Introduction to the course.
            	

This course is intended to give you some of the basic skills necessary to operate in a 
modern physics laboratory. The course has an emphasis on basic analog and digital 
electronics, and the use of computers in modelling and data analysis.  Additional 
laboratories involve thermodynamics, acoustics, and laboratory design projects. Although 
primarily a laboratory course, there are tutorials and assignments designed to support 
the laboratory work. In particular, there is a heavy computing component in the first 
term.

The first term requires laboratory work every week and consists of 5 electronics modules, 
followed by a major laboratory design project. You will be evaluated primarily on your 
work in the laboratory and particularly on the record of your work written in a 
laboratory notebook. These notebooks are to be signed by a faculty member or your TA 
every day, but you may also bring it with you home at the end of the day to continue 
working on your data. 


                

                Your log/lab book.
            	

1. Your log book is a scientific diary.
This book is required to show what you have done during the course.  It is intended 
to give you the experience and discipline necessary to keep a daily diary of your 
laboratory work.  This will be your first step towards keeping proper records for your 
project assignments in the more senior years of the degree.  Even though you will be 
working in teams of two, you must enter all the relevant data and information in your 
own book.  The conclusions and comments must be your own.  Notes like: "the data is in 
my partners book" will not be acceptable, and we shall assume that you were not there.


2. What should the book contain.
	1. The log of your activities in the laboratory
	2. The results of any data you have taken, along with the description of the 
	   experiment, including circuit diagrams.  For example, a  plot of any data you 
	   have taken.  Do this plot as you take the date.  It will provide a good 
	   indication of the trend of your experiment.  Also sketch out the traces of 
	   the signals that you see on the oscilloscope... do this accurately using the 
	   grid on the screen and the graph paper in your log book. 


What do we expect:
	1. To be able to read your book easily and quickly get a sense of whether you 
	   have accomplished the tasks of the lab assignments.  The TAs will be scanning 
	   your books quickly to ensure you have attended and attempted the lab.  I 
	   shall be reading a sample of the books to assess your work.  
	2. The TAs will be grading your assignments that occur within the context of 
	   the lab work.
	3. A table of contents of your book, which can be placed at the beginning or end 
	   of the book.


Please note: you cannot write down the information on sheets of paper and then go 
home to write up the lab.  It must be done while you are doing the lab work.  Your book 
will be checked during or at the end of each lab, and must be signed by a TA or an 
instructor, before you can take it away.


Lab #1:  
Your book will be collected at the end of the lab period, and the TA will mark 
it and return it the next day.  It can be picked up in Hebb 30.  This grade will be a 
virtual grade, but will give you and indication as to how you did.
Lab #2:
Your book again will be collected at the end of the lab period, and the TA will mark it 
with a grade that will count, and return it the next day.  You will then be expected to 
complete that analysis  part of this experiment after the book has been returned.
Labs #3,4,5,6: 
You must have your book signed before you leave the lab, but you will now be allowed to 
take the book with you.




                

                For more information....

A more detailed explanation of the nature of the log/lab book can be found on the 
Phys209 webpage here 
(also called "The Picky TA's Guide to Writing Phys 209/259 Lab Notebooks").