General Information

Optical and radio images of radio galaxy Fornax A Image courtesy of NRAO/AUI and JM Uson

Getting the most out of your astronomy course

You have almost certainly not studied astronomy as an academic discipline before, so the material and approach will probably be new to you. Therefore the classes may initially seem more challenging than classes in other disciplines, such as physics, where you already have some experience from A levels. Do not panic — you can learn to cope with this. The secret is to attend all lectures, labs and problems classes, attempt all problems and homework, and ask when you are really stuck. All the astronomy staff want every student to succeed, and will do their best to help you do that — but it is understandable that staff feel rather less charitable towards students who turn up and ask for help a week before the exams if they have been conspicuous by their absence from problems classes and homework mark sheets all the preceding term!

This page contains information on

1. lectures;
2. problems classes;
3. progress tests;
4. laboratory sessions;
5. homework;
6. late penalties and extenuating circumstances;
7. textbooks;
8. help and support;
9. people and places associated with the astronomy course.

More details on some of these can be found using the menu on the left.

lectures

There are two lectures per week for each module: if you are registered for the module, your personalised timetable should show them. You must attend all lectures and take notes: even in courses which have extensive handouts or website downloads, the lecturer will probably say things in lectures which are not in the printed material. Everything said in a lecture is examinable unless you are specifically told that it is not.

problems classes

For PHY104, you will have one problems class per week. Each problems class includes 15-20 students and is run by at least two staff members. You will be allocated to a problems class section in the first week of the second semester.

The problems classes are intended to

• help you with any aspects of the lecture material you find difficult;
• develop your problem solving skills;
• prepare you for the end-of-semester examination;
• provide a forum for general discussion about astronomy.

PHY111 and PHY106 do not have tutorials or problems classes, because past experience has shown that the overwhelming majority of students can cope with the material of these descriptive courses without such support. If you are having any difficulty with these courses, please contact the lecturer concerned and ask for help.

progress tests

All three taught modules have class tests, which take place in lecture slots. These are intended to prepare you for the end-of-semester examinations, and have formats closely related to the exam format. Your lecturers will tell you more about these class tests at the beginning of the course.

laboratory sessions

PHY115 has associated laboratory sessions, accounting for 35% of the module grade. These are physics-based experiments and are intended to familiarise you with basic laboratory equipment and techniques. These will be complemented in the second semester by a mixture of physics and astronomy-based laboratory exercises in the second semester skills module PHY116. Note that PHY116 is almost identical to the physics lab module PHY114 — the only difference is that you spend three weeks in the astronomy laboratory doing specifically astronomy-related exercises.

homework

PHY104 has assessed homework exercises accounting for 10% of the module mark. These exercises should be handed in at your problems class, and will be returned at or before the following class. This system helps the tutor to understand which parts of the course you are finding difficult, and should make problems classes more effective.

There are various different types of homework exercises associated with PHY115. Further details will be given during the course. These exercises should be handed in to the Departmental Office with a standard cover sheet, and will be marked anonymously in accordance with University policy.

late penalties

Take careful note of the deadlines for handing in assessed homework exercises. Penalties will be applied if you hand work in late. The current rules are:

All material handed in to the Departmental Office, including PHY115 coursework:

deduction of 5% of the total mark awarded per working day late — for example, a piece of work that is intrinsically worth 60% would be awarded 57% if 1 day late and 45% if one week (5 working days) late. Note that vacations count as working days, but days on which the University is closed (weekends and bank holidays) do not. Work which is more than 5 working days late will not be accepted unless you have been granted an extension (see below); this is a university regulation, and is designed to ensure that your work can be returned to you as promptly as possible.

PHY104 problems class homework

Normally, late homeworks will not be accepted (homework one or two days late may be accepted at the discretion of the problems class leader; homework will in no case be accepted after the end of the week in which the deadline falls). This is because these homework exercises have a fast turn-round time (they will be returned to you on the week following the class in which they were handed in), and since problems classes occur on different days marked scripts may be available early in the week after the deadline.

An extension to the deadline may be granted if there are significant extenuating circumstances (illness, problems relating to a disability, serious personal or family problems, etc.), or if you have a disability which materially increases the time that you need to do the assignment. If either of these applies to you, the University regulations specify that you must

• apply for an extension before the expiry of the original deadline;
• apply in writing;
• provide appropriate supporting documentation — a signed doctor's note for illness, a copy of the police report if your house was burgled, etc. Note that self-certification forms are not valid supporting documentation.

textbooks

Can't afford to buy a textbook? Try Nick Strobel's Astronomy Notes. This excellent online textbook covers most of the material in the first year course, with the exception of the spherical trigonometry in PHY115.

If you can't afford a textbook and want something to help with the positional astronomy in PHY115, try Fiona Vincent's notes from St Andrews. These cover rather more than PHY115, which is not surprising as this was a second year course, but the first 12 or so pages should be useful.

help and support

If you have a disability such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autistic spectrum disorder, or if your first language is not English, you may need extra help and support to get the most out of your classes. Even people who don't have problems like this may sometimes need extra help, especially in first year – going to university is a big change in your life, and not everyone copes equally well. There is no shame in asking for help: do not let embarrassment stop you from doing so. It's much more embarrassing to fail a module you should have passed because you didn't ask for help than it is to ask for help and thus succeed!

Support for people with disabilities

The University's Disability and Dyslexia Support Service provides a range of services to help students with disabilities, including note-takes for lectures, specialist software (e.g. text-to-speech and speech recognition), special arrangements for exams, and so on. They can also make arrangements for diagnostic tests, in the event that someone suggests that you might have a problem – for example, dyslexia – that you weren't previously aware of.

English language support

The first year astronomy course includes a great deal of descriptive material, and the exams will require you to provide detailed and carefully reasoned descriptions and explanations of astronomical phenomena. If your first language is not English, you may find these courses much more difficult than the more mathematical content of the physics modules. If you find the first week's lectures difficult to follow, you should consider registering for courses in the English Language Support Programme (registration closes at the end of the first week of semester, so do this quickly!) Courses 2a, "Academic Reading & Writing (Science & Technology)" and 2b, "Academic Speaking & Listening (Science & Technology)" are probably the most appropriate for students in this department. If you miss the registration deadline, there is also an online course that you can use on a self-study basis.

General support

The Student Services Information Desk provides access to a range of services dealing with a variety of problems from the purely academic ("I think I'm going to fail a module – what do I do?") to the personal ("My girlfriend's left me and I'm shattered"). These services are there for you – please use them. If you think personal problems are affecting your studies, please also talk to someone at the department and fill out a Special Circumstances form: we will do our best to make allowances, and/or to help, but we need to know as soon as possible that there is a problem.

people and places

Year Tutor

The Year Tutor for first year astronomy is Dr Susan Cartwright, Hicks Building room D22. Dr Cartwright is responsible for the general organisation of the course, including assigning lab and tutorial groups, collating module grades, etc. Contact her if you have a general problem, e.g. a timetable clash, you want to add or drop an astronomy module, you need to check on your module marks, etc.

Astronomy Technician

Paul Kerry is the Astronomy Technician and Computer System Manager. Mr Kerry is responsible for the computers and equipment in the Astronomy Laboratory, and runs the observing sessions on the roof of the Hicks Building. Contact Mr Kerry if you need to borrow equipment (note that you may have to pay a deposit to do this), if there is a problem with the computers or peripherals in the lab, or if you have a question related to observational work.

Astronomy Laboratory

This is room E36, on the first floor of the Hicks Building. As well as the lab sessions themselves, some tutorials take place in the Astronomy Laboratory, and there is a bookcase containing useful reference books. Outside the laboratory is the Astronomy Noticeboard: you should check this regularly, as lecturers use it to post useful information such as progress test marks, cancellation or rescheduling of lectures, impending deadlines, etc. The sign-up sheet for observing sessions is also located just outside the Astronomy Laboratory.

The Departmental Office – Teaching Hub

The Teaching Hub for the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the School of Mathematics and Statistics is room F10 of the Hicks Building. Most assessed work has to be handed in here. Office staff can also supply many university and departmental forms, advise on exam dates and timetables, make appointments for you to see a particular staff member, supply copies of past exam papers, and provide help with university or departmental procedures.