.
Please note the following guideline for students and supervisors concerning feedback on drafts of review essays and project reports: "Your supervisor may provide you with verbal or emailed advice on how the broad structure, the referencing, and other general aspects of the work could be improved. The supervisor may not, however, carry out detailed proofreading – this is your responsibility alone."


* * *


Semester 2
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Week 1: Project kickoff meetings with individual students on Thursday or Friday. (Discuss notional timetable for key phases of project – remember students will be rather vague about what needs to be done by when. Enlighten them.)

Schedule weekly meetings of up to 30 min with student. (Review record of work completed, agree milestones for coming week. Ensure that student submits an accurate email minute of the meeting to you afterwards.)

Review fortnightly feedback from peer-support meetings. Take action as required.

Weeks 2 – 3: Grade essays and provide feedback via online form.
(Every student has 2 examiners both of whom are expected to read and mark the essay. Supervisor will receive a copy and should be prepared to read and moderate if necessary.)

Week 4: Essay feedback released to students.

Week 9: Mock orals with supervisors invited to peer-support group meetings to help students consider their science in a wider context while writing up.

Week 12: Mark BSc project reports

Week 13: Mark MPhys Phys/Astro/Theory project reports.
Week 13: (wc 6 May) B.Sc Project orals.
(For workable moderation, everybody should sit through the orals of at least twice as many students as they are supervising.)

May exam diet: (wc 13 May) MPhys Astro and MPhys Physics project orals.

May exam diet: (after QFT examination) MPhys Theory project orals.

25 May: Final deadline for reporting of results.

DC, October 2012