| PH403 |
| PH403 is the Writing Intensive Course (WIC) for the Physics Major. Enroll in 1 unit of PH403 in Fall, Winter, and Spring of your senior year. Students are expected to be concurrently enrolled in PH401 (Research), or to have completed an approved research project such as an REU or an engineering design project. All students must identify a faculty member as an advisor who will read and grade the thesis.
PH403 Catalog description
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Course Content:
Learning Outcomes for WIC courses: (from the Baccalaureate Core web page)
- Develop and articulate content knowledge and critical thinking in the discipline through frequent practice of informal and formal writing.
- Demonstrate knowledge/understanding of audience expectations, genres, and conventions appropriate to communicating in the discipline.
- Demonstrate the ability to compose a document of at least 2000 words through multiple aspects of writing, including brainstorming, drafting, using sources appropriately, and revising comprehensively after receiving feedback on a draft.
Fall discussions and writing exercises will focus on writing and reviewing your thesis proposal, general issues related to professional science writing, including literature searching, ethics, co-authorship, and conclude with a progress report. Your research should begin in earnest. Winter discussions and writing exercises will deal with the thesis structure itself and will focus on presenting arguments, writing for clarity, presenting non-text data, editing. You'll use your own work for this. Spring discussions and writing will focus intensely on finishing the thesis, and preparing the oral presentation. The completed written thesis is due by the end of the 7th week of Spring term. You will give an oral presentation during finals week of Spring term.
Because this is a thesis writing intensive course, students will Thesis WIC web page):
- use writing as a way of learning and thinking critically about course content
- learn and practice writing as professionals in the field of Physics
- complete informal, ungraded or minimally graded writing assignments
- complete formal, graded writing assignments that are taken through the full writing process, including drafts and revisions (revision is required)
- receive and give peer feedback on writing in progress
- revise and polish at least 2000 words of individual writing (8-10 pages)
- complete a total of at least 5000 words of assigned writing.
The typical thesis more than satisfies the word count requirement. It is the construction, polishing and revision that we will focus on in this course in order to develop the accurate, clear and concise style (in text and illustration) that is the hallmark of a well-developed scientific argument.
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Times, Dates and Locations:
- Class meetings are in WGR 304 unless otherwise noted on the syllabus page.
- Class meets Tuesdays at 16:30 - 17:20.
- All students are expected to register for 1 unit of PH403 in each of Fall, Winter and Spring in a single academic year. Any exceptions must be discussed with Prof. Tate.
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Course Evaluation:
Attendance is required. An important part of the WIC is to engage is the peer review process, and to learn physics content from the presentations of others.
- Fall (1 unit). Attendance (20%); participation in class & writing assignments (20%); Thesis proposal (20%); Proposal review (10%); Progress report (20%).
- Winter (1 unit). TBA.
- Spring (1 unit). Grade will be assigned by thesis advisor based on the thesis quality. Unexcused absences or failure to complete assignments will result in downward grade steps. The oral presentation in finals week is required to pass the course, but it does not carry a letter grade component.
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Texts:
There is no required text. Many useful resources are available to help with different aspects of writing.
- Technical Communication: a reader-centered approach , Paul V. Anderson, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 7th ed. (2011). ISBN 978-1-4282-6393-2. A modern, useful guide to writing, revising and editing all forms of technical communication. You can order separate chapters from the publisher. On reserve, Valley Library: PE1475 .A628 2011
- Elements of Style, William Strunk, Jr and E. B. White, MacMillan, 4th Ed. (1999). ISBN 978-0205313426. Timeless advice about concise, clear writing. Valley Library PE1408 .S772 1979a
- The Craft of Scientific Writing, Michael Ally, Springer, 3rd Ed. (1996). ISBN 978-0387947662. A modern, no-nonsense, approach to scientific writing. On reserve, Valley Library T11 .A37 1996
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Add-Drop, Withdraw & Final Exam Dates:
Normal add/drop dates are in effect for PH403. There is no final exam in Fall or Winter, and in Spring the final exam slot (or another agreed-upon time) will be used for the thesis presentations. |
Class Expectations:
- If (rare) circumstances require that you miss a class, email the class instructor well in advance of the class to explain why you will not be in attendance. In emergency situations, email as soon as possible afterwards. This is a writing class, so email should be properly constructed with appropriate salutation, grammatically correct construction and conform to the norms of the workplace.
- Peer reviewing your colleagues' work requires that you learn the art of constructive criticism. To refrain from pointing out mistakes and places for improvement does your peers serious disservice. To be rude or arrogant in the process is unacceptable.
- Every person is expected to contribute to discussion, and to take a turn at leading discussion, even if such leadership is not his or her natural inclination.
- Every person is expected to begin writing the thesis document in the Fall term and to make steady progress throughout the year.
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