UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT	Physics 051
Department of Physics	Fall 2008
	Lab Procedures

Required Lab Materials 

Lab Research Notebook, 5×5 quad ruled, duplicate pages with carbon, item 00643, available in the UVM bookstore; a transparent metric ruler; pencil with eraser; and an electronic calculator with trigonometric and exponential functions, and scientific notation.

Before Coming to Lab

Read each upcoming experiment in the lab manual (or handout), and review the necessary background material in the textbook.  Do the lab homework on a separate sheet of paper and staple multiple sheets together.

When You Walk in the Lab

Bring with you all the required lab materials, specifically your lab notebook.  If you come to the lab without your notebook, it is as if you did not come at all.  Any student who comes to lab without his/her  notebook will receive a zero for that experiment.

Bring with you the homework related to the exercise and turn it in as soon as you come in.  Late lab homework will not be accepted.

Your Laboratory Notebook

All data must be recorded, as they are taken, directly in your laboratory notebook.   Make sure that you use a carbon under each “tear-out” page so that you have a record of your data and analysis.  All entries should be clear and complete concerning what is being recorded and the details and conditions of the experimental setup.  If you must redo a measurement, explain the reason in your notebook.  Never erase!  Cross out the old entries in such a way that they can still be read. 

After You Are Done

At the end of each lab period you are expected to hand in the carbon copy of all pages containing data and the analysis of the data including graphs.  Lab reports are due in class on the following Wednesday for Friday labs and on the following Friday for Monday labs.  If you wish to discuss your lab report, please see your lab instructor during office hours.

Attendance

Attendance at all laboratory sessions is mandatory. Failure to attend at the regularly scheduled time will result in a grade of zero for that activity. If you anticipate that you will be unable to attend your regularly scheduled lab, you must reschedule it with the course instructor at least one week in advance. If you miss a lab due to circumstances beyond your control, contact the course instructor as soon as possible. The absence policy for the labs is the same as for hourly exams.  There will be no make-up labs.

Evaluation

Each lab exercise has a maximum of 20 points to be assigned as follows

Lab Homework	5 points
In-Lab Performance	5 points
Lab Report	10 points

In-lab performance includes, but is not limited to, promptness of attendance, readiness to conduct the exercise, attention to detail, proper handling of the equipment, efficient time management, understanding of what is be done and why, etc.

The total number of points is 120.  Your lab score will count as 20% of your grade in the course.