Undergraduate Course: Data Acquisition and Handling (PHYS10100)

Course Outline
School	School of Physics and Astronomy	College	College of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)	SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate)	Availability	Not available to visiting students
SCQF Credits	10	ECTS Credits	5
Summary	This is a 10pt course in experimental techniques taken by Physics students in S1. It combines elements of digital electronics (replacing part of JH Electronic Methods), with modern approaches to data acquisition and analysis. The intention is to prepare students for SH and MPhys experimental projects.
Course description	- Analogue signal processing. Treatment of noise. Filtering. Buffering using sample and hold; - Analogue to digital conversion. Sampling rates. Characteristics & errors; - Digital to analogue signal conversion; - Communication protocols (Bus standards). Input/Output (I/O); - Digital signal processing. Triggering. Fourier transforms; - Data acquisition using a Raspberry Pi and Arduino and python; - Advanced data analysis. Multi-parameter likelihood fits; - Practical examples, e.g. temperature sensors, ultrasound sensors, FFT spectrum analyser, synthesizer, digital signal generators, motion sensors, remote sensing, image processing, with CCDs.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites	Students MUST have passed: Computer Modelling (PHYS09057) OR Experimental Physics (PHYS09049) OR Observational Astronomy (PHYS09059) It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Fourier Analysis and Statistics (PHYS09055) OR Fourier Analysis (PHYS09054)	Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None

Course Delivery Information

Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1)		Quota: 44
Course Start	Semester 1
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 4, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 33, Summative Assessment Hours 3, Revision Session Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 56 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 50 %, Practical Exam 50 %
Additional Information (Assessment)	100% coursework
Feedback	Not entered
No Exam Information

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to: Understand core concepts of data acquisition, data handling and data analysis in physical sciences; Apply standard practical laboratory techniques (e.g. routine handling of data acquisition equipment and writing short, procedural computer programs) as directed in a script to achieve a stated goal; Apply advanced practical laboratory techniques (e.g. handling of complex data acquisition equipment, and writing data acquisition computer programs) with limited direction to achieve a stated or open-ended goal; Apply advanced data handling and data analysis techniques (e.g., data selection and representation, multi-parameter likelihood fits and writing data analysis computer programs) with limited direction to achieve a stated or open-ended goal; Present a record of an experiment or computation in an appropriate, clear and logical written form (e.g. laboratory notebook, laboratory report, fully documented computer code), augmented with figures graphs, audio or movies where appropriate.