Course coordinator
Dr Tyler Neely
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - )
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 8
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Mathematics & Physics School
This course provides an introduction to research in physics. Students choose a topic and a supervisor, and submit a written report by the end of semester. Students commencing in sem 1 enrol in PHYS7743 for sem 1 and sem 2; students commencing in sem 2 enrol in PHYS7744 for sem 2 and the following sem 1. Students completing in single semester enrol in PHYS7745.
Students can choose an experimental, theoretical, or computational project on topic approved by the course coordinator. The major assessment item is an honours-style thesis submitted after two semesters work described the research and outcomes. Details and guidelines for the assessment will be provided on Blackboard.
Course requirements
Assumed background
B.Sc. degree in the field of Physics, as well as an excellent understanding of first, second and third year courses in Physics and Mathematics relevant to the research project topic.ﾠ If you are in doubt about this, please ask the Physics Masters coordinator.ﾠ This is a 2-consecutive semester long research project, that is generally commenced in the 2nd of the 3 Semesters for the UQ Masters in Science (Physics)
For information about the UQ Masters Programme see
https://www.smp.uq.edu.au/postgraduate-studies
For information about the available Physics Research Projects see
https://www.smp.uq.edu.au/smp-research-projects?tid=All&level=Masters+Project
Well before the teaching semester commences you should have already discussed projects with potential supervisors and obtained permission to undertake a research project with a specific supervisor.
ﾠ
Restrictions
Permission of Head of School
Course contact
Timetable
Additional timetable information
There is a one hour weekly lecture time scheduled to introduce and discuss the various research milestones as the semesters proceed.ﾠ A timetable of topics will be released via Blackboard. Note that not all of these lecture times will be devoted to the course.
You should have regular meetings as agreed with your supervisor.ﾠ Typically this is one hour a week.
You must map out a program of work with your supervisor in the first two weeks of your project, as background to your project plan, and discuss updates of the program at regular intervals.
You are strongly encouraged to take a recreational break during the end-of-year break between teaching semesters.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of the 2 Semester Long Research Project is to develop the research skills of the student by carrying out a small, novel project at the cutting edge of a specialised area of physics.ﾠ It will prepare them for future research careers, or entry into postgraduate study such as an MPhil or PhD research higher degree.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Be able to plan, develop and carry out an independent research project.
LO2.
Obtain an in-depth knowledge of the specific topic area through a thorough literature review.
LO3.
Develop research skills and be able to locate and use information sources.
LO4.
Present results of research in a written thesis.
LO5.
Present results of research in an oral seminar.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project |
Outline of research
|
pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for fail/non-submission) |
Friday, Week 2 of your first semester of the project |
| Presentation | Masters Progress Talk | 1 grade penalty for fail/non-completion |
Week 13 of your first semester of the project |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Literature Review and Progress Report
|
pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for fail/non-submission) |
Monday, Week 1 of second semester of the project |
| Presentation | Masters Talk | 1 grade penalty for non-completion |
Friday, Week 12 of your second semester of the project |
| Thesis | Masters Thesis | 100% |
Monday, Exam Week 1 of your second semesters examination period |
| Examination |
Interview
|
Helps examiners determine thesis grade (100% penalty for fail/non-submission) |
Exam week 1 (second semester) - Exam week 2 (second semester) |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Outline of research
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for fail/non-submission)
- Due date
Friday, Week 2 of your first semester of the project
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03
Task description
Write a research proposal of up to, but not more than, one page. Describe the background and aims of your project. Outline the work that you plan to do, including the methods or general strategy. Make sure you include the project title, your name, and that of your supervisor(s).
Show the proposal to your supervisor(s) for their feedback before you submit it.
Hurdle requirements
Failure to pass or submit the proposal will result in a failure for the course. Students will be able to resubmit the proposal if not passed by the examiners in the first instance.Submission guidelines
Submit via Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Masters Progress Talk
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 1 grade penalty for fail/non-completion
- Due date
Week 13 of your first semester of the project
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
Approximately half-way through their project, students will give a roughly 15 minute talk on their Honours project to their research group, and expert examiner if possible. The presentation will be given in-person or via video-conferencing, as appropriate at the time.
Show your supervisor(s) a draft of the talk, and practise your talk with your peers before presenting to the group.
The supervisor and student co-ordinate to choose a convenient time for the research group and expert examiner, preferably within the last week of the student's first semester on the project.
The student will enable feedback from the audience using the oral presentation feedback form available via Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Literature Review and Progress Report
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- pass/resubmit/fail (100% penalty for fail/non-submission)
- Due date
Monday, Week 1 of second semester of the project
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
Each student will submit a written progress report. Discuss in detail with your supervisor the progress that has been made and what steps are needed to finish the project, as well as an appropriate format for the report. The report should include a comprehensive background and literature review in a form appropriate for inclusion in the thesis. Include the background theory needed for a non-expert to understand your project. The report should also include a description of the progress of the research work to date and a brief plan for the rest of the project.
Length is typically 10-15 pages.
The style of writing and referencing should be the same as that expected for the thesis.
You can write your report in whatever format you like (TeX, Word, etc). Discuss with your supervisor what may be appropriate. A thesis template, which you may find useful, is available.
Show a draft of the report to your supervisor(s) for their feedback before you submit it.
Hurdle requirements
Failure to pass or submit the Literature Review and Progress report will result in a failure for the course. Students will be able to resubmit the report if not passed by the examiners in the first instance.Submission guidelines
Submit via Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Masters Talk
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 1 grade penalty for non-completion
- Due date
Friday, Week 12 of your second semester of the project
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
At the end of their project students will give a 20 minute oral presentation on their Honours project to the entire Physics department. The presentation will be given in person or online, as appropriate at the time. The presentation is immediately followed by a maximum of 5 minutes of question-and-answer with the audience.
Discuss a draft of your Final Talk with your supervisor(s), and practise your talk with your peers.
Both expert and non-expert examiners are expected to see the Final Talk, either in-person or via videoconference. The course coordinator schedules the talks of all students, aiming to organise so that both examiners can see, live, the presentation of the project they are assessing.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Masters Thesis
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Thesis
- Weight
- 100%
- Due date
Monday, Exam Week 1 of your second semesters examination period
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
At the end of the second semester of the project each student will submit a substantial piece of written work in the form of a thesis. The thesis should introduce the project, explaining the motivation and the wider context of the research field. It should show familiarity with the literature (and the literature review that was due half-way through the year will likely form the basis of this part of the thesis). The description of the project should be thorough enough that a new student wanting to reproduce the work would be able to do so, based on the information given. The thesis should show clearly what aspect of the project work was performed by the student. Results of the research should be clearly presented, and interpreted, with an explanation of how the findings fit into the current state of research in the area. The student may want to include in their conclusion options for how this project could be extended in the future.
Length is around 50 pages. This length is a guideline. Heavily theoretical theses tend to be shorter, while experimental theses with many plots and a lot of data to display tend to be longer. Conciseness and clarity is appreciated by assessors. A densely written report may be able to convey the required content in fewer pages.
A physics thesis template is available (as mentioned above) which you may find useful.
Submit a draft of the Thesis to your supervisor(s) for feedback well before the due date! - generally a week before the Final Talk.
If you feel you are unlikely to be able to submit your thesis on time and have extenuating circumstances, then you should communicate with both your supervisor(s) and the course coordinator as soon as this is apparent.
Submission guidelines
Submit via Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item a penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24 hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Interview
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- Helps examiners determine thesis grade (100% penalty for fail/non-submission)
- Due date
Exam week 1 (second semester) - Exam week 2 (second semester)
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04
Task description
During the exam period after you hand in your report you will attend (either in person or online via Zoom or similar video conferencing technology) an oral examination with the examiners and your project supervisor. The course coordinator may also attend. You will need to discuss a suitable date and venue with your project supervisor, examiners, and course coordinator.
The expert examiner shall lead the examination, with the supervisor (and course coordinator, if they attend) as observers. The purpose of the oral examination is to clarify any aspects of the report for the examiners.
Hurdle requirements
Failure to attend the exam will result in a 100% penalty and failure for the course.Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Exam platform | Other |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension and deferred examination information relating to this assessment item.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Fails to demonstrate most or all of the basic requirements of the course. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates clear deficiencies in understanding and applying fundamental concepts; communicates information or ideas in ways that are frequently incomplete or confusing and give little attention to the conventions of the discipline. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Demonstrates superficial or partial or faulty understanding of the fundamental concepts of the field of study and limited ability to apply these concepts; presents undeveloped or inappropriate or unsupported arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A poor thesis that achieves the minimum pass required for a UQ MSc thesis. It demonstrates adequate understanding and application of the fundamental concepts of the field of study; develops routine arguments or decisions and provides acceptable justification; communicates information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. There are minor flaws (e.g. misconceptions and inconsistencies) throughout the thesis. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A sound thesis. The candidate demonstrates substantial understanding of fundamental concepts of the field of study and ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; develops or adapts convincing arguments and provides coherent justification; communicates information and ideas clearly and fluently in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The thesis will have few areas of excellence and will exhibit several weaknesses and minor flaws. Some sections of the thesis may be relevant for future students working in the same area, however the thesis as a whole is not a good introduction to the field. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A veryt good thesis. The candidate shows evidence of originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and in creating solutions; uses a level, style and means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience. The thesis has some weaknesses and a number of areas of excellence. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: An excellent thesis. It shows evidence of substantial originality and critical insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critically evaluates problems, their solutions and implications; integrates findings in the big picture of the research area with relevant theories and previous research. The thesis contains only minor weakness, offset by excellence in almost all other areas. Some potential for publication, and is recommended as a good introduction for future students working in the same area. |
Additional course grading information
For a detailed rubric see the Thesis Assessment Criteria in the Course Files Link.
Whilst the Thesis is worth 100% of the course assessment, there are five assessment hurdles where penalty marks can be applied:
- Project Planﾠ - if not submitted or graded as Fail, penalty of 100% to the Thesis mark
- Progress Talk - if not presented or graded as Fail, penalty of 1 grade the Thesis mark
- Progress Report with Literature Review - if not submitted or graded as Fail, penalty of 100% to Thesis mark
- Final Talk - if not presented, penalty of 1 grade to the Thesis mark
- Oral Examination - if not completed, penalty of 100% to Thesis mark
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form, for example, an oral or a written exam. Students who are eligible and approved for a supplementary assessment and the form of assessment is an examination, are expected to be available to sit the supplementary exam during the University’s Deferred and Supplementary examination period. Once approved, supplementary assessment cannot be rescinded by the student.
Additional assessment information
Artificial Intelligence
The assessment tasks have been designed to be challenging and complex, incorporating a number of aspects of your physics knowledge. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies as an aid in preparing written material, they should be only used for inspiration and/or reformatting writing and their usage must be referenced. This must include in-context referencing in the text, and the inclusion of a footnote in the bibliography or other appropriate place describing in detail the extent to which AI and/or MT technologies were used to assist in preparing the report.
Successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. Students need to be aware that submitted materials may be examined using AI detection capabilities in Turnitin. A failure to properly reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools in the examination component of the course..
Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates
Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ – applying for an extension. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with extension requests, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons, may be found at my.UQ.
Please note:
- Requests for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through your my.UQ portal and you must provide documentation of your circumstances, as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed. Your application must be submitted on or before the assessment item's due date and time.
- Applications for extension can take time to be processed so you should continue to work on your assessment item while awaiting a decision. We recommend that you submit any completed work by the due date, and this will be marked if your application is not approved. Should your application be approved, then you will be able to resubmit by the agreed revised due date.
- If an extension is approved, you will be notified via your my.UQ portal and the new date and time for submission provided. It is important that you check the revised date as it may differ from the date that you requested.
- If the basis of the application is a medical condition, applications should be accompanied by a medical certificate dated prior to the assignment due date. If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a written statement (Word document) outlining why you cannot provide the documentation. You must then upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
- If an extension is being sought on the basis of exceptional circumstances, it must be accompanied by supporting documentation (eg. Statutory declaration).
- For extensions based on a SAP you may be granted a maximum of 7 days (if no earlier maximum timeframe applies). See the Extension or Deferral availability section of each assessment for details. Your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, additional extension requests for the assessment item will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
- An extension for an assessment item due within the teaching period in which the course is offered, must not exceed four weeks in total. If you are incapacitated for a period exceeding four weeks of the teaching period, you are advised to apply for Removal of Course.
- If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, you are advised to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty - seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
- Students may be asked to submit evidence of work completed to date. Lack of adequate progress on your assessment item may result in an extension being denied.
- There are no provisions for exemption from an assessment item within UQ rules. If you are unable to submit an assessment piece then, under special circumstances, you may be granted an exemption, but may be required to submit alternative assessment to ensure all learning outcomes are met.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks |
Not Timetabled |
Thesis Independent study leading to a thesis and seminar. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.