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Physical Review assignment |
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| Parameters | You will examine the early issues of the oldest and most important physics journal published in the U.S., the Physical Review. UC Berkeley's holdings go back to the very first volume, published in 1893. The American Physical Society has also made the entire journal available online. Your task is to look at any volume (or series of volumes) before 1910 and see what you make of it. Then write up a three-page group report. | ||||
| Approach | This is an open-ended assignment in analyzing a primary
source. You may zero in on particular articles, but also try to get a sense
of the periodical more generally. You might ask questions like:
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| Logistics | You will carry out the assignment in groups of three. Each
group should have one member from each of three sorts of majors (science,
engineering, and humanities/social science/everyone else). If you don't
know enough people to form groups on your own, we will have a "mixer" in
class (probably between February 5 and February 10). Thereafter you will
have to pick partners from a sign-up sheet outside my office door (3229
Dwinelle Hall).
You can find the journal in two places. An electronic version is available at http://prola.aps.org/. You will find, however, that you need a fast connection, and you will also want to see the physical item. That will make flipping through the journal easier, and it will just give you a sense of what it looks and feels like. The print copy is on the Physics Library balcony behind the circulation desk, shelved alphabetically by title with other old periodicals. The print volumes can only be checked out for two hours, so you will be better off setting aside time to use them in the library. Ask at the circulation desk if you can't find them. The physics librarians are glad to help. Since the volumes are being used by a lot of people, they may be being reshelved, so ask. And PLEASE treat the journal gently. This is a piece of history. Try printing articles from the website instead of photocopying. You will be ready to start on this assignment as soon as the third week of class. To avoid a rush for the journals, go before the last minute. Be aware that the Physics Library's hours are shorter than Moffit's or the Main Library's. |
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| Documentation | At the start of your essay, introduce your volume(s) in the text, giving volume number(s) and year(s) of publication. When you cite specific articles, use endnotes or (preferably) footnotes in the following form: E.S. Ferry, "The Use of a Rotating Sectored Disk in Photometry," 1 (1893-94): 338-345, on 339 ["on 339" if you are citing a specific finding or sentence on p. 339; if citing the whole article, leave this last part out]. Citations of articles you have already cited in an earlier note can be done in short format: Ferry, "Use of a Rotating," 340. Note numbers should be in Arabic numerals (1, 2, ...), not Roman numerals or whatever whimsical alternatives your word processor offers. A bibliography is not required. | ||||
| Reminders | The paper is to be typed, double-spaced in normal-sized
fonts with reasonable margins. No cover page is necessary, but put all
three names and the assignment at the top of the first page. Number your
pages. Follow the format for documenting your sources. Proper writing (grammar,
organization, style) definitely counts.
Written assignments may not be submitted by e-mail or in any other electronic form. Papers are due in class, and late papers will be penalized: each day (or fraction thereof, starting at 11:00 a.m.) that a paper is late will reduce its grade by 2/3 of a mark (e.g., A to B+, B- to C). The report is due in class on Wednesday, February 26. |
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| Copyright © Cathryn Carson 2003 |