Undergraduate Course: Programming and Data Analysis (PHYS08049)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
| Home subject area | Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course provides an introduction to computer programming and data analysis. It serves as a preparation for further study in some physics-related degree programmes, and as a stand-alone course for students of other disciplines, including mathematics, chemistry, geosciences, computer science and engineering. The course consists of laboratory sessions and workshops to develop understanding, familiarity and fluency. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | No |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
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Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities |
| Additional Notes |
|
| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Assessment Methods
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| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course it is intended that student will be able to:
- Appreciate the relationship between experiment, theory and computation as scientific techniques
- Explain the importance of reproducibility of scientific work, and the role that quantitative statements of confidence in results play in achieving this
- Present a record of a computation in an appropriate, clear and logical written form (e.g. fully documented computer code), augmented with figures and graphs where appropriate.
- Assess whether an output from a computer program is physically reasonable
- Locate and use additional sources of information (to include discussion with peers where appropriate) to resolve problems that arise in the computational physics laboratories
- Take responsibility for learning by attending laboratory sessions and workshops, and completing coursework
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Assessment Information
60% Programming/Computing Skills
40% Data Analysis |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Scientific Programming
- Introduction to programming; Basics of Linux; Data Types, Variables and Operators
- Basic Input and Output; Math Class and Constants
- File Input and Output; Conditional Statements; Loops; Arrays and Strings
- Plotting Graphs Using the ptplot Package
- Introduction to Methods; Introduction to Objects
- Finding and Fixing Bugs
Data Analysis
- Uncertainty, Accuracy and precision
- Mean value; standard deviation; error on the mean
- Microsoft EXCEL for data analysis
- Combining uncertainties
- Graphs and graph plotting
- Least squares methods
- Application on a real-world problem |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | PDA |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Malcolm Mcmahon
Tel: (0131 6)50 5956
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Jillian Bainbridge
Tel: (0131 6)50 7218
Email: |
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