Labs
Overview
Lab sections alternate between two types of weeks: (A) Problem weeks and (B) Presentation weeks. Students will be organized into groups of two. Each group will then work on a problem set (Set 1, 2, or 3).
(A) Problem Weeks
Groups work through their assigned problem set during lab. Problem sets consist of some shared problems, and then 1-2 challenging problems. Problem sets are paper handouts, given out in lab. They are not posted here or anywhere else online, so if you miss a lab you will need to come see me for a copy. No laptops, phones, or electronic devices are permitted. A printed reference sheet of useful formulas and prior results will be provided. Any student found using technology will receive a zero for that lab.
Students will submit notes as part of credit for the lab: one group member is responsible for photographing the group’s work (from the blackboard/whiteboard or paper) and uploading it to the shared drive.
(B) Presentation Weeks
Groups pair with a group that worked a different problem set and present their solutions. The emphasis is not only on the correctness of the solution, but on the process: What did students notice? What was the intuition? Each presentation should last approximately 10-20 minutes and should genuinely educate the audience: both on how the solution works and on the intuition behind the problem itself.
Grading for presentation weeks is completion-based, assessed on the quality and coherence of the presented solution. Students are expected to have put genuine thought into how they will structure their presentation. Every student must speak. One student may serve as the designated question-answerer at the end. Additionally, students not presenting must be active listeners, and are encouraged to ask clarification questions. Students should be careful not to imply judgement when asking clarification, even if they have a better understanding of the question than the presenter. After presentation week, full solutions for all problems will be posted to Canvas.
Schedule
Labs meet Mondays, 2:30-4:00pm, immediately after lecture, though we start at 2:40 to give you a short break after class. There are 10 labs: five problem weeks and five presentation weeks. Three Mondays have no lab: Oct 12 (fall reading period), Oct 19 (midterm solutions and questions), and Dec 7 (project presentations, which may run past the lecture block and into lab, and will also have some final exam review).
| Lab | Week (Monday) | Type |
| Lab 1 | Week 2 (Sep 14) | Problem (A) |
| Lab 2 | Week 3 (Sep 21) | Presentation (B) |
| Lab 3 | Week 4 (Sep 28) | Problem (A) |
| Lab 4 | Week 5 (Oct 5) | Presentation (B) |
| None | Week 6 (Oct 12) | Fall Reading Period |
| None | Week 7 (Oct 19) | Midterm Solutions & Questions |
| Lab 5 | Week 8 (Oct 26) | Problem (A) |
| Lab 6 | Week 9 (Nov 2) | Presentation (B) |
| Lab 7 | Week 10 (Nov 9) | Problem (A) |
| Lab 8 | Week 11 (Nov 16) | Presentation (B) |
| Lab 9 | Week 12 (Nov 23) | Problem (A) |
| Lab 10 | Week 13 (Nov 30) | Presentation (B) |
| None | Week 14 (Dec 7) | Project Presentations/Exam Review |