#### Prerequisites
* Foundations of Physics 3A (PHYS3621) AND (Discovery Skills in Physics (PHYS1101) or Laboratory Skills and Electronics (PHYS2641) or Laboratory Skills and Electronics 3 (PHYS3681)).
#### Corequisites
* None.
#### Excluded Combination of Modules
* None.
#### Aims
* This module is designed primarily for students studying Department of Physics or Natural Sciences degree programmes.
* It provides experience of work in a research environment on a topic at the forefront of developments in a branch of either physics, applied physics, theoretical physics or astronomy, and develops transferable skills for the oral and written presentation of research.
#### Content
* The syllabus contains:
* A research-based project carried out within one of the Department's research groups.
* In the case of industrially linked projects, some time may be spent at the industrial site.
* Projects may involve small groups of students working in a team.
* Presentation and communication skills.
* Research methods and techniques, scientific writing and presentation, interviews.
#### Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
* Having studied this module students will have an understanding of the techniques used in either theoretical or experimental physics together with an appreciation of their applicability to a research project.
Subject-specific Skills:
Key Skills:
* Students will be able to work independently and develop an effective work plan.
* They will be able to solve problems with originality and be able to complete tasks efficiently.
* They will be able to resolve complex problems by identifying creative solutions.
* They will have the facility to express problems and communicate their solution via oral and written means.
* They will have the confidence to advance and extend knowledge through the development of an independent learning ability and personal responsibility.
* They will have further developed communication and oral presentation skills, including written communication of scientific concepts to a general audience.
#### Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
* The project is based in a research group and may involve extensive private study, work on one or more computers or practical work in one of the research laboratories.
* In the case of industrially linked projects, some time may be spent at the industrial site.
* Supervisors monitor progress and provide guidance on the development of the project during weekly meetings.
* Students will be able to obtain further help in their project by approaching their supervisors and/or other members of the appropriate research group.
* The seminars provide formal instruction on communication skills, both written and oral, that are then reinforced by the project supervisors during the weekly meetings.
* The seminars include training sessions on general computing, testing and debugging. The drop-in sessions are designed to allow each student to obtain programming help and guidance through discussions with computing demonstrators.
* Progress is further monitored by a formatively assessed interim project progress report written over the Christmas vacation.
* Together with the project seminar, this provides opportunities for feedback and for the students to gauge their progress.
* Student performance is summatively assessed through technical performance during the project, through a formal final report on the project, through the project seminar and via an oral examination on the project report.
More information at: https://apps.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/2023/UG/module/PHYS4213
