Course Info -- Phys 312

Homework:
You will only be able to learn the material if you carefully work through a variety of exercises. For this reason the homework is an important component of the course. There will be approximately one graded problem set per week; the problems will vary in difficulty from simple drills to complicated (and sometimes baffling!) challenge problems. Graded problem sets will be returned with solutions. Two homework sets will be pledged, the others unpledged.

Unpledged homework:
I encourage you to discuss the unpledged homework with other students, or with me. However, you must hand in your own solutions; if you received significant help on any problem, you should credit the persons who helped you. Such an acknowledgment will not detract from your grade.

Pledged homework:
The usual honor pledge rules apply in this case. You can ask me questions for clarification of a problem or of relevant class material; do not confer with anyone else about pledged problems. You can consult books and articles, but you must cite any sources that are of significant help to you. As long as proper credit is given, even copying down a solution from a book will not detract from your grade.

Term paper/project:
You will write a term paper on some topic of current interest which is relevant to the course material. You will do this in small groups, with a final presentation. A first draft of the paper is due well in advance of the final presentation, according to a schedule that is posted on the Web.

Class attendance:
Much of this material is not in the textbooks, and I will also be doing some demonstrations, so you need to attend the lectures and problem sessions to get the most out of the course. Come prepared with questions!

Grading:
The grading will be as follows:

Computers:
If you have not already done so, I suggest that you get an account on one of the University computers (fermi or juno), or on one of the department computers (there are PC's and Macs in Room 320, Physics Building, that are especially set up for using the central Physics server).
I will use e-mail to answer questions, send out reminders, and so on. The course homepage on the World Wide Web will contain course information and lecture notes.
I will use the PC's in Room 109, Physics Building, for some of the problem sessions and I will introduce you on these PC's to Scientific WorkPlace (SWP), which combines text editing, numerics, graphics, and computer algebra in one package. Room 109 is available for supervised use only (you will not have a key to it), but SWP and other programs are also available on the PC's in Room 320. Programs that package numerics, graphics, and algebra include Maple, Mathematica, MathCad, and Matlab. I encourage you to use any of these programs, or even just a spreadsheet, in working the problem sets (unless stated otherwise). If you have your own computer, the University has a site license for Maple, which can be obtained at a reduced cost from the UVa Bookstore.

Reserve Books:
A large number of books have been placed on reserve in the Physics Library. I suggest that you spend some time browsing through this collection at the beginning of the semester. You may consult any reference in working the problems, but make sure to cite any reference which you use extensively. Please respect your fellow students and do not remove the books from the library, except for the purpose of photocopying them. Lecture notes and problem solutions will also be placed on reserve.

Contacting Me:
If you have a question or problem, contact me at my office during normal working hours, send me e-mail at vc@virginia.edu, leave a message on my answering machine at 924-6573 or with the receptionist at 924-3781, or leave a note on my office door.