The unit structure includes 39 hours of scheduled SGTA time, and 30 hours of laboratory time. There are no lectures in this unit, but students are expected to spend at least 2 hours per week (26 hours) on the iLearn weekly content, in advance of each week's SGTA and labs. The balance of 53 hours (2 hours for the final exam) is allocated for you to spend on self-led study during the session. It is essential for your success in the unit that you schedule this self-led study time wisely and consistently throughout the session.

To pass this unit you must obtain a total mark equal to or greater than 50% across all assessments.

SGTAs

SGTA attendance and engagement is very strongly recommended as it structures your self-led learning in the unit.

Timing: Each week, during the scheduled SGTA time. SGTAs start in Week 1, and each one is 2 hours and 50 minutes long.

Each week you are scheduled for an SGTA class. In this class you will work in small groups and progress through sets of problems related to the iLearn content of that week. These problems are posted on iLearn at the start of the week so you can look at them before your SGTA class, and start thinking about how to solve them. Worked solutions to these problems are posted at the end of the week after all SGTAs are complete.

Within each SGTA there will be a short formative 15 min quiz, which you will complete individually under exam-type conditions. This quiz will consist of shortened exam-style questions on the previous week's topics, which will help you self-assess how you are progressing with your understanding of the content. Your quiz work will be peer-assessed during the SGTA, and you may receive additional feedback during the SGTA. This feedback will assist you in improving your approach to problem solving and learning the content of the unit. You should review your quiz performance and include time during your self-directed study to master any challenging topics or concepts identified.

Between SGTA classes, during your approximately 53 hours of self-led study time, you should practice further problems (from the textbook, past exam papers, or other sources) in order to study for the Problem-based task in week 7, and then the Final Exam at the end of the unit.

Regular attendance and participation in SGTAs is a a critically important way for students to keep up with, and master, the material covered on iLearn, as well as to develop their physics problem-solving skills.

Problem-based task: Skills development: Physics problem solving

Timing: The Problem-based task will be held during your regular SGTA in week 7.

Weighting: The Problem-based task, which is based on your practice SGTA problems and quizzes, textbook questions, and iLearn content, is worth 30% of your mark for the unit.

Format: The Problem-based task will consist of a series of harder questions in the style of those presented during SGTAs and quizzes, and be conducted under exam-style conditions.

The Problem-based task: Physics problem solving will assess your ability to solve physics problems relevant to engineering. It will cover only the content of the unit presented during weeks 1 to 6. If you miss this assessment you must apply for special consideration to be given a chance to re-take the assessment later in the session.

Laboratory Work

Timing: During your scheduled laboratory session. See the lab schedule on iLearn for dates.

Weighting: Your Laboratory Work will be worth a total of 30% of your mark for the unit.

Format: Laboratory Work will be recorded in a Laboratory Notebook.

Laboratory work entails hands-on practical activities that are undertaken during scheduled laboratory classes. The first laboratory session will introduce you to the to the lab program and the skills you will develop. It also includes important workplace health and safety information. Students may also be assigned to lab groups, lab books will be handed out, and computer access will be checked. Session 1 needs to be attended by all students. It will be shorter than the other sessions, but attendance is mandatory – you cannot do subsequent lab sessions if you have not completed the introductory one.

The next nine lab sessions involve experimental work and will be assessed. Preparation is required for each of these lab sessions and you will find the Prelab activities in the Laboratory Resources section of iLearn.

All laboratory work will be documented in the lab book provided to you. The teaching staff will assist you throughout each lab session, providing feedback, allocating “points” for pre-lab work, for demonstrating particular skills during class, and for the documentation in your lab book. The points will be recorded in your lab book after each class so that you can track your progress. You can earn up to 20 “points” for your work each lab session, and your final mark for the Laboratory work will be determined from these points. To achieve full marks you would need to attend all lab sessions and achieve 20 points in all nine practical lab sessions. Your laboratory work accounts for 30% of your final mark for the unit.

A limited number of catch-up labs will be offered for students who miss a lab session; it is NOT necessary to apply for Special Consideration if you miss a lab class. The catch up classes will be held during the mid-session break, and towards the end of semester. A student can request no more than three catch up labs, via an online form on iLearn. Further details will be made available in the Lab Resources section of iLearn and during the first Lab session.

Final Examination

Timing: University Examination Period

Weighting: 40% of your mark for the unit.

Format: The Final Examination will be an invigilated written test.

You are expected to present yourself for examination at the time and place designated in the University Examination Timetable (https://iexams.mq.edu.au/).

The final examination will be two hours long and will only cover content from weeks 7-13 of the unit.

The use of calculators in examinations for this unit is permitted but, in accordance with the Faculty's policy, calculators with a full alphabet on the keyboard are not allowed.

If you receive Special Consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled after the end of the normal exam period. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period, and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty

For the Problem-based task and the Final Exam, an approved Special Consideration request is required to sit a supplementary assessment. If you miss a lab session, you can apply for a make-up lab without special consideration.

Classes

SGTAs (beginning in Week 1, in-person, on campus, not recorded; attendance and engagement are strongly encouraged):

You are scheduled for one SGTA each week, lasting 2 hours and 50 minutes.

Laboratory Sessions (beginning in Week 1, In-person, on campus; register for one):

You are scheduled for one each week, each lasting 3 hours.

The timetable for classes can be found on the University website at: https://publish.mq.ed u.au/.

Enrolment can be managed using eStudent at: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/techno logy/systems/estudent

Information About the Laboratory Sessions: The laboratory component is an essential component of your studies and so counts for an appreciable fraction of your final assessment. You will be introduced to some of the basic skills and techniques required of practicing physicists, scientists and engineers. You will be issued with a Laboratory Notebook, provided with instructional material in the form of Laboratory Notes, which can be found in the Laboratory Resources section of iLearn, and assisted in the laboratory by a team of demonstrators. For each laboratory session, except in Week 1, you are required to complete some preparatory work (Pre-Lab) before attending your nominated Lab session. To figure out which Pre-Lab to do, please consult the Laboratory Schedule on iLearn.

Laboratory Safety: You are required to follow all safety guidelines given in the first Lab session, your lab notes, and the lab staff. Food and drink cannot be consumed in the lab, and closed- toe shoes must be worn in the labs (that is, no sandals, thongs, crocs, etc.); students without suitable covered footwear will be refused admission.

NB: Required laboratory introduction sessions and SGTAs with an introductory quiz will occur in Week 1. Full laboratories and SGTAs will commence in Week 2 of the semester. You must complete the Week 1 laboratory introduction before you will be allowed to attend any further labs.

Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials

Required Text

The prescribed textbook for this unit is Fundamentals of Physics, 1st Australian & New Zealand Edition, Halliday et al., from Wiley. Electronic and physical copies can be obtained at https://ww w.wileydirect.com.au/buy/fundamentals-of-physics-australian-new-zealand-edition/. The library also has copies available. It is essential that you obtain a copy of the textbook as the iLearn material only contains an overview of the content of the unit and does not consitute a complete resource for study in the unit.

Required Resources

The Laboratory Notes will be available online using iLearn before the laboratory sessions begin in the first week of the semester.

Web Resources

More information on the required text as well as additional resource material can be found on the iLearn page for the unit under the Textbook section.

Communication

We will communicate with you through announcements and the discussion channel on iLearn, or via your university email. Queries to convenors can be submitted on the iLearn discussion board or emailed to PHYS1510@mq.edu.au from your university email address.

This unit has seen significant evolution from the recent offerings. The main changes are:

• There are no lectures. Content delivery is provided through iLearn with structured student-led learning activities. These must be completed each week prior to attending SGTAs and labs. In the past there were 2 hours of lectures each week, with an expectation of an additional 3 hours of self-directed learning. In the current model, students are expected to spend about 2 hours on the iLearn content with an additional 2 hours of self-directed learning.
• SGTA durations have been increased from 2 hours in previous offerings to 3 hours. This is to accommodate the SGTA quiz held at the start of each SGTA, and to ensure sufficient face-to-face interaction between students and teaching staff.
• One assessment task has changed from recent offerings. In recent sessions the assessment was a portfolio task, but this is now replaced by the problem-based task, to be run during week 7 SGTAs.