General Astronomy (29:062) Lab Syllabus

Email is by far the best way to get in touch with me if you have burning questions that need answering, or if you want to schedule a time to meet with me in my office.

The purpose of this course is to help you obtain a better understanding of the concepts in your astronomy course by providing hands-on experience and physical examples, to gain practical research and analytical thinking skills, and to learn to communicate scientific and technical ideas effectively.

Most lab meetings will involve working with a partner to complete a laboratory exercise, most of which are found in your lab manual. The worksheets at the end of each lab exercise should be completed and handed in by the beginning of lab the following week. You and your partner may turn in a single worksheet with both of your names on it if you wish.

You and a partner will choose one of the first six labs about which to write a formal report that explains the purpose, scientific significance, method of analysis and your results. You will give a short presentation in lab and hand in a final draft of your report in lecture. Each group will report on a different laboratory exercise, so reserve the one you want with me once you and your partner have made a decision.

After the sixth lab meeting, we will begin work on research projects. The project will involve you and a partner choosing a topic to study, collecting your own data, handing in a joint written report and presenting your findings to the class. Example topics can be found in the second half of your lab manual, but you are encouraged to come up with your own topics or expand on those in the manual. Several lab meetings will be devoted to working on research projects, at the end of which I will collect progress reports from each group.

March 5/6 - Hand in first draft of lab writeup, lab presentation
March 19/20 - Hand in final draft of lab writeup
March 26/27 - Hand in research project proposal
April 23/24 - Complete first draft of research project
April 30/May 1 - Present research project in lab, hand in research project reports

Lab worksheets, research project progress reports, your research project proposal and the first drafts of your lab writeup and research project are all worth 10 points apiece. Both presentations and your research project report are worth 30 points each. Your percentage of the total possible points gives your grade:

≥90% = A <90% - 80% = B <80% - 70% = C <70% - 60% = D <60% = F

Students are expected to attend every lab meeting, including the research planning and analysis sessions. I will allow make-up of one missed lab, but the lab should be turned in no more than one week later than the regular due date. If you do miss a lab and wish to make it up, let me know ASAP by email so that we can arrange a time to meet. If you must miss a lab, you may be able to attend the other lab section as long as you check with me first.

Eating and drinking are not allowed in the lab. Please respect the other students who use the lab and the staff who maintain it by cleaning up any discarded items and keeping the computers in an orderly state.

Take the opportunity in class or before the labs to read the background material in the lab manual and perhaps even skim through the lab itself. Often the information you need to answer some of the questions in the lab is hidden in the background section. You will also feel more positive about doing the lab, since you will know how much you have left to do, and should thus be able to get more out of it.

Start thinking about your research project idea as soon as possible. You can talk to me about your research proposal at any point in the course, not just the week before they're due. Many things have to come together in order to complete a project. They always take longer to finish than you think they will, and you absolutely cannot do them the night before they are due.

Do your labs neatly. Use a pencil. Successful people do professional-looking work. Only geniuses can afford to be scruffy.

Don't hesitate to ask me questions if you have them during or outside lab. Learning is a joint effort on the part of the teacher and the student.

You are free to work with whomever you wish for the labs, lab report and research project. You don't have to partner with the same person for every lab, but it may be simpler if you do. Be sure that you and your partner exchange contact information so that you can meet or communicate outside of class if necessary.

Each person in a partnership has something to contribute, regardless of ability. As long as both people are putting forth effort, you shouldn't feel you're doing an unfair share of the work. Good practices are to plan to meet with your partner several times before you complete the lab writeup and research project. Keep a good working relationship by showing up on time to meetings with your partner, and being sure to let your partner know ahead of time if you can't make it.

If you're having problems with your partner that you can't resolve, you should make me aware of it as soon as possible and consider working with someone else or on your own.

If you have any complaint about this course, please attempt to resolve it with me first. If this is unacceptable or does not work to your satisfaction, you may speak with the course supervisor, or the Associate Chair, Professor Mary Hall Reno. If this does not resolve the matter, a student may submit a written complaint to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs at 120 Schaeffer Hall.

If any student has a disability which may require modification of class requirements, please see me during my office hours so that special arrangements can be made.

This class is given by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which means that that College's policies on class requirements, grading and sanctions for academic dishonesty all apply.