Traditionally P113 is a problem-oriented, quantitative course. That won't change. However, I understand that many of you learn useful things in this course that may not be reflected in your ability to solve traditional quantitative physics problems in an exam setting. I am working to reduce the fraction of your evaluation that depends on quantitative problems. In this spirit, part of your grade (18%) comes from the laboratory and roughly 20-30% of each exam will consist of conceptual (rather than quantitative) problems. In addition, 14% of your grade will come from a "poster/presentation project."

The class will divide into groups. The default grouping is by assigned workshop section. The minimum group size is 5 and the maximum is 12. Workshop sections with many students should divide into two groups. Different groupings are allowed provided the size constraints are satisfied.

Each group will agree on a topic. The topic should have something to do with the physics we are studying this semester (see the syllabus, thermo and relativity are allowed). Ideally the topic is something of interest to the group, but not necessarily something mentioned in the lecture, text, problems, etc.

Each group will prepare a single presentation on their chosen topic. The presentation may be a narrated poster or video, a short skit, a demonstration, etc. It can be interactive or not, funny or not. But, it should be informative and relevant. It should not be more than 7 minutes long if it is a demo, video, or skit.

Each group will make their presentation to the class as a whole. Exactly how we organize the presentations depends on the number of groups (could range from 14 to 28) and what each group desires to do. We may use one lecture slot and we will schedule one or two other sessions outside of the usual lecture time. I know it will be impossible to find a time outside of lecture when everyone can make it and I'm unwilling to sacrifice more than one lecture slot. So, recognizing it will be imperfect, we will set up something as best we can and live with it. If you are on the ball and want to do something earlier in the semester (besides a poster), let me know.

The class will do the grading. Each student will evaluate each of the projects. Within each project group, members of the group will provide me with a measure of the relative contribution of each member. Assuming these evaluations are reasonable and consistent, I will translate them into a grade. In cases where the evaluations are not reasonable or consistent, the workshop leaders and I will step in and do the evaluation.

The physics of roller coasters, bouyancy in submarines or fish, the origin of tides, gravity and the birth of stars, the physics of baseball … golf … swimming …. NASCAR racing, the physics of walking, fluid mechanics in the body, the flight of helicopters, human hearing, the physics of pianos … violins … organs … rockets … earthquakes, uses of gyroscopes.

I've not done this before in a large class. Therefore, I reserve the right to change things as we go.